Goals and Objectives
The Mera Aas Padose project was conceived as a creative response to the complex realities of students growing up in unauthorized colonies and low-income neighborhoods in Delhi. It emerged from the recognition that mainstream school curricula often fail to reflect children’s lived experiences—especially those of migrant families and economically disadvantaged communities.
This project set out to bridge that gap by using the arts not just as a supplement to learning, but as the very language through which students could engage, express, and explore. The following objectives shaped the design and implementation of every activity, workshop, and performance throughout the project.
1. Cultural Reconnection
To help students reconnect with their cultural roots by exploring and documenting their home environments and neighborhoods. Children from migrant backgrounds often experience a sense of detachment from their regional languages, traditions, and landscapes. This project encouraged students to draw, map, and model the places they see every day—narrow lanes, rooftop homes, market corners, and community temples. These representations not only helped students reflect on their surroundings, but also validated those spaces as worthy of attention and artistic expression. Through this process, students began to feel a renewed connection to their families' stories and local histories.
2. Creative Expression
To provide students with open-ended opportunities to express their thoughts, feelings, and identities through diverse art forms. Unlike typical school art periods that often prioritize technique or fixed topics, this project emphasized process over product. Students were given full freedom to decide what and how to draw, build, or perform. Teachers were trained to listen rather than direct, offering support through encouragement rather than correction. This shift created a nurturing environment where students felt safe to explore, imagine, and share ideas that reflected their inner worlds and everyday experiences.
3. Community Engagement
To connect school-based learning with the broader community through exhibitions and performances that highlight children’s voices. The culmination of the project was the School Mela—a celebratory event that brought students, parents, neighbors, and school staff together. Children’s models, drawings, and a collaboratively developed drama performance were showcased as a reflection of their collective learning journey. This event transformed the school into a public space for dialogue and celebration, helping communities see the value of creative education and fostering a shared sense of pride in children’s work.