COMMUNICATION FOR EMPOWERMENT

I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible – Mahatma Gandhi

Ritinjali’s educational programs have always been marked by their inclusiveness. We have developed a unique program that brings five young high school graduates from rural Thailand to India where they will continue their educational journey. Taking this a step further, because Ritinjali believes strongly in recognizing and indeed celebrating existing commonalities and similarities across geographic, religious, cultural and linguistic boundaries, we have included a promising group of students from India and beyond to participate in this program so we can facilitate a network of youth leaders across this region that can operate as part of a larger community, rather than in isolation, to work towards social and economic empowerment.

By focusing on children that have not always been included in larger socio-developmental dialogue, we want to tap into the powerful synergies that already exist between youth of different cultures so these children are able to become contributing members not only of their own communities, but also of the world.

The “Communication for Empowerment” program will immerse a group of 16 young adults in an intensive, holistic, experiential and hands-on course for two and a half months where they will learn basic and conversational English through a combination of traditional instruction, collaborative project work, exposure to art, music, theatre and movies, field trips to historical and cultural sites, and volunteering at Ritinjali.

The program is highly selective: All the children have been identified for their desire to learn, their leadership potential and their commitment to contribute meaningfully to their communities. The 5 children from Thailand have been selected by Her Royal Highness, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand to pursue their further education in India. We have nominated 5 boys from our Second Chance School, a residential program based in Mahipalpur New Delhi, where urban marginalised youth who unfortunately had to end an educational chapter in their lives are empowered through literacy and vocational training programs. Five young Tibetans were selected by Empowering the Vision Project (ENVISION), a non-governmental and non-profit organization that supports, motivates and empowers young Tibetans. Finally, we also have admitted a promising young monk from Bhutan who is looking to continue his monastic studies in India.

While the program is not residential, the students will participate in a range of activities from 8.30 AM till 4.30 PM Monday through Friday, with a half-day on Saturdays. The instructor is an experienced professional with certification in teaching English as a Foreign Language and is working closely with Ritinjali to develop a challenging program that will incorporate traditional instruction with hands-on experience and experiential learning. For instance, the students will regularly go to film screenings and theatre performances so they can apply their learning directly. The students will also be expected to contribute to their local communities through volunteering at a Ritinjali site on a regular basis. We are also incorporating music, art and theatre workshops into their academic program so they get a balanced and well rounded education.

For further details regarding the program contact Rohini Mehta at +91-9958960011or Aashti Zaidi Hai at +91-9818770075

Click here to Download STUDENTS PROFILE