I hope by now you have read my previous two articles आसान नहीं है, (भाग-1 and 2) and I am grateful to you for that. But, in case you missed, I sincerely urge you to read those, they will not take more than 7 minutes and this piece draws upon those articles.
While reading previous articles you must have encountered the name ‘Indradhanush’, and you probably would have thought (or maybe not) that 'Indradhanush' is only a mythical place that the writer created in his/her mind. But, what if I were to say that it was not the writer's imagination but something called 'Indradhanush' really does exist? Yes it's true, it does! And, it has been there for quite some time now. But, first, tell me are you ready to share your precious time with me to read this account on Indradhanush? If yes, then here we go…
What is Indradhanush?
It is a voluntary group of individuals united in their vision of quality public education. Social activists and like-minded people are supporting this cause. So far, its journey has been fueled by former and current college students like you. However, Indradhanush is not an NGO and neither is it a part of any government department/program, or a school.
Indradhanush thinks of education to be a source of a better society based on the values of egalitarianism. It strives for developing scientific temperament through inclusive pedagogy. It also asserts for education that is freely accessible through public schooling where there should not be any social or physical hurdles while accessing quality education. It strongly believes that education is a right and it must only exist as such, and thus it can not be a marketable commodity or a privilege. Education should not come as an act of charity, but it should be provided as a social obligation. Indradhanush also believes that community participation in public schooling is a must and that the public schooling system should hold accountability towards the community. It feels that students, teachers and members of the community are crucial pillars of society and there should be a harmonious relationship among them.
In the long run, Indradhanush strives to create awareness regarding the importance of public education among members of the community, to make efforts to strengthen and expand public schooling. It also seeks to work with the community to ensure people's participation in public schooling as well as to realize the dream of common schooling. And, finally, it wishes to create and sustain the trust of students and their parents in public school learning.
Apart from the above-mentioned objectives, at present, volunteers at Indradhanush put efforts to achieve some immediate goals while working on their mission of free public education. Their immediate objectives include but are not limited to- supplementing students' learning in school, creating a pleasant learning experience for them, creating and sustaining confidence in their learning abilities, reaching out to a larger community of learners and expanding the library services for the community.
The Indradhanush Family
Students of Indradhanush are largely drawn from the working-class neighbourhood of Samta Vihar, Mukundpur, Harit Vihar and Sant Nagar in North Delhi. All students are from MCD and Delhi Government schools. At present, students from classes II to VII are coming to learn at Indradhanush. Currently, it h(as 24 students of which 16 are girls.
While teaching, volunteers at Indradhanush use NCERT books and syllabi along with books and study materials from Eklavya and other such organizations. They also try to use games to make learning fun for the kids. On designated days, students make crafts, recite poems and songs, as well as enact plays under the mentorship of fellow volunteers. Apart from classroom learning, students are given opportunities to learn in the immediate surroundings through educational tours to historical monuments and parks.
Indradhanush has observed in its journey so far that the students love to come to this place and parents have shown their faith in its initiative. While teaching, volunteers have learned more about the teaching process. People have felt that regular interaction is crucial to meet immediate objectives of Indradhanush.
Indradhanush does not charge any fee from its students, and neither does it accept any funding from government or other such institutions and it solely depends on voluntary donations from people who agree and support its vision and mission. It runs only on minimalistic expenses like rent, electricity, etc.
Although Indradhanush has wonderful goals it has some shortcomings too. It seeks to provide quality education to its students but a dearth of volunteers has become too big of a problem in recent months that somewhere down the line it affects its functioning adversely. Hence, it needs more spirited volunteers along with study materials, learning tools for students. However, Indradhanush does not offer monetary compensation to its volunteers but it does provide a friendly atmosphere, a satisfying and enriching experience, a space to explore your creativity and to make students more creative. All volunteers who have worked here have said that this is one of the happiest things that they have ever done.
And, if by any chance you are feeling the need to contribute something to Indradhanush, I would urge you to come to this place and volunteer. You can comfortably start from the next academic session. You can choose any day from Monday to Saturday and also the subjects you want to teach, from Math to Languages (Hindi & English). Evening classes at Indradhanush usually take place after your classes end at college around 3 PM. You can also easily commute to Indradhanush. Just take an e-rickshaw and get to Guru Teg Bahadur Metro Station, then take a sharing-auto and you are on your way to Indradhanush. Finally, get down at Bengali Colony (Sant Nagar) and walk for seven minutes until you reach Indradhanush.
"Do not wait. If there is something you wish to do, go do it. Death comes for busy people too. It will not pause and return at a more convenient time."
"The person who learns the most in any classroom is the teacher. If you really want to learn a topic, then "teach" it. Teach a class. The act of making something will force you to learn more deeply than reading ever will."
So, what are you waiting for, come and join the family of Indradhanush!!!
Note: Interested people may contact Campus Perspectives.
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