It was a 6.00 am wake up call to a morning of bird watching and yoga. The importance of appreciating nature, and taking in the fresh morning air, filled with beautiful sounds of birds.
Then the group got ready for the day, by re-capping their first days experiences in their daily diaries, where they could choose to write, or draw, but fill it with their thoughts.
Post which each of them painted their art bags with their names !
Day 2 had been planned as GET TO KNOW YOU ! GET TO KNOW YOUR FRIENDS and SURROUNDINGS !
And the best person who could do this with them was none other than Pawan Sharma, founder of Khoj Foundation, New Delhi. A theater enthusiast, who has dedicated his life to working with street children of New Delhi.
He got them talking, walking, lifting, sharing, smiling, crying, laughing, singing, dreaming, swaying........
Thru the day, he worked with them to enhance all their senses, especially, listening and feeling.
Even the facilitators of the children's homes and schools, who are present to help and support got excited and joined in learning these exercises.
Loads of role playing exercises and attention building skills were imparted.
Team-Building and Team-Working.
The children then went on to learning techniques about story building, and enactment of a play.
They learnt how to enact various expressions alongwith feeling opposite reactions thru role playing.
Towards the end of the day, we took them out in the open, to add more energy and play some exciting games but still sensitizing them to listening and attention skills.
The day ended in the children really keen on working together, and taking up challenges, and were given the challenge to building a wall or pillar by using each other as bricks one on top of the other. This was a huge endurance and trust building exercise.
The teams confidence in each other reached so high by the end, that they were ready to be human balls to be thrown around like a catch practice. They took turns and happily participated by no inhibitions to anyone.
Finally, the day ended in this wonderful group photo, where it was just impossible for them to stay still and not continue to act. Thank you Pawan, you made our day, and the children will remember you for a long time to come.
I will end with the lines of the song taught by Pawan to us, which teaches us to go forth in life and face all challenges, cause we are alive and there is sunshine after rain !
"Tu Zinda Hai, Tu Zindagi Ki Jeet Pe Yakin Kar ,
Agar Kahin Hain Swarg To, Utaar La Zameen Par,
Tu Zinda Hai ! "
(you are alive, and believe in the triumph of life. and if there is heaven anywhere aspire to bring it to earth, you are alive ! )
Fantastic! xxx
ReplyDeleteAmazing... I can already see the children growing... :)
ReplyDeleteI really feel that I should have been there too. It would have been a great experience. The pictures are amazing. Thank you.
ReplyDelete