We celebrated the National Girl Child Day at Centre for Organisation Development, Madhapur, Hyderabad on 24th January 2010. And what a celebration it turned out to be!
Once Madhavi, the ever enthusiastic Director at COD asked to me to organise the event, the core team was quickly formed comprising of the legend of an organiser - Lalitha, enthusiastic Meenakshi and the ever helpful COD staff. We organised a workshop full of activities designed to improve self-esteem, self-awareness and self-confidence in girls to bring out the best individual potential. There was not a single dull moment in the four hours that we 80 girls were together.
After Madhavi welcomed the girls who had come from various schools like Maharshi Vidya Mandir, Kondapur, Kendriya Vidayala, Picket, St Anns School, Secunderabad, Hyderabad Public School, Secunderabad to name a few. I started the day inviting introductions and invited them to share their thought on why they had come. The common theme was their eagerness to learn and have fun while making new friends.
The day included a workshop on "GIRL", quiz competition, drawing, sharing thoughts on 'Who motivates me in my everyday life' and games.
In the current competitive culture the internal and external insecurities are on the rise among the growing girls while the support structure that existed in the past is crumbling. Through this workshop I wanted to bring these issues into open, facilitate debate and provide direction to the girls to empower herself by identifying her strengths, creating and respecting her own identity and being the leader of her own life.
This was facilitated through my pet creation - A workshop called ‘GIRL’. This workshop encourages girls to find and use a ‘G’uide to define, create and love her own ‘I’dentity which develops ‘R’espect for her own self and allows her to respect others. This in turn empowers her to be the ‘L’eader of her own life, and also be a role model for others.
After the workshop I invited them to share their learning outcomes and I was zapped by the impact the workshop created on them
One of them said, "I never knew that I have to look for a guide, but now I will find one who can guide me on the right path. I will surround myself with the right kind of friends and people".
Another one shared how she learnt the importance and technique of saying “NO” and not fall for the peer pressure.
Another girl rose and said, “I will now create my own identity based on what I am and not on what people around me want me to be”
My day was made, when a girl rose and said, “I will go back to my school and teach my friends about what I have learnt today”.
Three cheers for every girl child around the world!!!
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i think you are the best mom in the world. you do this you do that . there is only 1 thing that worries me is how can you always run around without eating properly? come come mumma 'coming beta!!!!!!!!! (after half hour) humph rumble ! you sure are the best kidologist or kid as i should say!
ReplyDeletei am proud of you,
aditi, a real kid.
Thinking makes everything possible for our successful life.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "think beyond" is simply superb. In life what is most important is to wear the "thinking hat". This applies specially to girls as they are neglected generally and they are brain washed by friends and relatives. It is nice to hear the views of others but one should think independently and take decisions accordingly. Then our life has a purpose and we can be great contributors in this world and specially in India - as Indians we should all make our country grow in the comity of nations.
T H Iyer