Breaking this linguistic barrier and helping children embrace English as a tool for self-expression and communication is a vital goal. This is where the “Fun with English” competitions come into play, conducted annually to dispel the apprehension surrounding English learning and to encourage children to utilize the language through engaging activities.

Our facilitators at Makkala Jagriti started providing meticulous training to our children in government schools with the vision of instilling in them confidence in the English language. It was difficult to talk children into participating in the competition in the beginning where they were apprehensive about their English skills and hesitant to participate in programs. With continuous dialogue and with the support of their parents, we could rope in many of them for the competition. Even in the challenging times of the pandemic, we persisted in our mission, adapting the competition to an online format, and reaching students in need of English exposure. In the post-pandemic world, engaging children in the “Fun with English” became easier, and to our astonishment, 80% of kids from each school took part in the competition in 2022.

Students who once hesitated to engage with English are now enthusiastic participants, ready to take charge. Their involvement has gone beyond the competition; they now actively contribute ideas and take the lead in conducting events. This initiative has not only bridged the language gap but has also instilled newfound confidence in students, who eagerly look forward to each competition.