30Mar

Early Childhood and the Pandemic – How an NGO for Education Steps Up

March 30, 2022 makkalajagriti 2

Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour, and health. The experiences children have in early childhood shape the brain and the child’s capacity to learn, setting the pace for school readiness and eventual adulthood.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic through a spanner in the works with closure of Anganwadis (government pre-schools) which caters to over a quarter of India’s children between the ages of 3 and 6.

Although COVID-19 has not been considered a “children’s disease”, when we consider all aspects of young children’s development, the profound implications of the pandemic are evident. COVID-19 not only suspended normal childhood activities such as attending pre-school, interacting with extended family and friends, playing outdoors, and exploring nature but also disrupted the consequent socio-emotional benefits from children’s engagement in these experiences.

Makkala Jagriti, an educational NGO in Bangalore, recently organized a panel discussion on “Repercussions of COVID-19 on Early Learning and Development” with experts from the field of Early Learning and also from the Department of Women and Child Development. This was a discussion on observations, risks and remedies – an acknowledgement of difficulties that arose and the efforts made to curb them.

Impact of the pandemic on Early Childhood Care and Education

With Anganwadis closing, and young children staying at home, they were entirely relying on caregivers to meet not only their home needs but also all their developmental needs. This added burden on families to balance childcare and work responsibilities, compounded by economic instability and social isolation in many cases, is fertile ground for home environments characterized by toxic stress.

Anganwadis provide children with a holistic exposure – seeing, hearing, feeling and experiencing their surroundings, and connecting them with everyday learning. However, this opportunity was no longer available to them because of the pandemic. With children holed up inside their homes, their curiosity began to suffer. We started hearing stories of how some children did not even know what an auto rickshaw looks like!

We know that optimal brain development requires a stimulating and enriching environment, adequate nutrition, learning opportunities and social interaction with attentive caregivers. During the pandemic, access to these opportunities were severely restricted, compromising the healthy developmental trajectory of many children. Unsafe conditions, negative interactions and lack of educational opportunities during the early years can lead to irreversible outcomes, which can affect a child’s potential for the remainder of his or her life.

(Here’s a great article for more on the subject: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/what-is-covid-19-and-how-does-it-relate-to-child-development/)

The equity gap has widened as well – children from educationally-disadvantaged families suffer much more than children with the privilege of having families who cater to the various learning and developmental needs.

The importance of early childhood education at Anganwadis is to enable overall readiness of children to go to school – have them get to age-appropriate levels of reading and numeracy. The disconnect from a physical space like an Anganwadi would put these abilities at risk too.

What actions were taken

Learning at Home encouraged

While the social setting is hard to replicate when there aren’t other children nearby, a lot can still be done at home. Here was an opportunity for parents and children to spend more time together. However, parents needed to be equipped with those soft skills that were essential for guiding the child through lessons. The guidance to do this was taken door to door by Makkala Jagriti’s team, with assistance from Anganwadi teachers.

Parents equipped to support Learning at Home

The other side of the argument lies in the fact that parents are now spending more time with their children than before. With a rich experience of Makkala Jagriti’s staff and consultants, Anganwadi staff were equipped to explain the various nuances early childhood care and education to parents. There was a lot of unlearning that had to be done:

Handling tantrums with punishment: the frustration of being at home without friends would tend to increase the incidence of temper tantrums among children. These temper tantrums were often dealt with punishment, leading to more tantrums – an unwanted cycle.
Permissive parenting: the unwillingness to continuously engage with children, instead giving them a mobile phone to keep them occupied, which in turn would lead to device addiction.
Trying to induce learning by fear.

Some of the guidance provided was in positive reinforcement and positive discipline. Whenever children did something commonly construed as good, like helping their parents clean up, or finishing homework on time, they were deserving of praise. When children threw a tantrum or were not listening to instructions from parents, it would warrant a quiet leveling between the parents and the children – an explanation as to why the behaviour was not right, all done with kindness in the parents’ voice.

During the lockdowns, parents were encouraged to involve children in the process of learning and in the plans for the day for their learning, while remaining cognizant of their feelings. They were encouraged to explain about COVID-19 to the children from credible sources, and why they could not go to school at the time. They were also encouraged to help children maintain their links with life outside their home, for instance making them stay in touch with their grandparents.

Nutrition provided at home

An important contribution of Anganwadis towards the growth and development of children is the provision of nutritious meals. With carefully curated lunches provided to children, the right nutrients made available to ensure physical development and ability to grasp and retain what is taught are sustained. During the lock downs however, this availability of nutritious food was at risk. This is when Makkala Jagriti, with the help of generous supporters, ensured the delivery of groceries – key ingredients for nutritious meals – to households, especially those with little children.

Learning through experience is a very important aspect of early education, to foster values such as empathy at a young age. When everyone connected with the children – parents, teachers, the community – understands the importance of early childhood care and education, the sky’s the limit for how the child grows. After all, as the popular proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child.

Makkala Jagriti thanks the following for their valuable inputs, during the panel discussion “Repercussions of COVID-19 on Early Learning and Development” (watch it here):

Dr. Srividya K., Guest Faculty, Early Childhood Education and Administration, Smt. V.H.D. Central Institute of Home Science College

Dr. Chaitra G. Krishna, Public Mental Health Consultant

Mr. Nischal B.H., Deputy Director – Bengaluru Urban District, Department of Women and Child Development

Mr. Nataraj, Deputy Director – Bengaluru Rural District, Department of Women and Child Development

31Jan

Students teaching each other: Peer Learning as seen in an NGO for Education

January 31, 2022 makkalajagriti 0

With nearly two years of closure of schools, our children were reliant on lessons they would get virtually, through Zoom, WhatsApp or YouTube. Children were longing to meet their teachers and classmates for quite a while.

In November 2021, schools reopened, which brought some relief to children, parents, and teachers alike. However, it was not easy for children to get right back into action at school. Being removed from classroom learning, the pace differed from what they had just gotten used to while learning at home. Children had to make adjustments once again, this time with “learning at school”.

