IN THE PAGES OF REGISTERS AND COLOURS OF HOLI: STORIES THAT STAY

From my 1st week to today writing for Pehchaan The Street School for my 3rd week;

My perception of it being just an NGO has changed a little.

For the children here its more than this.

It’s a place of their definite growth,

A place they can worship to make themselves a better human.

There do comes week that passes without too much attention being seek and then comes the days that just be the way they are.

It is always the tiny little moments that impact more than the major events taking place.

So was the week from 17th to 23rd March felt like at Pehchaan The Street School with a blend of learning and celebrations.

The idea of educating the underprivileged children at Pehchaan The Street School is not confined to walls of a classroom,

Rather it is the belief that the children perceive in the organization regardless of their circumstances.

With over a decade now,

The organization has been working across different communities to help educate the students by providing accessible and fully resourced education ensuring that all the children get an opportunity to learn in a normal schooling sort of environment majorly guarded by the huge lot of volunteers working at the organization.

The Paperbaag co x Pehchaan The Street School

The best moment of the week that took place was the distribution of 500 registers supported by the Paperbaag at the Indraprasth centre during the Holi celebrations on 1st March. This may seem a normal thing to many but in real it was a major help to the students of Pehchaan The Street School. With learning being so difficult and material oriented these days, it is important to have al the necessary books. To put it in short words it’s an access key to fruitful education. Any missing notebook can lead to incomplete tasks, homework, practicing, etc. While receiving their own registers the children felt the happiness to own their personal copy giving them a fixed space where thoughts, efforts and progress can reflect without interruption.

It was even more overwhelming to see the excitement of the children after holding their own registers. It made them realize to maintain their material carefully, revisit each page and also make them learn to write more beautifully & effectively and be productive. And with the passing time these will not just be a learning tool but a record of growth they made over the time. Every passing page would show the improvement and efforts made by the students showing their focus of studies. This also plays an important role in continuity and punctuality making the students more disciplined with their work. The presence of structure learning materials and process helps reduce disruption and allows students to stay connected with what they are learning.

The Holi celebrations was layered with more fun and excitement. It wasn’t just about giving out resources but creating a place where learning and celebrations could happen together.

Jhalak x Pehchaan The Street School

This was also seen in the contribution by Festive Treasures by Jhalak, who provided 30 stationary kits to grade 3 students, in which the kit included study materials, snacks and Holi colours, making the kit fun learning. What stood out most was the response of the students after receiving the kits. They opened them with excitement, looked at every item carefully and even compared them with their friends’ kits. For them it wasn’t just about receiving study material, but also the happiness to learn that this Holi they will celebrate it just like every citizen of the country.

Festival of Holi usually comes up with emotional value for children, passing them the message of always choosing the Dharma path. By celebrating it in learning space, Pehchaan The Street School created an environment where the children could experience both delight and inclusion. It isn’t just about playing with colours but the feeling that they truly belonged. The kit ensured the children have essential resources needed for studies for the commencing academic year. This mix of bliss and usefulness created a memory worth remembering. The smiles on their faces were so bright and heartwarming.

Being a part of this good cause as an intern changes the perspective over the time. Initially, it was easy to put the initiative that the organization want to spread into words and create awareness but now after a couple of weeks we start looking into the lives of the children studying here. Anything making them happy makes us happy, anything making them excited about makes us excited, festivals coming up gives an enthusiasm and joy to celebrate with the children and light their lives as well. It is more grateful to be a reason of their happiness after seeing them receive their little kits of laughter and smiles. You begin to notice smaller changes, the ones that are not always recorded digitally but captured in the eyes of the observers. Any student hesitant and shy starts to participate and becomes confident. These changes may not happen suddenly or instantly but little steps daily do make a major impact. This becomes the moments that stay forever not just with our students but us as the volunteers as well even sitting in far apart places around the world looking to their pictures virtually but still feeling the happiness that they feel.

Our Pride

Working with Pehchaan The Street School also makes one aware of the responsibility that comes with being part of the space. Teaching isn’t just about giving knowledge but about understand each student’s speed, struggles and potentials. It requires a lot of patience of in ways we don’t even expect it to be. T

hese ideas become clearer when we look at the journeys of students like Ayush and Gaurav.

The Story of Ayush

Ayush’s journey shows his quiet determination. As a student from the GTB Nagar Centre, he had clear vision to become an engineer.

During his schooltime, he found out about an academic program that required an entrance exam to appear. Even though he had a very little time to prepare he decided to give it a try. With guidance from his mentors, he had only one thought, to give his best. It now sounds obvious that he definitely cleared the exams but the highlight was the process he followed which majorly involved consistency, effort and a willingness to step into something uncertain. The struggle didn’t stop there and continued after clearing the exam. The initial school allotted to him was far away for him to commute daily.

Here, Pehchaan The Street School’s team helped him by shifting him to a closer school.

Today, as a class 9 student he continues his education with stability. But his journey highlights the importance of proper guidance and support needed especially in such times.

The Story of Gaurav

Gaurav who had different situation but showed the same determination. He came to Pehchaan The Street School not just as a student but as someone seeking help.

He wanted to pursue Commerce stream in Class 11, but his academic performance wasn’t up to the mark. Without any second thought of giving up, he chose to take support and work harder. With regular practice and support he was able to clear the exam.

Today he is studying the subject he always wanted to, setting a perfect example of putting al dedication, staying focused and progressing in a limited time.

Stories like Ayush and Gaurav’s aren’t of sudden transformation, but about steady progress built over the time.

The Holi celebration at Indraprasth centre also showed how many people worked together to make it happen. Such events cannot happen on their own. Events like this requires a long planning, coordination and dedication of a huge number of individuals.

Volunteers’ engagement, presence and consistency with the students form a fruitful learning environment consisting of progressive studies and successful events.

The contributors are not just donating, they are also supporting the children and helping them move forward, and proving,

Education is a Right of Every Individual.

At the same time, students themselves play an important role by staying wiling to learn, adapt and keep going despite the challenges they have been facing in their journey.

Pehchaan The Street School has a vision to provide, by educating as many children we can.

Join hands and be our support system.

We believe, if you teach a man,

“How To Fish” it’s worth a lifetime!

It’s a labour providing a resourceful study environment.

A school with the four walls of:

Strength

Dedication

Focus

Motivation

This is being inculcated over the years.

It wasn’t about what was distributed or celebrated but about what stayed behind and impacted majorly to the lives of the children at Pehchaan The Street School.

The happy faces they carried showed us what major role we played in their life story. It isn’t just a memory for them to cherish lifetime but a sparkling moment they would want to talk about after being nation’s pride.

Those registers aren’t just copies to be filed but a book of remembrance,

Those Holi kits aren’t just hampers of festival but a box of joy that didn’t just fil their lives with resources but something that fi l our hearts with contentment.

“We Welcome You”

To be a part of our journey and making education everyone’s right.

“Pehchaan — The Street School”

Website:

https://pehchaanstreetschool.org

Google : Pehchaan The Street School

Indraprastha Metro Station, Delhi 110001

097117 18972

Email id — pehchaanschool@gmail.com

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