The Last Session - Not The Last One!

Note: Names of the children have been changed to protect their identity. In addition, all details and stories of the session have not been shared here to respect the emotions of the children.

This blog post is the seventh and the final post, in the series of posts, describing the experience of conducting life skills sessions at Delhi's red light area, G.B. Road.

I have been procrastinating to write this post for a long time now. It has been almost three months since I last visited the SPID - SMS Centre for a session with the children. Part of the reason for this procrastination was because I was dealing with settling down in a new city (and country) and the other part of the reason is that I did not want to feel nostalgic when I read my diary where I planned for each session and sort the photos for this blog post.

But it has been coming back to me again and again. And hence I am sitting on my messy desk with a yellow dim light at 6:26 p.m. on a lazy, sleepy but inspiring Sunday; inspiring because I have been reading the beautiful diary entries of these children, some of which I shall illustrate in this blog post. 

As I begin to pen down the memories of the last session, many beautiful memories are rushing through my mind with Lalitha ji, master ji, the children, everybody at the SMS Centre. I feel bit nostalgic and a bit happy to have gained something in life that makes me smile each time I think about it, that made me a better human being and that will always be in my heart. It is as if a part of me belongs to the SMS Centre.

(For people who are reading this post for the first time, you can read this post for context)

I vividly remember my answer to what home means to me on a recent travel trip. I remarked profusely - GB Road (vocally) SMS Centre (in my mind). This explains the plethora of emotions I am experiencing right now as I sit to write this final post with a firm belief that I will soon pen down another series of similar posts.

It all started in June when I had a small dream to learn life skills with a bunch of children in Delhi's red light area. Materialising it did not seem easy and I had no belief whatsoever to take this initiative on my own. After all, we have been trained to always have someone to guide us, to mentor us; we need an organisation to work with. But when I went to meet Lalitha ji, something changed. I got insurmountable courage and strength. I decided, come what may, I am doing this.

The following four months from June to September have been the most memorable months of my life until now. Each session made me more aware about myself. It would not be an exaggeration to state that each session made me a better person. I am sure that I learnt more than what I taught. When I look back, I cherish all those moments with intense happiness. I found a new family, I found hope, I became stronger.

The Session

The placards read - I am a leader, 
I am courageous and hopeful, I am 
awesome, My dream :-)

I did not know how to tell them that it was our last session together, at least for now. So we simply started the session without having any discussion about it. We had placards which had highlights from all the previous sessions - I am awesome, I am a leader, I am courageous and hopeful, I have a dream, I am brave and so on. All these placards were spread on the floor and we all sat in a circle surrounding them. Then children in groups were asked to arrange them in any order and shape - circular, in line, parallely or any other way. This was to judge if we understand life skills as a whole or we take them as a step-by-step process. Either way is correct. It depends on how we see life, how we percieve ourselves in this world and how confident we are to follow the path of our dreams.

Post this, children were divided in groups and they were asked to make anything that could illustrate their learning from all the sessions - it can be a painting, a write up, anything.

Here are some illustrations from this activity.

This one reads - We should believe in ourselves. This illustration outlines the dreams of the three children who made this - the centre one depicts a rocket; the child wishes to be a scientist like Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The left one is a school; the child wants to be a teacher. The right one is the child himself standing on a stage and the audience cheering him up. He wishes to be a rockstar.

This illustration again describes the dreams of  three children. The left one wishes to be an actor, the centre one a missionary and the bottom one a soldier. They have then combined the values from the sessions to describe these dreams - self belief, dreams, leadership. 

The top one shows a house, a car and family; the bottom left one shows that the child is dreaming to be an actor; and the bottom right one shows the child is a doctor and is treating her patient.

Post this, children were given diaries that will always remain with them. This was inspired from Mia who brought a bundle of papers in the previous session and it was titled - My dairy. She told me how she pens down her experience of these sessions in this diary. I so wished in that moment that I should have encouraged all children to do so from the first session itself. 

They were given the diaries and were asked to write three entires - they as a five year old, a 25 year old and a 35 year old - a letter to themselves or what they imagine themselves to be doing during these different phases of life. Thanks to Kanu Ma'am for this amazing idea and to Lalitha ji for helping in implememting it perfectly.

As the children were writing so intently, I was observing them. I wanted the moment to freeze in my eyes. The greatest gift for me on reading those diary entries was to realise that - children now believe a little more in themselves, and in their dreams and their flight for freedom than when I had first met them. I felt rewarded and a bit proud that day.

Here is a diary entry of one child (Tenses have been changed in translation at some places to convey the meaning of what the child intends to express). I request the reader to read these with no perceptions and with no intention to make logical sense. These depict the heart and dreams of children - they are flawless like a river, they are honest, they are pure.