Makkala Jagriti, a holistic development NGO in Bangalore, worked systematically to ensure these adjustments happened smoothly. The first step was to conduct an assessment to gauge where the children were in terms of their learning levels. The results showed what we expected – they had fallen behind quite drastically in their learning levels, even in foundational literacy and numeracy. To address this, Makkala Jagriti started specially designed bridge courses to help children close the gaps in their foundational learning.

Our facilitators used a number of strategies to make sure learning is enjoyable and effective, and one that worked very well has been peer learning.

Makkala Jagriti’s facilitators created groups of children with different learning levels, with the group leader responsible for the group’s learning.

The response of our children to this initiative was beyond what we expected. Children took the initiative to create their own WhatsApp groups, which led to greater engagement beyond the confines of the classroom! They became so invested in each other’s academic growth that they exemplified the value of leaving no child behind.

We observed a renewed enthusiasm among children who needed a little boost in understanding and interest in the subjects. Numerous studies have shown that children tend to respond more when their peers teach them in a collaborative and non-threatening manner.

Peer learning, however, is not a one-way street. A great deal of mutual learning happens; children who take the lead also have the opportunity to assess their own understanding of the lessons. By explaining what they learned to a group, children may discover newer outcomes within the lessons that they can share further. Likewise, children within the group, seeing their classmates taking the lead, may be motivated to take on the mantle of explaining lessons back to their fellow students. All in all, what is formed here is a circular network of the passage of information among students, with the teachers overseeing the activities within the group and ensuring the children are on the right track.

The benefits of peer learning are not confined to the exchange of knowledge alone. A significant advantage of peer learning is improvement in communication and social interaction among children.

Learning through cooperation leads to that same cooperation being extended to other facets of a child’s life – at home and within the community where the child lives. Another benefit observed is that children feel more comfortable opening up and interacting with their classmates than they would with a teacher or an adult guardian.

Numerous studies and theories speak in favour of peer learning. But, the biggest testament to its success lies in what our children have to say about it.

11-year-old Neha, a student of the 6th standard, says it best:

“I miss going to school because of the lockdown. When I was away from class, I had forgotten some of what I had learned in my Kannada class. However, when I came back to school, something new was waiting for me. We were given activities in groups, and thanks to my group, I remembered what I had earlier forgotten. My friends and I helped each other this way, and it was very exciting for me to learn from my friends and teach them as well.”

With the schools closed this last month again, children continue to help each other through the peer WhatsApp groups they created, and we are sure this spirit of collaboration and helping each other is here to stay.

24Dec

Scholarship for Students – Support all the way

December 24, 2021 makkalajagriti 0

Scholarship for students- Makkala Jagriti

Seeing the world around us, we draw inspiration from people who make a difference – no matter how small or large that difference is. Oftentimes it takes a little more than the drive to excel; one needs to be empowered with the knowledge and education that comes with aspired careers. However, for some of us the dreams are there, the abilities are there… but the finances or not.

Makkala Jagriti is one such NGO in Bangalore that resonates with stories of many such aspirants, who are often forced to view education as a luxury. To support aspirations, Makkala Jagriti has been collaborating with the Naresh Bala Excellence Fellowship (NBEF) since 2019 to aid students with the interest to study, but limited means to do so. NBEF’s scholarships for students give them the platform to access higher level of education and a level-playing field for suitable and sustainable job opportunities after the completion of their higher studies. We are right now working with over 29 scholars across three batches.

Makkala Jagriti, an educational NGO in Bangalore, in its own way currently plays the role of friend and guide to all the scholars and their respective families. We are a small part of their academic journey. It all begins with an invitation of applications to the scholarships from aspirants, hundreds of deserving candidates. Over several weeks of thorough scrutiny – which includes home visits and interviews – culminates in the selection of the scholars who will benefit from this endowment. While academic performance is a key factor in this decision, it is not the be all, end all. To qualify for such a scholarship, a desire for excellence in the field of study and a commitment to one’s aspirations is essential. And it is this commitment that has consistently been seen among our scholars.

Makkala Jagriti works with scholars to discover within them a sense of ownership and responsibility. In a time when aspirants are many but opportunities are few, it is important to grab the right opportunities and work towards a larger goal. Makkala Jagriti organises life skill training sessions, career counselling, job interview training, experiential learning, and so much more, for the selected scholars.

Our scholars have some stories to tell:

Monika, from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, belongs to family of six. She was part of the first batch of the NBEF scholarships for students. With the help of mentorship of Makkala Jagriti and support from NBEF, she successfully completed a degree in Commerce. Today she has a job that supports her family. Monika says this is only the beginning for her. She wants to pursue a Masters degree Business Administration from a reputed university and cement her position in the corporate world. She says she is ‘forever grateful to NBEF and Makkala Jagriti’ for providing her with unimaginable opportunities. Monika further states that on receiving these opportunities she feels more responsible and works hard towards her goals. She strongly believes that learning never stops and education is a basic necessity. She believes many students like her should be able access such opportunities and have a fair playing field in today’s world.

Shashank is young student who has an inspiring story. He belongs to Devanahalli, along the outskirts of Bangalore. He lives with his younger sister and mother at his uncle’s house. Losing his father at the young age of six was not something that was easy to overcome. The options available were meagre. But, Shashank dreamed big. He aspired for careers that would have large impacts – from a career in government to one in medicine. He never stopped dreaming. As he grew older, he was curious of the role of an engineer and decided to pursue that dream. Today, he is close to completing his engineering degree at a reputed college and continues to do exceptionally well throughout his journey. He shared with us that Makkala Jagriti and NBEF have played a crucial role in his success up until and now. The scholarship for Shashank lifted the financial burden off of his shoulders and helps him live a comfortable and healthy life with his small family. He believes that scholarships are not the only things required to succeed. Makkala Jagriti’s mentorship truly helps make most of the opportunities that come one’s way. “Without this mentorship, one could be lost,” says Shashank.

