Salaam Bombay Foundation to organize an online fund raiser play to highlight how art plays a crucial role in the comprehensive growth of resource-poor children despite their daily challenges
If the past year and a half has taught us something, it’s definitely that therapy revolving around art forms of any sort, can most efficaciously fuel developmental metamorphoses, especially in growing individuals. The lockdown following the worldwide pandemic has helped us learn that art in any form can not only alleviate trying times but can also spur sustainable development.
Realizing the significance of art-integrated learning, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has also laid emphasis on inclusion of various art forms in school and higher education curriculum. The challenges of the 21st century require new ways of thinking, making it crucial for educators to look beyond traditional knowledge sources. An education in the performing arts has emerged as the alternative. Studies show children exposed to all three performing arts (music, theatre, dance) are happier, more engaged and enjoy going to school. They discover themselves and grow in confidence, enjoy an increased happiness quotient, experience reduced stress levels, positively channelise their energies and are socially better adjusted — all of which contribute to their future success. In addition to this, a recent IBM study of 1,500 CEOs also revealed that creativity is the single most important leadership skill of 21st century. Those trained in Arts, thus represent a huge source of untapped potential.
Acknowledging the importance of arts as a tool of development for school-going adolescents long before, Mumbai-based NGO Salaam Bombay Foundation (SBF) has incorporated performing and visual arts as a part of the syllabus for lesser-privileged students going to government schools since 2007.
Talking about the importance of arts, Rajashree Kadam, VP – Projects (Arts & Media) said, “Through studying the performing arts, students gain the opportunity to engage in an individual and collaborative expression of who they are and potentially can be. They discover themselves and grow in confidence, enjoy an increased happiness quotient, experience reduced stress levels, positively channelise their energies and are socially better adjusted. Several other socio-economic studies have also established that children who are exposed to performing arts i.e. music, theatre, dance are happier, more engaged and enjoy going to school — all of which ensure success for them in future.
Adarsh Gaikwad, a student of SBF’s theatre academy talks about how art has proven to be the most actualized solution to all his problems during the lockdown. Along with helping him in transforming his mental percepts and instilling vigor, art has also kept him sane throughout. “It was hard for me to keep carrying on my studies after the lockdown. We didn’t have a smart phone initially, and when we got the phone data became an unending issue. There were times when I could only attend one of two classes online because of data limitation. The only thing that kept me going was my acting practice. After attending SBF’s theatre workshop for a year, I became full of confidence about my career in theatre. It has inculcated a sense of credence in me. When we moved back to my native village, I even got several offers from the people who are already in the stage business locally,” he said.
But the lockdown and closure of schools has not been easy for students like Adarsh. So many of them have lost a year of education and probably will lose another year. And sadly, the longer they remain out of school, the less likely they are to return. The biggest challenge is the digital divide – online classes are an option very few can afford. At times, they find it difficult to cope with the new mode of learning because of problems peculiar to resource-challenged homes. Interrupted power supply, weak or non-existent internet connectivity, and unaffordability to buy necessary devices and internet data packages are major concerns.
A lot of privileged children who have a flair for art and understand how it has contributed to their holistic development, are also coming forward to help their resource-challenged peers. One such young change maker is Tia Advani. A student from B.D Somani International School, Tia is passionate towards helping the resource-challenged communities of India. An avid theatre enthusiast, she believes theatre is a platform that spreads joy and laughter. Combining her love for the performing arts with her passion, Tia has initiated a fundraiser ‘Raushni – Lighting Up Lives’, in collaboration with the Salaam Bombay Theatre Academy. Through her stage production “Bridge The Gap”, she hopes to raise funds in order to provide data packs and technological devices to SBF students in order to make online learning possible for them during the pandemic. A comic look at the pandemic and its associated challenges, it is a window into the world of resource-challenged students who with fortitude and determination, have risen to these challenges and found their way out of the dark. Adarsh is part of this initiative to be streamed live on Youtube at 6 pm on August 8.
“The recent pandemic has taken a toll on all of us, however, some more than others. To me, bridge the gap means equal opportunities – and while I understand this may not be an easy or quick task to achieve, I believe we all should do our part to make sure we are moving towards ‘bridging the gap’,” said Tia.
You too can help Bridge The Gap by donating Rs. 250, to keep a child connected to school for a month. Every bit of love makes a difference. Join us on 8th August @6pm to watch Tia and her friends, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRYnF1kYWsc
To donate, click here:
– https://fundraisers.giveindia.org/fundraisers/bridge-the-gap-by-tia-advani
About Salaam Bombay Foundation:
Salaam Bombay Foundation (SBF) started in 2002 to work with 12- to 17-year-old adolescent children growing up in Mumbai’s slums. These children live in extreme poverty and in “at risk” environments. The municipal schools they go to do not have the resources to give them individual attention, career guidance or access to activities that stimulate the mind. Many are undernourished and face the risk of substance abuse. They come from financially challenged homes and are pressured to drop out of secondary school and seek jobs to support their families. Given these ground realities, Salaam Bombay Foundation has harnessed the ability of child-friendly, innovative education tools to develop life skills and coping skills necessary to ensure that these adolescents develop into well rounded personalities, able to meet the challenges they face and take on leadership roles within their communities.
The Foundation keeps children in school by empowering them to make the right choices about their health, education and livelihood thereby ensuring that they can thrive with a bright future. In-school leadership and advocacy programmes equip “at-risk” adolescents with the life skills they need to lead change. The Sports, Arts and Media academies encourage them to express themselves and provide performance opportunities that build self-esteem. Acknowledging the importance of art as a tool of development for school-going kids, SBF has been incorporating performing arts’ sessions as a part of syllabus for lesser-privileged children of urban slums. SBF hence began its Academy of the Arts in 2007, providing a refuge for at-risk underprivileged adolescents living in urban slums, while providing them with valuable creative platforms to achieve personal and economic empowerment.