We have been working quite regularly with the children in Khirki under the umbrella of Unlearning Uncentred. Since the past few months it has been a weekly engagement that aims to allow children to be able to find many mediums of expression for their stories and start using them in their daily lives in small ways.
During the last three days of April, we decided to do an intensive 3 day summer workshop with the children. The intention was to get the group to work more cohesively and also to deepen our relationship with them. This was also an experiment for us, which allowed us to observe the quality and nature of the work in an enclosed space.
We worked on three different ways of expressing stories –oral storytelling, storytelling through drama and storytelling through visual art. These activities were led by three volunteers from Aagaaz-Nishant, Priiya and Himani. We also had Zainab, Nagma, Nagina, Saddam, Shahid and Jasmeen co-facilitated the sessions.
As the days progressed, we understood the value of time and commitment and the difference it makes. We decided to put boundaries on entry and demanded punctuality and noticed how it automatically made this smoother. The children responded to the mediums quite beautifully and expressed their inclination to want to explore them further.
We are now thinking of ways to create learning journeys for the children that nurture their curiosities and allow them to engage with areas that fascinate them. As facilitators, we need to find opportunities and resources that would equip us to create such a space. We also need to look at strategic ways of managing emerging needs and unpredictable circumstances.