Scholarships often times not only provide financial assistance but also help build healthier communities. Like Monika, Shashank and their families, many children and their parents take on more than they can handle to make ends meet. Makkala Jagriti, with the support of NBEF, helps overcome such obstacles, bringing youngsters closer to their goals.

After all, where you are from should not limit how far you go.

Shravya Muralidhar

26Nov

The Importance of Schools Reopening

November 26, 2021 makkalajagriti 2

November 2021 brought with it some mixed emotions as our children returned to schools and Anganwadis. One could observe the feelings of joy, excitement, confusion, and nervousness among the children and their parents. A child’s first day back at school – whether after a short vacation or an extraordinarily long gap like this one – is a landmark moment in a child’s life, setting them off to a lifetime of memories and a path of learning and growth. Thinking about our school days, most of us can remember countless minor details – what clothes we wore, our friends, our teacher’s name, or who we sat next to! For many of our children, the COVID-19 pandemic took away these moments. The uncertainty of when they would step into a classroom again loomed large.

I remember when I was in school. As the summer vacation was ending, my preparation for the new academic year began well ahead. Bags packed, uniform pressed, books in place, and the eagerness to meet my friends and teachers. On my first day back at school, I woke up early and dressed up to leave the house. The day looked very different – chirpier and happier! As the bus pulled over, my heart raced like never before. This was a day that remains fondly in my heart.

Cut to several years later; I saw children returning to the grounds of their second home. Except, COVID-19 was not an exciting summer but a long halt from learning in person. The excitement that came with schools reopening was beyond measure.

We visited the Rajanakunte Anganwadi to meet an exuberant bunch of preschoolers on their first day back. Back to learning after one and a half years! All the children had their masks on, complying with the prevailing safety norms. This painted a clear picture of the children’s eagerness to be back at school, ready to be a part of the new normal. The teachers greeted every child lovingly before they set foot into the classroom. The facilitators of Makkala Jagriti, a Holistic Education NGO in Bangalore, were present and paid extra attention to ensure every child was comfortable. The facilitators addressed parents on effective interactions with children and reassured them of their child’s wellbeing.

When we visited government schools on the first day back, teachers recalled their efforts during the pandemic. Though resources like online lessons, workbooks, and basic stationery were made available, and facilitators put their best foot forward to reach every child in their homes through virtual means, it was challenging to cater to the individual needs of every child. Hence, coming back to school was a moment cherished even more than before! Teachers expressed the magic of a school that gathers many children, all of whom get targeted attention.

During the closure of schools, teachers observed the struggles children faced and often felt helpless. Parents would sometimes have to forgo going to work to address the needs of their children but were not well-versed in tackling the situation. So, it was a time of great relief for parents to see their children back in their learning environment. While the parents breathed a sigh of relief, the teachers are working on getting fully equipped to tackle post-pandemic learning. With children jaded by online learning, it was time to bring innovations into teaching to ensure children remained interested and engaged.

When schools reopened their doors, it felt like the doors to a safe haven were open for many children. A safe space brings a sense of comfort and reassurance for them, parents, and teachers. However, teachers were slightly anxious to work with children post lockdown. They re-addressed their approach to tackle the long learning gap. However, what kept teachers’ anxiety at bay were their children. They had never seen children skip, hop and dance their way into school before, nor the smile that could not be wiped off of their faces! It was always a scene teachers hoped to see, and now this scene has become a reality!

As a parent rightly said, a child’s mind is not fresh at home. When children as young as six years are at the Anganwadi, they are curious! The variety of activities, interactions, and learning processes at such spaces cannot be replicated at home. There are limitations at home but endless opportunities at school! This dent in curiosity was also seen amongst children older than six years of age.

Children now understand how pivotal schools are for their holistic and all-round development. They now wholeheartedly participate in all activities arranged and planned for them. The enthusiasm seen amongst the children is like never before! Earlier, going to school was a drag for many children, but now they cannot wait to enter the premises. They even wonder why they need holidays and prefer spending their days off at school! What was missed most was the collaborative learning experience between peers. With all this coming back, learning can be a healthy, fulfilling experience again.

An NGO for education in Bangalore, Makkala Jagriti has worked to make this transition as smooth as possible. Blended learning continues with online videos to aid teachers, parents, and students, while workbooks and activities help ensure creative learning. Many months of virtual learning have caused gaps in foundational learning, which children otherwise received at schools. Our teams have gone the extra mile to bridge these gaps by facilitating basic literacy and numeracy courses. We have also kept a special focus on children’s socio-emotional learning, their well-being and helping them ease back into school. Peer learning, creative learning material, and activity-based learning have been adopted to ensure effective growth and development opportunities. While times have been tough, we look forward to happy learning, development, and growth for every child!

Our children shared that they understood the true value of schooling and being with their teachers in person after this long gap. Here’s wishing them a safe and enjoyable time back with schools reopening, with a fruitful road ahead!

Shravya Muralidhar

28Oct

Volunteering – A Key Part Of Makkala Jagriti

October 28, 2021 makkalajagriti 0

Archana is a software engineer at a leading multinational corporation in Bengaluru. One Friday, she received an email. It was an internal one sent across the organisation, one from its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team. She had only been at the company for four months, and this was the first such email she received. She clicked on the link – her world was about to change.

It was a call for volunteers to help with an online workshop on spoken English through Makkala Jagriti. Archana had been wondering for quite a while about how children – especially from under-resourced communities – were getting access to education during the pandemic. Going through Makkala Jagriti’s website, Archana learned more about what the organization does in ensuring equitable access to education. She wrote back to her CS our team immediately, confirming her willingness to volunteer.

Santhosh is a student at a liberal arts college in the outskirts of Bangalore. Being in the final year, he had fewer classroom hours and more time for research. He found that he had a few hours to spare every week, which he wished to use productively and responsibly. While searching for the “best NGO in Bangalore to volunteer”, he hit the first link that he saw. It was Makkala Jagriti’s website. Fascinated by what he read about the organisation, Santhosh entered his email address in the place calling for volunteers. He didn’t know what he was going to do at Makkala Jagriti, but he knew that the experience would be enriching for him and the children with whom he would work.

