Painting Workshop for the Slum Children

Pranavi wrote about her experience towards care for the underprivileged children by way of organizing painting workshop. We present her story that spreads the message of Vedanta's Khushi initiative towards `Care for the Under-privileged Children'.

Painting Workshop for the Slum Children

I remember the old story that says `every drop is important to form an ocean’.  Each one of us is important and can play decisive role in bringing mass awareness and contribute towards spreading awareness and motivate others to do so.

I am an art & craft teacher in a reputed school in Mumbai from past few years. All the drawing material right from the wax colors, pencil colors to drawing books are being provided by the school to the students. We have a  `drop box’ kept in each class where the broken colours, half used drawing books, unused craft materials are dumped by the students for disposal. 

As a routine, this was a usual practice but now once I read so many stories on Khushi Blog, I was searching for an opportunity to do some thing different.

The place I stay, in Andheri, has a dense slum where every morning you can see a lot of kids just playing on the road or sitting on the pavement. 

I thought of giving a try to assemble these children and organize a small workshop using these colours and drawing books. I kept the day as Sunday, which is a holiday for me and reached the slum areas and spoke to these children.  As expected, they did not take me seriously. They thought I was joking.  But once I gave few of them some colours and drawing books, it excited them no limit.

I had created an interest and curiosity amongst these children.  In just five minutes almost 25 kids assembled.  And we decided to meet in another 2 hours when they can get ready  - small advise to brush their teeth and have a good bath before I reach, made them smile too.

When you can afford a lot of thing easily, their importance also decreases.  Perhaps this was the case with the stock of used colours and drawing books I had.

How true it is – creativity is in mind and good hands need no great teacher.

The topic was as easy as `Draw What You See’ and colour them.  They all were serious. Many people saw me doing this. These children parents sat a little far as spectators, admiring what their children were doing.

I had the satisfaction of doing some thing good.  What changed ??  Nothing much, except that I have got a new confidence,  and these children a new direction. I spoke to the parents of some of the children and they are now getting enrolled in the schools in nearby government school.

My effort would not end here.  Together now, we plan to have another workshop on paper cutting.

Pranavi Sharma, Mumbai