Creating new world citizens

BANGALORE: “Initiatives like the Parikrma Humanity Foundation are the only hope for the youngsters who have fallen through,” said Prasad Bidapa. Associated with the foundation for almost two years now, Bidapa, the Bangalore-based stylist announced the launch of a campaign to enable interested, high net worth people to invest in the ‘New World Citizens’.Parikrma Humanity Foundation is working to provide education to disadvantaged children.The foundation helps the abandoned or the orphaned children or slum children with family income of less than `1,500 per month. Girl child is given special emphasis.The children below six years of age are selected and provided educational rights from the primary level to high school. They also help the children to get funding for their higher education as well.“The Foundation is doing a wonderful job at educating disadvantaged children.Shukla Bose, the CEO, is doing an amazing job. It’s amazing how they are helping children from slums prepare for a life after college.We have begun this academic year with four schools and one junior college for 1,300 children from 53 slums and five orphanages”, says Bidapa.The education focuses on getting the child ready for the globalised world, by e x - posing them to technology, sport, art, music and partnership from other schools around the world. Parikrma works with corporations, foundations, trusts and individuals donors to fund their program. “We give special attention to the kids who are performing brilliantly well by getting them funding and support to complete higher education. We select children depending on how they have been found, which is not just limited to Bangalore but all over the country. For example we have a lot of kids from the North East as well,” added Bidapa.At the launch, some of the ‘New World Citizens’ were introduced and quite a few CEOs and senior executives of IT companies and personalities were present.Bikram Choudhary, President of Bikram Yoga, who is also on the advisory board of the Foundation, was also present.