“The Idea of getting children to isolate a problem that deeply affects them, then find and implement a solution, empowers them in a way most people never enjoy. It is a belief that CAN and WILL build more just, compassionate and happier societies.”
– RAHUL BOSE, Actor/Activist.
Design For Change is the World’s largest contest for school children. 24 countries are a part of this contest where school children design simple yet bold solutions for some of the biggest problems that our world is facing.
In early 2009, Kiran Bir Sethi (Riverside School) launched her biggest initiative to date, a national campaign that encourages school children across India to participate in a one-week project to change some aspect of life in their own communities. With only a few months’ lead time, she bravely vowed to involve 20,000 schools and 100,000 students.
For the Design for Change Week, children are asked to design solutions for problems that they encounter in their lives, schools, neighbourhoods or communities, implement these solutions in a week, and then share it.
Akanksha Team, at Shindewadi School will be empowering children to do the same this week which is call “Joy of Giving Week.”
Akanksha Shindewadi Mumbai Public School in Dadar
They come from low income communities and the majority of them live in the adjoining neighborhood. They are saddened to think of the water, noise and air pollution. Images of the dirt but naturally haunt them, since they see it around them every single day. They express their anger towards people throwing anything to everything straight out of their windows, on cars, on the streets, on roof tops etc. While they sit out in the shade for extra class they are afraid some wrapper or fruit peel may fall directly on their teacher’s head. These bright children who are being educated in English medium schools and empowered to think and question independently, realize that it is this very act of their families and communities at large – act of polluting – that results in all the illnesses, which in turn results in absence from school and poor. This downward spiral seems but inevitable once begun. But our Standard 3 and 4 children beg the question – Why should this circle of dirt and pollution begin in the first place?
So children came up with a very interesting solution! A solution they believed will change their surrounding. Watch it to believe it. Very inspiring!
Please select 720p HD below YouTube window to view this video clearly!
Directed & Produced By Aarti Shrivastava
Edited By Pranav Patel
Humanity Watchdog 