Activating Empathy at Schools

“Yes. I am passing days fighting my emotions everyday. Yes, I’m a warrior of self created blindfolds. Yes, I’m trying to find my way. Yes, I’m tired of thinking and trying to make the best out of my life. Maybe, I’ve forgotten the importance of feelings, the importance of emotions and the importance of human relationships. Maybe…Just Maybe”

In today's fast paced world, children are made to learn numbers and theories while adults lead a life devoid of real moments to treasure. Life is turning into a rat race with humanity losing meaning.

It’s not just the marginalised sections and under privileged sections we look past with cold-disturbing ignorance but even our own peers sometimes. Are we losing the essence of living? Are we getting choked in the rut of existing dogmas and views? Are we losing the race of life in the endeavour to win the race of our egos and green paper?

Maybe we are. Maybe we need to connect back to our soul. Maybe we need to strongly reach out and awaken emotions like love and empathy within our selves. Maybe…

If maybe is "to be", we pro-actively need to create an environment of positivity and growth, a healthy approach towards respecting human freedom while preserving indispensable foundations like "understanding people and their emotions", helping others gain foothold and live a life of dignity, encourage and enthuse the zest for living into disheartened souls. Yes. The importance of empathy needs to be recognised and built upon. This has to be activated in primary levels at schools and need to grow onto colleges and organizations with the due importance it deserves.

At Protsahan, we work for street children and commercial sex workers/ sexually abused/drug abused children. We started with ART and COLORS and LOVE. Curricula only came later. That is the exact very reason how Protsahan has been able to touch a cord across the world, with volunteers and organizations alike.

Sonal, Founder CEO, PROTSAHAN India Foundation says, "Empathy in school curricula should be as important as Algebra or subject verb agreements. Else what are we trying to give our children? Rote education? Who scores how much on percentile terms/grades? Creativity cannot be forced when pressures of getting 97.854567% makes one get admitted or rejected in "colleges of repute". Creativity will happen with open minds, with empathy, with respect for differences."

"One time at Protsahan, we got two special girl children who could not speak or hear, and had never been to a school. It was difficult to get them straight to numbers and alphabets. We did a 'Coffee on Warli' workshop. We made huge paintings and drawings with "coffee powder". They couldn't listen or speak, but they could smell the aroma wafting from their drawings. We’ve never seen them as excited about things ever. Empathy can do wonders. This is empathy."

Ashoka is launching a global initiative to ensure that children master empathy, enabling them to be effective citizens, leaders and trailblazers.


Protsahan India Foundation is partnering with Ashoka Changemakers in this initiative. To be a part of this contest, enter nominate and spread the word.

http://tinyurl.com/Empathy-NP

-Madhusha Dash

Official Blogger

Protsahan India Foundation

Its Valentines Day.Show Love!

It’s Valentines Day!

A day dedicated to what we believe is the strongest emotion in the world and makes it go round.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong things. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. - Corinthians 13:4- 8a

These lines if read through carefully have depth and meaning that can be an answer to most problems in life. At Protsahan, we see love and encouragement changing our little kids ‘everyday’. We document the power of faith injecting life into children who have suffered and lived in pain.

Suraj: The first day we saw him, he was highly drugged and created a ruckus at the school. We took his hand and made him realize that he’s not alone. If he turned up drugged and drunk even after promising to quit, we forgave him and our volunteers affectionately encouraged him to get over his habit. Today, he’s excited about life and we can see the metamorphosis clearly. All the street dogs are his best buddies. For unlike humans, animals ask no questions, pass no judgments. They just love.Suraj loves Radhi. Thats what he calls her :)

Julie, when we met her was a rebellious child who was often left teary eyed at the thought of her mother not wanting her. When the team held her hand, hugged her and gave her all the warmth they had to offer, the sense of belongingness sparked a brand new side of her. She now has a bunch of friends to share with and care for. Julie is a new warm little girl who has friends; she loves colors, she loves to paint and she loves painting with people. She has knowingly/unknowingly understood the importance of not keeping a record of wrong things and letting go of past sorrows for new beginnings.

We see children evolving at Protsahan everyday reinforcing our faith in the magic of unadulterated love. Love, that puts together virtues of patience, kindness, humility and trust.

That one day when a protective child ran and stood up to protect a volunteer, “Meri Didi hai yeh”. We knew, love protects and perseveres.

Here’s a day dedicated to this one emotion that connects the world!

Join us in celebrating Valentines day at PVR VIKASPURI school followed by cake cutting, yummy chocolates and sharing red balloons as a symbol of love.

Happy Valentines Day! Show Love .Say Aye!

-Madhusha Dash

Official Blogger

Encouragement has a potent Alchemy

What was started by a 23 year old with 7 students and a dream in April 2010 now has 120 students who’re grooming into confident individuals all set to take over the world with their determination. In less than two years PROTSAHAN has reached out to over 10,000 individuals primarily through internet. Trust this to be a testimony to the fact that virtual world is your first step to creating a real world.

The base of our foundation is the chemistry between fun and evolution, healing power of art and colors, everything that youth signifies! We’re making a change, Our way, the fun way!

Living with dignity is every individual’s right. You, me and the maid who comes to clean the house, we all have equal rights to live with respect and esteem. Reminds me of the lyrics from this popular track,

“Absolutely everybody,

Everybody needs a little loving,

Everybody needs somebody thinking of them,

Everybody needs a little respect”

Like absolutely everybody, our brigade of kids and artisans need love, respect and somebody thinking of them!

Think of our little children before buying a gift worth thousands next time; a candle from PROTSAHAN can help educating these children and making them smile. That smile is priceless!Think of our artisans striving to gain foothold and earn a life of dignity; a necklace from PROTSAHAN can help them secure a sustainable job. That security is priceless!Think of women forced into flesh trade, the woman in them goes numb everyday. Giving them another choice for livelihood with PROTSAHAN could make the woman in them alive again. And that life is priceless!

Why don’t you be an amulet in this virtual world touching real lives and creating absolute realities?Why don’t you break all barriers of distance and time to splash colors into someone’s life?Why don’t you explore the funky jewelry and exotic candles our artisans make?

One click can open up a wide range of fantastic products within your reach. Buying these products will encourage someone to earn a life of dignity, instead of getting irked or upset by beggars on the streets, help those who’re struggling to earn a livelihood by hard work and efforts. A part of your purchase value would go into buying stationary for educating street children.

Add spunk to your wardrobe; brighten your showcase and season up your world with our stuff from PROTSAHAN! It could be a gift to your self OR to a loved one, but a part of it is a priceless contribution to a massive effort in some part of the world.

We’re now on Shopo. Syndicating with online portals to keep in pace with changing trends. Now color and zing, in yours and the life of someone in need, is just a click away! It will encourage someone to strive for a better life and heal bruises. Even while you’re at it, the magic of this encouragement will start unfolding, dazzling your consciousness with its wonders. Its time to experiment and witness the potent alchemy in Encouragement, in a single click!

Show Support, Say Aye, The Progressive Way!

Click below to Shop Online,http://www.shopo.in/shop/protsahan


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