This is a project that works primarily with 08-17 year old girl students of 10 no.of residential Government Ashram schools in Khordha district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha. The girls come primarily from Santhal, Kandha and Munda tribes. They represent more than 12 districts of Odisha with a higher number from Mayurbhanj and Kandhamal.
The activities, carried out after school hours in libraries set up on hostel premises, are primarily listening, speaking, reading, writing, drawing, singing, dancing and playing. With some mentoring and facilitation from their teachers the young girls have been talking and listening to each other about their families and themselves. About their villages and the people who live there. They are discussing about their work, culture, labour, environment and climate change. These discussions help the students understand its impact on different aspect of life. Every month we have also organized a discussion on different issues like Work and labour, Health and climate change and impacts on society. We have invited environmental activist or local experts to give talk on climate change and sustainable practices. We teach students how to incorporate climate action in to life at school, they will definitely able to take those ideas into their everyday life and make it a habit.
After completion of all sessions the girl students of different hostels had drawn pictures and they wrote the contents on different themes like environment, pollution caused by plastic, Climate change and its impact in the society, about their family, marriages in tribal culture, hygienic food and dreams of students. This colorful pictorial magazine was published in printed format and shared with wide audience in their regular classes. It inculcated confidence among residence of the hostel to express themselves by way of writing and drawing.