These are but a handful of stories of several hundred persons who have spent time with us at Makkala Jagriti. Volunteering for Makkala Jagriti has been more than just about the completion of tasks – it has been about the sharing of experiences, knowledge, and lives. After all, this is the hallmark of Makkala Jagriti’s mission of creating and fostering a social movement. Having more hands and minds working together is always beneficial in ensuring a wider reach to children and under-resourced communities. This social movement comes alive when more people outside the organization are aware of the impact of the work done by Makkala Jagriti and actively involve themselves in it.

On the one hand, our children and communities gain significant exposure from interacting with volunteers from various backgrounds. On the other hand, volunteers get to know of challenges faced by our communities. They can propagate the story further, talking about what more can be done to improve situations.

Makkala Jagriti has been fortunate to have volunteers from different backgrounds for nearly two decades now. Volunteers with varying skill sets can provide valuable input to cater to any project’s needs. Some events and workshops require the demonstration of specific skills, and this is where volunteers come in. For instance, a group of volunteers with a strong background in science will be able to conduct educational workshops in science experiments for children, thereby increasing the interest children would have in the sciences while exposing them to a world beyond their textbooks.

The team at Makkala Jagriti, too, has benefited tremendously thanks to our volunteer community. Volunteers from different specialisations have helped build the organisation’s capabilities in these same specialisations. A significant example of this was on display when the lockdown began owing to the pandemic. With face-to-face teaching coming to a halt, several teachers and facilitators had to quickly adapt to technological means to reach out to children, particularly through platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, and YouTube. It was undoubtedly a challenging prospect. It was thanks to the volunteers who contributed their time to teaching our teachers and facilitators the basics of using a phone to communicate effectively, send messages, log into and use online meeting platforms, edit instructional videos, and so much more. Well over a year later, our teachers and facilitators are conducting their activities online with boundless confidence and aplomb, and this in great measure has been thanks to our volunteer community.

Play ground at Anganwadi Schools - Makkala Jagriti

Makkala Jagriti’s core organisation, too, has significantly gained through volunteer experience. Through their know-how of best practices in organisations, volunteers have helped the organisation create internal policies to ensure smooth functioning. For NGOs like ours, volunteers have formulated human resource policies, financial management policies, procurement policies, and the like.

From teaching children how to make a baking soda volcano to painting a lovely mural on the wall of an Anganwadi, volunteers have gone above and beyond to help us make education fun and accessible to our children. They are the very embodiment of the social movement that is Makkala Jagriti.

If you’d like to know more about how you can volunteer and be a part of our movement, we’d love to hear from you – so write to us at volunteers@makkalajagriti.org

02Oct

Why I work at Makkala Jagriti

October 2, 2021 makkalajagriti 0

Hi, my name is Nikhil Vasuki, and I manage communications at Makkala Jagriti. This account is a story of how Makkala Jagriti’s story and my story met.

The first 15 years of my career have been widely varied. My ties with the corporate world began in finance, moving on to the world of defence contracting. This exposed me to so much geography: Arabia, Europe, the Americas, and Central Asia.

When I moved to India in 2014, I started my stint in news media. In the field, I got a more nuanced understanding of the socio-economic situation of the people of India, especially the people of Karnataka. As much as administrations are doing their best to bridge the gap between the rural and the urban, it does take time. To identify areas that need extra support needs many more boots on the ground than are currently available. One major area where I saw a large rural-urban disparity was education. From pre-school to tertiary education, there were stark differences in what children and youth were exposed to. With the fraction of rural children and youth who transitioned into an urban setting for further studies and employment, a significant barrier was that of language, i.e. English. With minimal exposure to the language, this would often lead to difficulties in maintaining confidence. Consequently, any opportunity for tertiary education and post-university employment would swing in favour of the urban student.

With these thoughts was born a dream to find a way to bridge and eventually eliminate this gap. I ran through many ideas in my mind, a physical centre that provides bridge courses, a mobile centre that goes from district to district, taluk to taluk, village to village, an app that can provide lessons at a single click, or something as simple as a YouTube channel. Quite overwhelming, as I didn’t have the depth to understand every aspect of making access to education equitable.

A bit of soul – and internet – searching led me to the Facebook page of this Bangalore NGO called Makkala Jagriti. “Fascinating name,” I thought, “quite telling in what they’re all about.” Makkala Jagriti – the “awakening of children.” The awakening of knowledge, possibilities, opportunities, and success.

The more I explored, the more I got to know how deeply entrenched Makkala Jagriti is in a child’s development. With programs for children under the age of six, primary school children and pre-teens, and high school children and young adults, there is so much time and effort invested in ensuring no child or youth is left behind.

I thought to myself, “Here is an organisation that is already doing so much to bring equity in access to education; it is a good place to learn, contribute and build myself up to fulfil my mission in the development sector.” However, I was still not aware of the full extent of the work done by Makkala Jagriti. The knowledge of their reach dawned upon me when I began having conversations with the team.

Makkala Jagriti institutionalised the S.P.I.C.E. model of holistic development – building on children’s Social, Physical, Intellectual, Creative, and Emotional development. Studies have shown that such a wide spread of interventions is beneficial for a child’s growth into a physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy adult. To see this in active practice at Makkala Jagriti was wonderful for me to see.

When I came on board in January 2021, Makkala Jagriti was well into solving a significant problem that came into existence – learning was interrupted across the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It took some adjusting from the field team to start managing their facilitations remotely. However, there was one more divide that was created immediately – the digital divide. While most children in an urban setting had access to an electronic device that enabled them to continue learning online, this was not the case, especially in rural areas.

