A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) training was conducted on July 24 and 25, 2025, as part of the Memorandum of Understanding between Don Bosco College, KR Puram, and Christ College of Science and Management.
The training was facilitated by Rev. Fr. Jince George, Principal; Sr. Jisha, Head of the Department; and Mr. Abin, Faculty, from the Social Work Department of Christ College. Students from both institutions attended the session.
The event was inaugurated with an address by Rev. Dr. Geo Kalladanthiyil, Principal of Don Bosco College. The training covered theoretical and practical components. On the first day, students were introduced to PRA tools and methods, with a focus on entering communities as learners rather than experts. Concepts such as the ‘Problem Tree’ model were explained, in which the root cause, the main issue, and its consequences are represented through the parts of a tree.
On the second day, students applied PRA tools in practical exercises. They were trained in Social Mapping and Resource Mapping, which involved identifying natural resources and social infrastructure. Participants were divided into two mixed-college teams and given time to explore the campus and gather data.
Each team created visual representations using available materials such as mud, leaves, and stones and then transferred their findings onto charts. One team focused on resource mapping and the other on social mapping. The session concluded with presentations by the teams and a closing message from Rev. Fr. Jince George.
