Aaranyak: A Rural Alternative Learning Space

The Aaranyak program that believes in ensuring an open learning space is continuing its operation in 14 villages of Sejpur and Samarpada gram panchayats.

The reach and the impact of the four components of the program has indeed been progressing positively.

1. CHILD FRIENDLY VILLAGES

21 Baldosths committee meetings were organized in the villages. The rights of children and the need of creating a safe space for children are communicated to the village adults through these mediums. School Management Committee (SMC) members were identified and the important role played by SMC in school development was also discussed. Childrens who went for an exposure visit to Bhavnagar and attended the Shaishav’s annual celebration shared their experience in this stage.

 Child rights sessions Right to survival, Right to protection, right to development and right to participation were on focus in the 10 sessions on Child rights that covered 164 children in villages. Through the medium of games and puzzle these rights were discussed. Each right was dealt elaborately. For instance, children were made aware of all types of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, neglect) that they have the right ot be protected against.  Right to information was also communicated to children, explaining the why, what and how of accessing information.

Children becomes more aware of their own rights and are able to identify any violations of the same. This was evident from an incident where the children confronted a teacher on using corporal punishment on children.

Verbal and Nonverbal communications and understanding emotions were dealt intensively in 10 one day camps. It was observed that children found the nonverbal communication activities difficult as it was a novel task for them. But the 122 boys and 110 girls who were covered in these sessions showed will power and tried hard to deliver the best in these games. They also learned of two powerful tools to recover when burdened by depleting emotions,

Also, the creative skills associated with life skills was focused in the village through story writing, paper craft and other activities. With the use of tablet , 28 such sessions were organized to clear children’s doubts in their academic subjects through the medium of explanatory videos, visuals etc. Additionally, movies like Moana was also shown to amaze children in the fantasy world.

660 children were interacted during the Child Rights week celebrations. Online safety, cyber security, addiction of social media were topics that were dealt through the medium of role play, songs, stories. In schools, the teachers supported these initiatives whole heartedly. The children quite interestingly improvised the plays and performed in other stages.

22 children of Dediyapada block visited Bhavnagar interacted with Balsena children. Here they got an understanding of collective association and the need of the same. Also they participated in State Consultation of Children where Right to protection was deliberated in detail. The Legal provisions for child protection , importance of Child protection Committee’s were also highlighted. Later children had a lot of fun by playing in beach , which was also a first time for most of the children.

Quite interestingly, a visible difference in confidence and initiative skills were seen in these children

 2. VANSHALA

Vanshala activities are presently continuing in Samarpada and Pomelapda village of Dediyapada block. The activities continue to focus on enabling children to participate in their own learning process and build their capacity in leadership skills.

Vanbhojan

Three Van bhojans that resemble to picnics , but in close contact with nature were organized. These are demanded by children and voluntarily they contribute in small amounts, be it in kind or cash. A peaceful area is chosen where they learn from nature and also have fun in cooking food together. During this cooking process all genders come together breaking the gendered notions they see in their homes. Children dance, sing, swim in rivers and play freely without any inhibitions.

Samuh Bhojan

Four Samooh bhojans (group meals) Children brings food from home and eat together. Earlier the sense of sharing was absent among the children. Through 4 of such activities that covered 160 of children, a sense of oneness and acceptance all food choices are learned

Celebration of cultural festivals- Different festivals of cultural importance were celebrated in the villages. During Raksha bandhan, children made their own bands and in addition to sister tying to brother , sisters also tied the bands among themselves .  During River day celebrations, children made whole boats out of biodegradable items and had a lot of fun playing with it on rivers.

Celebration of Adivasi day was a highlight in these celebrations. Tribal culture was celebrated through songs and dances. Children made a dictionary in Adivasi language where terms for household items, medicinal plants, family relations were translated to Gujarati.

Sports    In 48 sessionsof sports, games like Kabaddi, volleyball, bridge ball were played by children. They pla y games of their liking. The gendered notions attributed to each game is broken by all genders playing together all games. i

Kishor Kishori mandal      

163 adolescents were covered in this activity. Throughposters, awareness dance and songs and drama, they learn to seek help from others in need, Child Safety net people in their villages. Topics like good touch, bad touch and physical and mental changes during adolescents, gender and sexare also discussed in detail. Conversations around gendered works in home, menstruation have created a more sensitized adolescents.

Bal samiti meetings- Children demand their interested topics and subject matters to the facilitators in the two Samiti meetings that are held in first Sunday of every month. Accordingly the team plans the activities.

Library- Unlike a few months ago, presently children read books of their interest and choice peacefully and without distracting others. This was a commendable behavioral change observed in this time because this was achieved without any disciplinary measures.

A total of 48 library sessions were organized where 898 boys and 917 girls accessed these books. Through this we are aiming to expand the imaginative and world vision of children through the stories they listen and read in these books.

The 36 Educational activities that engaged with 611 boys and 629 girls focused on improving reading and writing skill, counting by number charts, basic arithmetic’s. Children also take initiative to teach those who are slow in understanding.

 3. AAGANWADI

194 children of the age group of 3-5 of 16 villages have been intensively interacted by our team. Visible changes in the social skills of children have been observed. The fun activities have enhanced the cognitive ability of children and quality of services in Anganwadi centres. Toddlers were earlier shy and would create a chaotic situation by their hue and cries, but now they demand games, songs , stories and dancing. The Aaganwadi worker (AWW) extend her whole support to the team, The engaging activities have also impacted her morale and capacity. The coordinated works with AWW has delivered more positive outputs and an increase in attendance of children.

4. AASHRAMSHALAS

We are continuing the engaging and fun sessions in 11 Ashramshalas (residential schools for tribal children) of 9 villages. During the last quarter the following activities were organized.

Leadership camps

 The theme of team work was specifically focused in the camp activities. Activities that required coordination and team effort persuaded children to come out of their comfort zones. A total of 10 camps were implemented that covered 246 boys and 264 girls.

Team building, cooperation and coordination among students,

Through the games, children understood the importance of each member in the team and what exactly is inclusive leadership is.

Interestingly children were frustrated and demotivated after every failure. Quite naturally there were also blame games. But with the facilitators support children showed perseverance and acceptance of others. Rather than a single child emerging as a leader in the group, it was refreshing to see all the members in a team contributing equally. Listening to everyone’s opinion, thinking out of the box and conflict resolutions were some concepts that children learned, without any theoretical class from the facilitators.

Balmela- Children always study scientific concepts and even theoretically memorize the experiments, To actually do it and understand its real life applications was made possible in the 6 Bal melas that were conducted in this period. A total of 378 children had fun in these experiments that majorly dealt with topics of force of air , gravitation and magnetism. This ensured more conceptual clarity that helped many children.

Exhibition and poster display- posters and display materials on history, geography , important personalities, like Dr B.R Ambedkar, constitutional rights were communicated to children through the 11 exhibitions of Bharat Dharshan in schools that covered around 900 children.

23 Movie sessions were also carried out. Films like Chillar party, Home Alone and Meh aur meri body impressed the children unlike the usual movies they watch. They were quite fascinated with the world in these movies and the perseverance shown by kids in them.

A total of 10 sessions were done among adolescents in topics of love and romance, healthy body image, healthy relationships and bullying. In a world where the adolescents are surrounded by influencer culture and unrealistic beauty standards, it’s essential for inculcating body positivity and self-love. Amazingly children were very happy after the sessions, felt more liberated