Makkala Jagriti, with the help of the organisation’s supporters, marshaled resources together and put together thoughtfully designed learning kits, stationery and lesson plans to reach children. The assistance included creating area-level WhatsApp groups in which representatives of Makkala Jagriti played a crucial part. Children would complete assignments in the workbook and send their feedback to Makkala Jagriti’s staff through the WhatsApp groups – such a detailed and continuous overview of every child’s work! On top of all of this, teachers and parents would be continually brought up to speed with lesson plans, the best ways to teach and guide, and to make the overall experience enriching and fun at the same time.

Furthermore, the Bangalore NGO’s work did not restrict itself to academics. These were trying times, and ensuring everyone’s mental health – staff, children, parents, and teachers – became a top priority. The organisation brought sessions in yoga, counseling, and talking circles – facilitated by experts in the field – to check in on and ensure all these stakeholders were aware of safe spaces available for them to let their hair down and use them as frequently as they need them.

What humbled me further was Makkala Jagriti’s efforts in ensuring food security within the communities where they work. Residents of these largely marginalised communities were daily wage labourers, and with work hard to come by because of the pandemic, money to put food on the table was scant. Makkala Jagriti’s team identified the communities needing help, mobilised relationships with food vendors and community leaders, and distributed dry ration kits to the families. The organisation has served nearly 15,000 families this way.

With all the beautiful things that Makkala Jagriti does for society, I am often asked what makes it the best NGO for children… why do I enjoy working here? My answer would immediately point to the people with whom I work – a selfless bunch of folks on a mission to serve, build up and springboard children and youth to a soaring journey of success, with values instilled in them to pay it forward.

18Aug

Online Learning With Makkala Jagriti During The Pandemic

August 18, 2021 makkalajagriti 2

What Children, Parents and Teachers Thought

The years 2020 and 2021 so far have been challenging beyond comprehension. This holds for everybody… having to combat an unprecedented worldwide occurrence calls for a special strain of resilience.

At Makkala Jagriti, a challenge we have observed closer to home was one of uninterrupted learning. We’ve had to hit the ground running with measures to ensure no child was left behind, that no access to a physical school building does not mean no access to education.

With tools such as WhatsApp and YouTube readily available to most of our children, we sent them daily lesson plans and activities to keep the learning engine running. However, not all children have access to electronic devices like smartphones. For these children, we sent learning kits that included workbooks and stationery. Additionally, teachers would call on the children and make sure they were on track with the material. But crucially, one group of stakeholders had to be well-equipped to ensure the children commit to the activities while at home: the parents.

While we set out to do all this with specific objectives, it was important to understand what the parents, school teachers, and children felt about the program. We organised 23 focus group discussions on Zoom and gathered these various groups together to hear from them. There were a little over 300 respondents in all.

1) Continuous Learning with minimum disruption

This was one of the most important goals of our program to ensure that children were meaningfully engaged with a routine and in touch with learning daily through our various interventions – be it WhatsApp-based learning, phone calls, follow-ups, or community visits.

“I felt happy doing the activities that came from WhatsApp because I could not go to school, and I missed all the activities that were happening there. I could do these activities, send them to my teachers and friends, and even reach out to the MJ facilitator if I had doubts.”

Parents were relieved that children were receiving online lessons, thereby ensuring that their learning was uninterrupted. They were happy to see children doing their work at home, as they were worried that prolonged time at home would lead to them wasting time. They appreciated that the children’s learning continued to develop despite the school closures.

“The online activities are beneficial. Children are not idle during this break from the actual school. The learning kits are thoughtfully designed, are simple, contextual, focused on all-round development, and ensure daily engagement. The videos are also very helpful. Children are responding in unique ways; through poetry, drawing, videos, and general play.”

2) Social and Emotional Well-being of Children, Teachers and Parents

Several studies show how the pandemic has impacted children and adults’ social, emotional, and mental well-being. For children, trauma faced at this developmental stage can continue to affect them across their lifespan. So there was a need to focus on well-being beyond just the learning engagement.

Art Sessions, interactions on Zoom, check-in phone calls enabled parents, teachers and children to destress and know somebody was looking out for them.

The children missed going to school and playing with their friends, but they found solace in the fact that they could still see their friends and interact with them through WhatsApp and Zoom meetings. They also enjoyed that their parents were more involved in their studies and activities, bringing them closer.

Like the children, parents were relieved that children enjoyed the whole new learning process without any added pressures. They were also happy that all the activities were created taking the children’s interests into account.

“I am not worried about children’s well-being because Makkala Jagriti is taking care of them. The children trust them, and the friendly approach of the facilitators is very helpful in making children comfortable.”

Self-Learning

This was a massive shift from the traditional schooling in government schools which only focused on Teacher-Guided Learning modalities. The pandemic ensured the children figured out new ways of learning on their own – the learning kits were designed such that the children could easily learn by themselves with little or no assistance. Learning at home opened children to find answers to questions from various sources, not just their teachers and parents.

Parents were happy to note that learning activities did not end at submission; the children continue to perform the same activity much later as well without any prompts or prods from them. Many parents noted that they learned a lot from their children themselves.

“My child is very interested in knowing what activities are coming for the day. My child also reminds me every day to show her these activities. She is very eager to do them herself.”

Teachers found a whole new side of children – a more curious, resourceful and active side. Their curiosity would know no bounds, and when they were left wanting for information on how to proceed with any activity, they freely asked for help from anyone who could, without hesitation and fear of judgment. The teachers observed that the children absorbed more with such freedom to conduct activities and studies as they wanted.

Digital Learning

This is undoubtedly one of the most significant shifts brought by the pandemic – education has changed dramatically, with the phenomenal rise of the use of digital means for remote learning.

The children were excited to learn through new means, like online meetings, video calls, webinars and active participation through audio and video messages. It gave them an outlet for their creativity, something that was new to them. They learned to use technology on their own, making videos, learning how to google search, use WhatsApp or Zoom.

“Earlier, my parents would not give me their mobile phone. They would consider it a waste of time. Now, as it helps us attend online classes, they give me the phone even when I don’t ask for it.”

Learning through the smartphone was not confined to children alone. There were webinars for parents too, and they were guided on various new methods for learning and how they could be of support to the children during this transition process.