"When I was five year old, I used to see children going to school and used to wish that some day I will also go to school, learn, get education and grow old to be a good human being. When I used to see other children playing with toys, I used to ask my mother to buy me one. I also asked my mother to take me to my grand parents' home. My mother loved me a lot and I also loved my mother a lot. I used to play with toys. Sometimes, my mother used to beat me. She also used to give me a bath. 

And when I used to see people dancing, I also wanted to dance. So I tried to copy their steps. And when I used to see scientists making robots in movies, I also wished to be a scientist." 

"Now that I am 25 year old, I have passed 12th grade and I have started going to college. I am studying to be a scientist. I have some friends too. After I complete my education, I will also teach other students with similar dreams."

"Now that I am 35 year old, I have got married and I am a scientist. I remember my old school and SMS centre. I go to visit SMS centre whenever I can. I also take care of my mother. And also of my children. My children want to learn dance. So, I have enrolled them in dance classes. I take my children to participate in dance shows. I also teach science to my children. 

Then when I get time, I go to meet my mother. I live happily with my family. My children go to school to study and I let them walk the paths of their dreams."

The drawing shows - I am happy, me and my mother, my wife and my children.

Another one....

"I am 35 year old. I have two children and my parents are old now. My children study in an English medium school. My children go to school at 7 am and I go to work at 10 am. My husband is in the police. I am a doctor.

I always used to doubt myself if I can be a doctor. But now I know how important it is to believe in ourselves. 

I will enable my children to study a lot. I love my family. And sometimes I go to visit Lalitha ji. I will never forget her."

I then went to each child and attached their notes and other drawings from the previous sessions in their new diary. They were excited to hold it - that feeling of owning something which can contain our heart!

After the session

Post this, I told them that this was our last session together for at least a year. They had a lot of questions on their face. We talked for a while. I had taken a prayer flag for the SMS centre from Leh. Lalitha ji asked me to hang it in the class room. I stood up on a chair and put it near the picture of a God. Lalitha ji asked master ji to click my picture. Then we clicked some group pictures as well. We then danced for a while.

Then I asked Lalitha ji for an acknowledgment letter for my time at the SMS centre as I will require that as proof of my work there. She said - "You write, I will blindly sign it. I don't do it for others but for you I will unconditionally sign it. And do write everything in detail." That moment I could not even say a thank you properly. I just felt - I have definitely earned a lot, something that cannot be described in words. 

Then I left with a promise to return back before I leave India for further studies. Lalitha ji gave me juice to drink. She also asked me to take lunch but I was in a hurry for further work. So she gave me a chocolate and asked me to eat it on my way out. 

And when I returned back

The next day Hardik and I went to the centre to do some videography for a video we were making. I sat with Lalitha ji while she gave us tea and biscuits. I showed Hardik around the SMS centre - where I hung the prayer flag and where we used to do the sessions. I was actually showing all of it to myself. I wanted to capture the existence of this experience in my heart forever.

As I left that day, I bid farewell to the children, master ji and Lalitha ji. I had tears in my eyes and so did she. I can never forget that last glipmse of her inspiring, calm and courageous face. I will return back soon. After all, home is where the heart is. 

A Note

This last session changed me in a lot of ways. It also showed me very vividly how these children have similar dreams and ideas about their life like anyone else. Then why are they sidelined? Whay are they discarded? Why are they not respected? 

Today, if it was not for the taboo of the world that these children and their mothers face every day, I would have shared the pictures of their divine smiles.

Today if we did not discard them as 'not normal' and let them study and live with us, I would have shared pictures which depict their wishes, their dreams, their desires, like other 'normal' children.

For one last time, I request you all to just think once the next time you say anything derogatory against these children or their mothers. These children are same as our children. In fact, most of them seem to have better values and life principles than we 'normal' people are able to impart to our children. 

And even if you decide to do otherwise, I will continue with my strong faith. I will walk all the way with many other people like Lalitha ji with that little lamp of hope and faith in my hand that says - every human has a right to live a life of dignity. Every child deserves education and childhood. Everyone deserves to be free. And I will fight for this freedom until my last breath.

Until next time,

Keep Dreaming, Keep Believing and Keep Living!

:-)

Special thanks to Skills for Life for designing these wonderful and blissful sessions. The session is far more enthralling than what has been described in this write up. If you would like to be trained and take up these sessions, please contact them on their FB page or leave a comment here. 

You can also donate to the SPID - SMS Centre - clothes, bags, shoes, food, money, anything. Leave a comment here or write to Lalitha ji at lalithasa10@gmail.com.

*NOTE: It is suggested that anybody who wishes to work in this area, does so through an established and trusted NGO. This is not a place to explore casually; do take care of your safety first.