New Delhi, September 22, 2006 – In its endeavor to impart special skills to the underprivileged, Aptech, the leading global learning services organization, teamed up with Hope Foundation, to conduct a Cartooning & Art workshop for the underprivileged children at their South Extn centre in Delhi. This was followed by a Drawing Competition for the children and awards for the winning entries.

The highlight of this workshop were the 4 Graphic Artists from various countries, who volunteered to conduct this workshop. These professionals who are from Zambia, Nepal & Georgia, are in India undergoing a Multimedia programme at Aptech. The students were overjoyed with their expert guidance. Earlier this quarter, children from HOPE Foundation underwent a Soft Skills workshop at Aptech, which focused on developing Communication Skills – Verbal & Non verbal and Confidence Building amongst the children.

Aptech has in the past too worked with NGOs associated with the CRY & Rotary International, where it provided free Computer Literacy & Soft Skills courses for several children and held events & competitions to encourage them.

Aptech’s Corporate Citizenship Activity:

	Project Saraswati - step towards complete IT literacy, Aptech’s endeavor to provide IT education to underprivileged students throughout the country.
	Trained over 5 lakh students on the Multi-lingual basic IT literacy course “Vidya”
	Project Srishti – Arena Multimedia’s endeavor to further spread multimedia education throughout the country. Trained over 1000 students for free in the past year
	Aptech Limited has a tie-up with leading Barrackpore based NGO, Udayan, a home for the children of Leprosy patients. Aptech Limited’s brands, Aptech Computer Education and Arena Multimedia provided free IT and multimedia education to the children. Currently Soft Skills workshops are being held for these children.
	Other significant endeavors – donating complete computer lab at Apsingha, Pune; supported 25 Balwadis in developing low cost innovative technology models for technology training.
	Aptech has worked with NGOs associated with CRY viz. Swati, Ashray, Kislay & Anchal and provided free IT literacy to children from these NGOs. Soft skills workshops were organized for children associated with SWATI earlier this year.
	Aptech tied-up with Rotary Club of Greater NOIDA to extend Project Saraswati to the students of Chetram Sharma Girls Inter College at Village Chalera, NOIDA.
	Aptech Limited entered into a tie-up with Coimbatore-based NGO, Isha Foundation, to participate in its Rural Rejuvenation Project. Aptech Limited’s leading brand, SSI Education provided free IT training and courseware to students from villages in and around Gobichettipalayam where Isha Foundation is present.
	Aptech entered into a tie-up with leading Mumbai-based NGO, DEEDS (Development, Education, Empowerment of the Disadvantaged in Society), to provide free IT training to its students. DEEDS endeavors to ‘turn disabilities into abilities’ and is synonymous with the Deaf in society. Aptech, as part of its continuing societally conscious initiatives, will provide free IT training and courseware to DEEDS students in the first phase of its tie-up with the NGO.