“Earlier, my children did not know how to use smartphones. Now they have learned everything about them. They also use them effectively for their education, instead of just playing games on them.”

For many teachers, it was the first time using digital devices, let alone using them as devices for teaching. They had to learn quickly because time was of the essence, and they needed to help children catch up quickly and leave no gaps in their learning. They felt a sense of accomplishment at mastering what they needed to do with the technology and seeing children and parents equally involved in lessons.

Parental Involvement – Parents as Teacher, Friend, Facilitator

A considerable transformation during this time has been the increase in time spent by parents with their children. Parents have been more involved in their children’s learning process than ever before.

We also ensured that many of the activities created required parents and children to do it together as a team.

Children were delighted that their parents were finally sharing their mobile phones with them, and willingly too! They were thrilled at the prospect of having their parents sit with them, learn with them and teach them. In many households, particularly with fathers working longer hours outside, children are grateful to have the fathers return home and actively participate in their education.

“My father has started teaching me during the lockdown; otherwise, he would be very busy before the lockdown. Now, he has a little more time, and he uses the time to teach me.”

Of the many hats a parent has to wear, a teacher is among the first. In this particular case, it was a much larger version of the hat. Parents had to go deeper into the nuances of what children had to learn while understanding their strengths and areas where they needed additional help. They were able to build this awareness through our regular interactions with them, where we guided them with the knowledge required to successfully teach their children while doing a lot of the learning themselves.

“Makkala Jagriti always takes the opinions of parents into account; how to go about doing things that are effective. That is very important for us. Wherever we have asked for an intervention, it has been as we had discussed previously.”

With parents taking on the role of teachers during the lockdown, online interactions with teachers and feedback on their child’s progress were a regular occurrence. Parents took great interest in attending meetings and involving the entire family in participating in activities. They were the ones who insisted on regular meetings with teachers on Zoom. The teachers also observed a sea change in communication between parents and children.

“Parents are actively involved and remind the children to complete their work. It makes our lives easier to see parents involved. Learning has not stopped, and the children are not left behind.”

early childhood education - makkala jagriti

Increased Teachers’ involvement

With the possibility of one-on-one interactions with teachers, children found teachers to be far more accessible. Children were no longer hesitant to ask questions of all kinds to the teachers, and they felt their relationship with the teachers improved significantly.

“I am thrilled that I could ask my teacher’s help at any point in time and that they would happily guide me through my activities.”

Parents were very impressed with the quick adaptability of the teachers to the circumstances that arose as a result of the pandemic. They felt at ease knowing that the teachers have gone above and beyond to learn how to care for their students online, even without the physical interaction that usually takes place in a classroom.

“Teachers have always been available for us whenever our children needed help with studies or if we needed ideas to explain certain things better.”

The teachers were happy with the support provided by Makkala Jagriti in helping children learn. They use the learning kits provided by Makkala Jagriti for the children and created activities for them while sending them across the various WhatsApp groups. Overall they felt happy that nothing got in the way of ensuring every child had equitable access to learning, and no child was left behind.

“We were apprehensive about how we were going to teach our children. But then Makkala Jagriti joined hands with us, and together we overcame all challenges in ensuring every child receives continuous education.”

Key Takeaways

There was so much that all of them shared during the Focus Group discussions, but the key takeaways were :

Children’s Continuity in Learning
Social and Emotional Well-being of children, parents and teachers
Children involved in Self-Learning
Digital Learning
Increased Parental Involvement
Increased Teachers’ Involvement

Makkala Jagriti appreciates the teachers in their efforts to bring about continuous learning for children despite mitigating circumstances. We are grateful to parents who are continuously engaging with their children and involving themselves in their education. Most importantly, we are immensely proud of children whose curiosity, inquisitiveness and diligence make all the efforts worth it.

Last but not least, Makkala Jagriti’s field staff have gone above and beyond to make sure all the stakeholders are comfortable with this new normal and for being accessible at any time of day to address any challenges.

19Jul

Ushering New Opportunities for Children in Child Care Institutions

July 19, 2021 makkalajagriti 0

Ushering New Opportunities for Children in Child Care Institutions

Dev (name changed) is a little boy of twelve from Koppal district in North Karnataka. Circumstances have been difficult for him. Coming from an unstable family, he spent his life as a rag-picker when Childline’s frontline team rescued him. He was brought to the Government Children Home for Boys in Koppal. Disheveled and unkempt for a long time, he took his time to adjust to the new place.

The Government Children’s Home for Boys in Koppal, or Balakara Balamandira as it is called, is one of thousands of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) across the country that provide shelter to children in need of care and protection, like Dev. Children in need of care and protection are defined by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 as children who have been abandoned by their guardians, do not have a home of their own, are physically or mentally challenged with no one to look after them or are in a vulnerable situation like working in contravention of labour laws or living under potential threat of assaults from people around them. It is estimated that between three and five lakh children live in Child Care Institutions across India, which are run by the government and NGOs. It is the responsibility of the institutions to help children reintegrate into society as they grow up – give them a chance at education and a life of dignity after that.

At the Home in Koppal, Dev appeared to have little education and would not read, write, or even show interest in any activities. He would often play truant or sit in a corner while other children engaged in other activities. Some children in the Home went to school, but Dev did not.

It was when the pandemic struck and the schools were closed that things began to change. The Home routine saw a change, and there were new kinds of activities that children began engaging in. There were live online classes with aerobics and dance, art and craft. Children would fill in worksheets that the Homes were receiving from somewhere. A spark of enthusiasm was set off in Dev. He began learning to read and write through the worksheets and take part in activities. Now, Dev’s hand is the first that goes up when the children are asked to perform an activity. “I will do it!” is something he says frequently.

