Age group: 4-16 years

Bal Jeevan Trust works towards transforming the lives of impoverished street children in Mumbai.

Art1st intervention at the Trust began with an exploration of the emotional landscape of the children – their fears, insecurities, beliefs and aspirations. Coming from economically challenged and troubled backgrounds, they wore a sense of hopelessness and cynicism. To address this, the artist mentors focussed on opening their minds, awakening self-confidence, and instilling free expression – through art.

For the sessions, the children were divided into three groups, age wise. The approach was dynamic – each session designed based on insights from previous sessions.

For the youngest group (KG to 3rd grade), creative interaction, such as material exploration, storytelling and body mapping, was used to make their worlds palpable and real. Sessions were designed to explore the gentler emotions of love, caring and a feeling of belonging.

For instance, the children were asked to go home and show their gratitude and love to their parents – every single day. They just had to say ‘thank you’ with a smile and a hug! Though at first they met with resistance, in a few days, each of them had remarkable stories to share.

A girl joyfully reported that her mother had reciprocated the love by taking her to the garden and buying her a balloon. While another, an orphan, now felt appreciated, for her grandmother who was earlier irritated with her grandchildren had begun to hug them and smile at them. The children painted their experiences with a sense of joy and wonder.

Further, the children were introduced to and imbibed values of sharing, respecting others, following rules, cleanliness, and finding joy in their topsy turvy world.

The second group (4th to 7th grade) exhibited feelings of jealousy and disrespect towards each other, and hopelessness in themselves. Sessions were designed to show them the power of positive thinking and open their minds to the possibility of achieving their dreams and aspirations. In a simple exercise, they were each asked to find out the meaning of their name and turn it into a guessing game for their peers. This led them to finding self worth as they reflected on the many qualities hidden in their names.

Another session had them think of their most audacious dreams and picture them coming true by drawing them out. Yet another released the grip of painful memories by drawing them and then scratching their drawings.

The third group (8th to 10th grade), with their rebellious and defiant attitude, was not so easy to tackle. The artist mentors engaged them with activities such as drama and visualisation, creative drawing, creative drawing and digiwork, encouraging them to think differently and find release in expression.

Mindsets had changed and moods had visibly shifted by the end of the sessions. The biggest win of the sessions was an unmissable feeling of hope that most children now had.