Amid Covid-19, educational NGO raises $2 million at first-ever virtual gala

A leading non-governmental education organisation of India has raised two million dollars at its first-ever virtual gala that will help provide remote learning for 600,000 children as the Covid-19 pandemic disrupts in-person learning for students.

The US Executive Director of Pratham, Bala Venkatachalam, said over 1,100 supporters from across the US came together for the organisation's mission "which was beyond anything we could have expected".

The funds raised will continue to sustain Pratham’s programmes and help extend its reach in new ways, he said.

The Pratham virtual gala held on July 18 was headlined by Indian-American journalist and author Fareed Zakaria, Bollywood actor and producer Anil Kapoor, playback singer Shaan and Pratham CEO Rukmini Banerji.

The organisation said it has "raised $2 million...which will provide remote learning for 600,000 children".

Addressing the event, held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Zakaria said the most important message he gets from Pratham's work during these challenging times is a “hopeful one”.

He lauded the organisation for using technology and finding “a way to force multiply”.

"That is how innovation takes place. Innovation is almost always the product of some kind of pressure, necessity,” he said adding that rather than being bogged down by the massive disruption amid the pandemic, “you're hearing about the potential upside", with a hope that "when the kids come back to school, we want it to be a celebration. We want them to feel that is something new, better and different to come back to.”

Banerji said for Pratham, the news from India amid the pandemic “is like a seesaw. There's an upside and there is a downside”.

While there have been health and financial concerns, she said there have also been “incredibly new learnings” amid the pandemic.

“In this moment of crisis, I think everybody (at the organisation) has risen to do much more than they normally do,” she said.

Addressing the gala, Kapoor lauded Pratham’s “phenomenal” work over the last 25 years in reaching 75 million children and youth across India.

“This year, the work Pratham is doing has become even more important. In the absence of the school infrastructure, parents, teachers and schools, leaders everywhere are struggling to find ways of continuing children's education,” he said.

Kapoor said while those who are fortunate enough to have all the resources at their disposal are managing somehow, the children and youth who already faced barriers to education are the most severely affected by the current situation.

He applauded Pratham’s efforts to create impact in 12,000 communities and to partner with 14 state governments and more than 200 NGOs to share their digital content so that a wider number of people can benefit from it.

During the virtual gala, Shaan enthralled the participants and attendees with his rendition of some of his popular movie songs while Kapoor too, in his inimitable style, appealed to people to donate generously to Pratham.