Prayas

Prayas is one of India's largest non-profit organisations. Its goal is to protect the rights of marginalised children, women and young people. Prayas has projects in seven states across India serving an estimated 100,000 people. The organisation is based in Delhi.

Prayas was founded in 1988 by Delhi police chief Amod Kanth after a fire ravaged the North Delhi slum of Jahangirpuri. "Prayas" is a Hindi word, derived from Sanskrit, meaning "endeavour".

The organisation initially focussed on providing shelter and education to children affected by the disaster. Since then it has expanded into many other areas. It now provides alternative education, shelter homes, health and nutrition and other services to marginalised children across India. Disadvantaged women and teenagers also avail of services offered by Prayas, in particular vocational education. In response to crises, such as the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and the 2004 tsunami, Prayas has expanded its services outside of Delhi in recent years and now operates in nine states across India.

Prayas provides alternative education to 50,000 street, neglected and working children. Most of these are in Delhi but Prayas education centres are also located in Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, Haryana and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Children who have fallen out of the government education system are provided with quality non-formal education in order to allow them to catch up and reintegrate into the state system. Students are given mid-day meals and regular health check ups. The organisation's alternative education centres have been identified as models of best practice by the Indian government and the United States Department of Labor.

...
Wikipedia