Wednesday 16 January 2013

Protsahan Pa-Its Protsahan!


Her heart leapt with joy on hearing the news. Saki started dancing and would have even done a somersault or two if it were not for her mother’s disapproving look.She'd always wanted to help father with his field work like her brothers and bring home all those colorful goodies. She failed to understand why father kept saying that his workplace was not a territory for girls. 
But that day!!! Saki was finally going to pick garbage with her rag-picker father! Kumar didn’t want to disappoint his stubborn child and secretly hoped she would get disgusted by the trash. She was meant to learn household chores like her sister and other slum girls.
Saki’s eyes widened as she scanned huge heaps of glittering waste. To her father’s dismay, the child fell in love with the place and found second home amongst the green bottles and shiny metal plates. For a week she continued to visit her new workplace and wondered why anyone wouldn't want all those wonderful objects! Anyway, she didn’t care as long as she could take some home! 
One day, just as her eye caught some shiny object and she dug in to savor it, she was interrupted by another girl of her age and an older woman. The kid was from a new school that had opened up for girls and wanted Saki to come down and study with her. Now Saki was already upset about losing sight of the object she’d spotted and this talk about school annoyed her even more? With rage in her eyes, she ran away from them to find her father. She never went to school anyways. Her cousin Sweccha had left school because she thought it was easier to earn money for her family working in a household. Her father too never understood why girls had to go to school, when they would get married someday. His son of course was getting trained to be an electrician. 
The teacher’s convincing notwithstanding, Saki and Kumar blatantly refused to entertain discussions about school. The teacher smiled and gave Saki a little card. Saki was stunned by it. It was so colorful and beautiful that she couldn’t take her eyes off the woman in the card. However, she went back to scooping the shiny object that had her attention minutes back only to end up with a deep wound in her hand! She yelped in pain and returned home.
That’s when Sweccha came to her rescue. She got Saki some fresh bandage, antiseptic to wash off the blood. She called it “First Aid”, something she’d learnt at the new school. Slowly, rag picking started turning monotonous and she acknowledged that it was only trash. Also, the shiny attractive objects always got her into trouble. Household chores also never interested her! That was when she decided to give school a chance!
Saki was nervous and sweaty on her first day to school. She went numb upon meeting so many people in a room full of colorful things. Her classmates greeted her and pulled her towards their desks. She was stunned to hold a colored pencil for the time in her life. Upon scribbling with the pencil, she was exhilarated! She could now create whatever she wanted to see instead of letting the heaps of rags control her! “The new classroom isn’t that bad”, she thought as she started to color her first picture.
 In a week’s time she even got a hang of Madhubani art. The best part was that could get her paintings back home and show her mother.
Kumar wondered what kept his little angel so animated. When her mother proudly said that she was going to join government school that summer, he was furious. They had agreed that Saki would help earn her dowry by working at households. Saki joined in the argument now, by chance. Kumar had never seen his daughter calm and composed. He paused to hear what the changed child had to say. Saki promised that she would earn for herself, not working in a household but as a teacher! Even though Kumar was poor, he was a good man and wanted the best for his children. He saw in Saki’s eyes, conviction; the conviction to change, to challenge all status-quo and become something better in life. Her spirit and conviction was so strong that it inspired him to put on his entrepreneur cap to start his own venture.
Subsequently, Kumar opened his own Pani-puri outlet and started making money for his family. Saki on the other hand made the entire family and community proud by topping in the government school!
Kumar’s pride and excitement knew no bounds seeing the laurels his daughter brought on to the family. He was curious to know the name of the school that brought around this paradigm shift in their lives.
That’s when Saki chuckled and said: “Protsahan pa, it’s called Protsahan”

(True Story)

Written By-
Shruthi Komandur
COO Protsahan India Foundation
 

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Colors Speak Wall-umes



Colors Speak Wall-umes
Paint walls with street children this Sunday . A weekend get-away of a special kind, where colours fill walls and lives. Be the hands that guide little brushes as they smear  colours on the canvas of walls and memory. An event that unites faith,fun and freshness. An event where as you relive your fun filled childhood with children less fortunate, and add some to theirs. Let loose the child in you and make some friends on the street. Take pride in contributing to a brighter India,. Every little spread of color counts.
Why paint walls?
Shades of gray is what these children see when they eat,play and sleep.  Help making the ambience fresh and bright!
Colors heal fear! You’ll witness how your fears dissolve with theirs  as the walls are painted .
These walls will speak for months even after the event.  Witness the colours mingle within your lives, painting rainbows of affection everywhere.
What  we expect of you?
Come with a happy face and add zing to the place
Give a gift and see a child’s face light up!! ( old crayon sets, clothes to donate. Coloring books, chocolates..anything)
Think of a skill set / talent you have which you can register with us to have workshops in future
What else?
Carry a waterbottle. Wear an old shirt. Be ready for some serious fun. Oh! And Also, a good-looking boy or girl would be there to greet you at the registration desk.
So Join us. Yes?
PROTSAHAN. Bringing the colourful side of a cause!
Venue- Opposite Indibulls One,Elphinstone Road
Date – 4th November
Time – 10 am                                                                                                                                        
Contact Numbers - 9833354672 / 07738049259/9769840082



Thursday 31 May 2012

To a Special June....


June is a special month. It marks the completion of half a year. It also marks the beginning of the other half of the year.

An interlude between beginnings and ends, that’s the beauty of June.

Have you met our June at Protsahan? A tiny girl with two pony tails and a smile that can make your heart melt in seconds.

June is a warm month; just like our girl who oozes warmth and affection that makes you look within and wonder, “Is it so easy to love people?”

She lost her parents as a toddler and reminisces old times with a spark that tugs your heart leaving it with an emotion that can’t be put into words. She understands the importance of memories and capturing moments in a way we don’t. Perhaps, she values memories in a way we all need to.

And! Her love for getting photographed is a different story altogether. Show her a camera and she’d pose for you till you get tired of clicking pictures. A photographer’s delight.

June is suffering an incurable disease and her health is deteriorating with each passing day. Despite all odds, this little soul breathes every moment with a zest for life that would leave you dumb struck.

Her hug, her smile and her gleeful squeals are priceless.

Would you like to make this special month for our special girl? Would you like to be a part of this world where expressions and affection get a new meaning?

This June, let’s raise a toast to the colors added into the world by our little June.

This June- To a special June.


-Madhusha Dash