Collection and Editing – Nikita Dewase
Chakrighat – Thirst for Learning
-Navinta Dongre
I first met Mali at the Beda. Mali was thirteen years old, and her eyes reflected a strong desire to learn. Initially, since I was teaching the pre-primary class, she didn’t speak much with me.
We used to visit her home regularly, and whenever we went, she would ask me and Komal Tai questions that she could use in her daily life. To this, we would tell her, “Take the time you can, we will teach you.”
Mali’s days are very busy. She wakes up in the morning and washes the household utensils, then feeds the cows, and cleans the dung all of these are her daily chores. Over the past few days, gradual changes have been visible in her routine. Now, despite completing all her daily chores, she still finds time in the afternoon to come and study with me. In class, she sits with her brothers and sisters.
She wants to learn language and mathematics. She often says, “Madam, when we go to the market, I should know how to count how many items we bought, how much money to pay, and how much to take back.” Sometimes she also asks, “Madam, will I be able to do it? Can I manage? Will I be able to?”
At that time, I explain to her, “Mali, you can do it. Just practice regularly.” Now, she is starting to understand both language and mathematics. Her steps are slowly moving forward.
Mali’s mother has also started saying,
“Madam, please teach my Mali well. She also studies at home and does her homework.”
Hearing this gives me great joy. It shows that the parents notice my work, how I am teaching her, and how she is changing – and all of this gives me satisfaction.
She always asks,
“Will I be able to do it, Madam? Did I do it today?”
I always tell her, “The more you practice, the better you will become.”
Now, her determination to learn is clearly visible. She reads many words, expresses new ideas, and attempts to read her book, listen to stories, and write words all on her own. She completes the math exercises I give her. Seeing her efforts is very heartening. Her hard work shows that her determination will surely take her far.
Inspirational visit of the TFI team to the Sonkhamb – Sonkhambe Center.
Pritam Nehare
Today, the TFI team visited the Sonkhanb Center. We had all been eagerly waiting for this moment. From the morning itself, there was a special buzz in the center.
The children’s faces shone with joy, and we were all excited to meet them. Among the elders and women of the community, there was a distinct sense of warmth and affection. Everyone sincerely wished that they could see the approach to education at the center and the children’s confidence in learning.
In all the preparations, Ratan Didi played a special role. Even though she had important personal work today, she stayed at the center because visitors were coming. On that day, her responsibilities seemed doubled. She wholeheartedly managed cooking, arrangements, and hospitality. This was a significant responsibility for her, not just for the children but also for the community. The support of the community made it even more meaningful. Similarly, Lala, who usually does not stay around, made basundi on his own. Ajay read an English story to the TFI team. Although he is only in fourth grade, he can read in English. This experience had such a positive impact on him that he has now taken four more books from the library to read.
Having the entire Tech for India team visit was a huge moment for us. Shahin Mistry herself, the founder of TFI, experienced the respect, love, and warmth of the community. From the TFI team, we learned many new things – from the children, from the community, and also from ourselves. The visitors to the Sonkhanb Center today were not just guests; they were partners who inspired dreams, provided motivation, and showed a new direction for education.
The day ended, but its beauty still lingers in our hearts. And perhaps it will remain so for many years to come.
Bothali – A Diwali Filled with Children’s Laughter
-Rohini Kalbhut
When we talk about the Bharwad community, this community is known for living a migratory lifestyle. They take care of their cattle and constantly move from one place to another in search of water and grazing land.
Because of this, they cannot celebrate festivals and special occasions much throughout the year. But this year, the scenario was different. We decided to organize a week-long event called “Diwali Week Celebration” to celebrate the joy of Diwali with the children.
All the children participated in this event with great enthusiasm. During the Diwali week, new activities and competitions were organized every day, such as Rangoli competitions, Diya decoration, making sky lanterns, and more. Their genuine excitement, as they asked, “What are we doing today? What competition is today?” created a unique energy in the atmosphere. The children took part in each activity wholeheartedly. Some children were playing with the colors of Rangoli, while others were decorating diyas with old beads and paper flowers. The items created by their little hands reflected immense creativity and pure joy.
On the last day of the week, prizes were distributed for all the competitions. The children had beautifully decorated their school’s B.Ed. center with colorful ribbons and flowers. Each child wore new and colorful clothes. The program began, and everyone participated enthusiastically. Those who had done excellent work in diya decoration, sky lantern making, and drawing competitions were awarded prizes. The children sang songs and performed dances. After the program, all the students were served delicious snacks and sweets.
In this way, celebrating this year’s Diwali with the children, filled with joy, colors, and enthusiasm, became an unforgettable experience for me.
Excursion to Thanthan–Maharaj Bagh
-Pallavi Shambharkar
This week, we planned to take the children for an adventure visit. For girls from the Beda, stepping out of their homes is not an easy task. They have household chores to do and responsibilities towards their younger siblings.
But all the girls were excited to go outside. In my class, there is a girl named Riddhi. She is always curious, eager to learn, and loves discovering new things. She would often say to me, “Madam, I want to see Maharajbagh, please let’s go!” In these words, one could see her innocent desire to explore the world, learn something new, and take a small step for herself. Her excitement to go out and explore was evident, and I decided not to let that enthusiasm fade away.
One day, I asked the class, “Who all want to go to Maharajbagh?” The girls participated enthusiastically. Then I told all the children that we would go to Maharajbagh, but only I would accompany them. We also needed to inform our parents, seek their permission, and collect the ticket money ourselves. Once all of this was arranged, I would speak to the parents.
Within two days, all the children had collected the money, and the day of the visit was finalized. On that day, everyone gathered near the school at the designated time, dressed in clean clothes with bright, happy faces. When we reached the gates of Maharajbagh, the joy on Riddhi’s face was indescribable. This was not just an excursion; it was a decision they had made for themselves. While observing this, I realized that this marked the true beginning of their learning journey.
From Learning to Leading – Our Internship Journey
– Nikhil, Nikita
Our internship began in a very enthusiastic atmosphere. Initially, we created an attractive poster for the program and shared it on social media.
We then shared information about the internship across various WhatsApp groups to reach as many students as possible.
Along with this, we visited several colleges, conducted sessions for students, and through these interactions, received a large number of registrations. Seeing the increased response from students further motivated us.
During this internship, we worked on various skills – English speaking, data courses, hands-on work experience, video editing, poster making, teaching children, and community engagement. Every Monday, we organized an Offline Internship Day, which provided interns with exposure to different practical fields. This experience was extremely useful as they began to understand how theoretical knowledge translates into real-world work.
For English speaking, we assigned small and big tasks daily and started a Speaking Club. This helped the interns build confidence in speaking English, reduce hesitation, and gradually overcome their fear of the language.
To develop communication skills, we emphasized time, consistency, and practice. We used games, fun activities, and interactive workshops to teach interns how to work effectively on communication. This approach made learning enjoyable and easier.
In this way, we successfully completed our first batch. Currently, we have two batches running, and the fourth batch is scheduled to start next month. With each batch, we move forward with more experience, confidence, and reflections.
This internship gave us the first opportunity to lead, plan, and execute a program. Through this experience, we were able to develop important qualities such as leadership, decision-making, teamwork, and adaptability.
As interns learn new skills, we also have the valuable opportunity to work on our personal and professional growth through this process.