Growing up with the care and affection of their own families is always the first and best option for children and institutions are viewed as the last resort for a child to live and grow up in – with good reason. Yet, Child Care Institutions are a critical part of the Juvenile Justice system and perform the critical function of providing care and shelter to children who need the same. However, many of these institutions certainly need support in ensuring that these children get opportunities for holistic learning and development during their stay there. For a child to successfully navigate the world beyond the institution’s walls, the stay has to be a positive, educative, and empowering experience. This is where Makkala Jagriti, with its mission to facilitate holistic development for children in diverse settings towards building an equitable society, comes in and plays its role.

Holistic Development at Child Care Institutions

Most Child Care Institutions are meant to be transitional homes where children stay before being reintegrated into society. These institutions, depending on their focus and nature of children that they house, provide the children with:

– Continuing education

– Psychological therapy

– Values education

– Activities for physical and mental well-being

– Training in economic sustainability

– Legal support

– Health care and medical support

Having recognized the need to provide holistic learning to children in institutional care, Makkala Jagriti has been working with Government Children Homes for Boys and Girls since 2007. In these years, the organisation has solidified its understanding of the children’s needs and the capabilities and limitations of the staff who work at these Homes.

Patience, resilience and empathy are familiar traits among the staff of Makkala Jagriti, in addition to the organisation’s ethos of working in collaborations.

Makkala Jagriti’s initiatives at the Homes include setting up thoughtfully designed learning centres within the institution. This approach augments formal education through activity-based learning using the SPICE model. The SPICE model is our flagship approach to facilitating holistic learning and development. It is designed to help children become more confident, develop an emotional quotient, enhance their academic performance, be mindful of their physical well-being, be creative without fear and become socially responsible citizens. SPICE stands for:

Social Development: To equip children with social skills and civic awareness.

Physical Development: To enhance children’s physical and mental well-being through sports, games, and martial arts.

Intellectual Development: To build a strong foundation for Math, Science, and Language Development.

Creative Development: To enhance creative thinking through fine arts and performing arts

Emotional Development: To equip them with life skills and self-awareness.

Our work doesn’t begin and end with children. We also work closely with the staff of these institutions to build their facilitation capacities, institutionalize the model, and make it sustainable.

Project Ullasa – as the initiative is called – has three major components.

(1) Sending age-appropriate activities to Children’s Homes, Observation Homes, Homes for mentally challenged children and Shishumandirs (Homes for children below the age of 6)

(2) Conducting live online sessions with children on various topics of interest, including aerobics, arts and crafts, fun with science, recreational activities, and film screenings.

(3) Conducting activities for well-being and capacity building of the staff of Child Care Institutions. These include topics such as discovering their creative self, communication skills, child-centredness, reflection, feedback, and many others, which can profoundly impact their quality of engagement with the children in the Homes.

What is heartwarming is that there is active participation of children and staff from both Government and NGO-run institutions and a healthy appreciation of the work Makkala Jagriti has been doing with them. Project Ullasa has truly opened up new ways of connecting with children, and the opportunities for the children and us seem boundless. Before the pandemic, we provided holistic development support to just two institutions. Now, we can potentially reach nearly 1,000 Child Care Institutions (70 Government-run and 930+ Privately-run) in Karnataka through virtual avenues.

“At first, we were not sure of our capabilities in taking on such a huge responsibility of ensuring the holistic development of children at Child Care Institutions. But seeing the changes in the children motivated us to keep going. With the support of ICPS-DWCD, we are confident about building a robust pathway for reintegrating children with difficult backgrounds back into society,” says Premaleela, in charge of implementing Makkala Jagriti’s Holistic Development Initiatives at Government Boys’ Homes.

The impact on the children that is seen is not only educational but also emotional and psychological. While we often lament that online engagement robs us of the human touch that is part of in-person interactions, children in Child Care Institutions have a different story to tell.

“We’re extremely happy to receive these activities and participate in the online programs. When we see children in other places, it feels like they are our brothers and sisters”. These are heartfelt expressions of a girl in a Child Care Institution when asked how it feels to be part of online activities. There are umpteen examples of how children have become more sociable, creative and keener to learn and absorb as a result of these activities.

Dev in Koppal is now enrolled in an age-appropriate class in school and is eagerly waiting for schools to reopen. He has already embarked on a new journey and recognizes that he is better off staying at the institution, though he sees his parents once in a while. It is a decision taken by the Child Welfare Committee of the district, in consultation with the concerned stakeholders, in the child’s best interest.

Forging ahead

Makkala Jagriti’s work is aligned with our mission that every child gets holistic development. Therefore, efforts are on to transform these into spaces for holistic development to supplement regular schooling. Thanks to philanthropic contributions, we can now expand our work in this area and increase our field presence in more Homes across the state. Starting July 2021, Makkala Jagriti has extended its work to cover 13 Child Care Institutions in 6 districts. We shall be adding another 13 institutions across 4 districts in 2022.

No child must lose any opportunity for a shot at empowerment because of a difficult background or a lack of appropriate adult support. Child Care Institutions are doing a yeoman service to ensure that children are shown the way to confidence, success, and happiness through their care. It is our privilege at Makkala Jagriti that we have the opportunity to support these avenues for them.

18Jun

Rallying Together – Community Support During the Pandemic

June 18, 2021 makkalajagriti 0

We’ve been amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects for over 18 months now. It is rather hard to reminisce about life before then. So much has happened in these 500-odd days that they feel like a lingering dark and dreary cloud. It has been particularly hard on the socio-economically marginalised communities.

Since the pandemic struck, Makkala Jagriti has been working to ensure 12,000+ children from these communities have access to uninterrupted learning during the pandemic through online and offline means – whether in urban or rural parts of Karnataka. You can read more about it here.

Over the last year and a half, we have seen lockdowns and curfews have affected the livelihoods of our children’s families. Businesses have had to shut their doors indefinitely, leaving employees in a lurch. Among the worst affected have been daily wage labourers and those in the unorganised sector. Among the most significant problems faced has been that of food security.

