“What do you want to be when you grow up,” asked caricaturist Ibrahim Badusha to seven-year-old Shalini.
He poised his fingers over a page expecting to draw stethoscopes or construction material representing doctors and engineers.
But nearly every child brought for a Sunday afternoon out in the Museum grounds in the capital city, a day ahead of schools reopening for the new academic year, said they wanted to be teachers. Shalini smiled almost apologetically, and said she too wanted to be an English teacher. The meeting was organised by Helping Hands Organisation (H2O), a non-governmental group based in the city.
For autistic children
The inspiration for the children as been the volunteers associated with H2O, whose projects focus on the rehabilitation of autistic children and support for bedridden elderly and physically challenged children.
The organisation has been operational for nearly two years and the event on Sunday called ‘Pratheeksha- A Ray of Hope’, was one of the first public events they organised in the city.
Additional Director General of Police R. Sreelekha distributed books and other study material to 108 children, many of them autistic and those who belong to underprivileged backgrounds.
At ease with musicIt was around 3 p.m. when the children arrived and huddled in groups on the lawn beside Band Stand, some of them a little suspicious of all the noise and crowds around them. But as soon as two musicians, belonging to the band Dhruvam, settled in their midst and began humming tunes and playing the guitar, the children too joined them as best as they could.
Another group of volunteers prompted the children to come forward and perform. The initial coyness wore off and soon there was a queue of youngsters waiting to sing their rendition of a popular folk song or a nursery rhyme. The children were also enthralled by the caricatures drawn by Mr. Badusha.
“They are given an image of themselves as a teacher or policeman or whatever profession they asked for. We want to support them right through school until Plus Two, after which we will give them this reminder of the dream they had as a child,” one of the volunteers, Akhil said.
The organisation is the brainchild of Jolly Johnson, who now serves as the Chief Executive Director. Funding is an issue, considering the scope of activities they have undertaken. Those interested in supporting H2O can do so in different capacities. Their contact is 0471-3101999.