With the support of our donors from across the world, we at Makkala Jagriti decided to work within communities in areas with which we were familiar, identify families in need, and facilitate access to rations. During the first phase of our operation in 2020, we distributed rations to over 5,000 families in Bengaluru. We have been working towards serving at least 10,000 families in 2021 as well. Our grocery kits contain nutritious essentials, such as rice, wheat flour, cooking oil, dal (pulses), coriander powder, chilli powder, salt, sugar, turmeric, masalas, groundnuts, and so on.

Lack of access to basic essentials continues to be coupled with the fear of the effects of the coronavirus. So while we needed to get our families access to essentials, we also needed to take steps to bring about awareness of COVID-safe behaviour, the importance of vaccines, and the whom-to-call and where-to-go bits of information, in the event of a need for assistance. We have been getting these messages across through pamphlets, messages on WhatsApp, and community Zoom calls to 12,000+ families.

This pandemic has really shown what rallying together means. Several individuals, companies, foundations, the civil society at large, and NGOs for COVID relief have rallied their resources together to support those worst affected.

Out in the field, our frontline team prepares volunteers from the community and distributes tokens on the night before distribution. The day begins a little before 6 am to ensure a smooth process – a long enough time window to ensure there is no crowding. But, at the end of it all, what matters is the relief in the eyes of our families, at least for the next four weeks.

This effort is further made possible thanks to the large number of people who volunteer time from busy schedules to help NGOs in Bangalore, like us. With many hands coming together – volunteers, donors, foundations, partners – the hope that no one goes hungry during this time of crisis stays burning. After all, we are one big community, one big village – and it takes a village to raise one another through adversity and celebration.

31May

Exploring Creativity

May 31, 2021 makkalajagriti 1

When we think of the word creativity, our minds tend to gravitate towards forms of art and artistic pursuits. But if we were to break the word up and dwell on the word create, it is quite simply a conversion – conversion of thoughts, ideas, and ruminations into a reality that we can touch, feel, experience.

We looked within ourselves at Makkala Jagriti and introspected about the various ways we are fostering creative development as part of the holistic development of children. We do this regularly to understand what works and what can be done better, with the ultimate goal of children unleashing the power of self-expression.

We threw the question to our team during such an introspection: What does Creativity mean for you? Here’s what we heard:

Rohit :

For me, anything that one does with joyful energy and feeling is a creative pursuit. It does not always have to be something new and different. Therefore, creativity or creative thinking is one of the most critical dimensions of the holistic development of a child. It allows the child to constantly learn and discover and be a better version of himself/herself.

I think we allow our children and youth to be themselves and tap into their abilities. And it is in that state of mind that the child’s creative journey begins.

Sunayana :

Creativity is free-flowing self-expression. Many think of artists, painters, writers when you say creative – but you could be creative whether you are an artist, an engineer, a banker, a teacher, or a CEO.

Often, adults/schools do not nurture creativity in children; we constantly tell the children what to do and how to do it and not allow them to think independently. Imagination, which makes so many things possible in this world, is not encouraged right from the early years in school, making us less creative.

In all programs, Makkala Jagriti strives to create non-judgmental, safe spaces where children are free to express themselves, where they are encouraged to imagine, explore, and build on their own. This nurturing not only boosts their creativity, expands their thinking, and also makes them more confident.

Vidya :

Creativity means transforming our imagination, ideas, and dreams into reality. Creative thinking includes thinking, analysing, and organizing, which I believe is very important for children in the 21st century. Every child should experience the power of creativity, and every child should feel that they are unique and respect the same.

Every child should have opportunities to think, imagine, explore and create. I would focus on the content that leads to the creation of enormous opportunities for creativity.

Manisha :

Creativity is something we can never learn from another person. It is something that emerges within us, and we are all born with it. Every creative thought is different from the other. With imagination and thinking, the sky is the limit with the creative process! A child is naturally born with curiosity. They get drawn towards mystery and are awestruck when they apply their thoughts and see the result. That is just the beginning of creation, and giving children the power to do more will create WONDERS!

Ramya :

Creativity is a way of knowing our self. We can get connected to our creativity through various mediums. To be creative is for everyone who is in the quest of finding themselves.

I feel creativity is beyond our imagination. It helps us navigate through our tough times and find hope. Every individual is exceptional because each one connects to their creative self in different ways. It expands with our experiences.

Creative development in children is so essential to build their confidence and to express their uniqueness. It is one of the fundamental life skills which is crucial for every time. By developing this skill in children, we can build better humanity because creative development brings many other gifts like flexible thinking, breaking stereotypes, openness, acceptance, self-awareness, the list goes on.

Joy :

One explores creativity without a structural framework, pre-set conditions, notions, expectations, or compulsions. Creativity emerges by activating the right brain as the treasures of untested areas of talent lie there, be it art, poems, creative writing, etc.

When it comes to why creativity development is vital for children, I believe it propels new ways for children to access their untested talents through creativity. They feel encouraged to be original thinkers rather than emulating. Originality allows children to be themselves and see the world through their perception, views, understanding, and have a quest for becoming curious and enjoy expressions without pre-conditioned boundaries.

Jayalakshmi :

When children explore, design, express, and create their ideas, it is the first step towards creativity. When children find different ways to solve a problem with whatever resources they have improves their problem-solving skills, which is an essential 21st-century life skill.

We encourage free and safe space with a non-judgemental environment for a child to develop creativity. Allowing space for creating without limits helps nurture varied differences and promote overall development with curiosity which will help get deeply rooted for life.

Nikhil:

Creativity is a sense much like sight, hearing, and smell. Everything we think about, say, or do is a result of creativity. When nurtured from a very young age, it brings with it an inexplicable power. Great things have happened in this world as a result of creativity.

With the myriad definitions of creativity that we see, there is one common factor that connects them all – the fact that creativity is without boundaries.

We at Makkala Jagriti develop creative thinking in children by allowing them to push themselves, through a non-judgmental and safe space. We nudge children to think beyond and out of the box, help them to navigate through their own limiting beliefs and barriers, and build a solid curriculum that incorporates all the above practices.

So… what does Creativity mean for you? Leave us a comment below!