Emma Goldman No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.
Children are God's gifts to mankind. The innocence and sheer love they exuberate is beyond expression. The boundless energy, excitement, curiosity and compassion in a child is inspiration personified. They love and express without inhibitions.
They have the right to better education and a bright future. They are the future torch bearers and hope for a country. They have the right to a better life by way of better education. They have the right to dream and pursue them to chart a brighter future.
Support our T-shirt campaign - get a one for yourself and Support a Child's education
Colorss Foundation strives to build a better future for the children who cannot afford a formal education. The foundation aspires to build a family of like-minded people whose motive would be to empower socially deprived children with qualities like self-confidence, responsibility, and self-esteem, at the same time ensuring that these children complete their school education.
Colorss foundation envisions a future wherein these children are transformed into value-driven individuals and contribute towards bringing about a transformational change in the society.
Come be a part of this noble project and play your part creating an environment where in these children play, learn and grow.
You can do this by being a part of our campaign and show your support by buying the campaign T-shirt, thereby promoting and propagating a brighter future for these children.
Volunteers are the constant support to Colorss. But, what exactly are the volunteers doing? How are they doing it? and why are they doing it! These are all those infinite questions that many people think about or ask. Well, it's better that we hear the volunteers sharing their experiences! It gives more clarity to the subject 'volunteering' and the 'content' of joy felt by them.
This video would also help all those new volunteers/interns who are planning to support Colorss. Watch this video wherein our volunteers are sharing themselves. As Colorss continues to make great strides on the
social front, let’s take a vow to contribute in whatsoever manner possible to
reach out to people in our communities and societies to enhance, empower and
energize them.
"If you want love or if you want to give back
love”, then you are all set to join the social bandwagon!
We are always there to answer your questions – we are here to make things simple. Are you joining us! Why don’t you share us – it’s also a great volunteering service you can do! Well the choice is absolutely yours!
Who are we! This post would talk about the origin of Colorss, its founder member, vision and mission.
Origin:
Lack of education and resources, dearth of infrastructure and facilities, poor or in fact no access in some cases, are issues that still remain and continue to haunt a traditional Indian setting. Every individual realizes this at some instance or the other but the concerned action is most often shelved and remains to be, due to various reasons. While this process continued, there were others who nourished the thought and gave it food. There came up social institutions, non-profit organizations, self-funded and self-run societies which realized the necessity and importance to empower the nation and do whatever they could. Colorss was born too!
Mr. Anand Koti, Founder Colorss Foundation
Anand, Founder, Colorss Foundation holds a Masters in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from Bhavans College of Communication and Management. He also has done his Masters in Hospital and Health Management from Symbiosis Centre of Health Care. He is a Graduate in Industrial Psychology from MSU, Vadodara. He has extensively worked for social causes and has been part of many community oriented projects before he founded Colorss in 2008. He is also a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Karate which exhibits his commitment and discipline. Now, Anand solely manages the operations of Colorss and its projects and is a true source of inspiration to all the budding social entrepreneurs out there.
Colorss Foundation was the outcome of the socio-centric and humanitarian thought process of its founder Mr. Anand Koti. Anand’s passion and dedication to bring in a massive social change in the society, to drive this social change by imparting education using creative and innovative methods brought Colorss into existence in 2008. Since then many action driven and research oriented projects have come into existence here and have been instrumental in achieving the purpose of this mission. As Colorss continues to make great strides on the social front, let’s take a vow to contribute in whatsoever manner possible to reach out to people in our communities and societies to enhance, empower and energize them. Colorss is present in Baroda, Gujarat and in Pune, Maharashtra.
Vision:
Warren Bennis was right when he said “Vision animates, inspires and transforms purpose into action”. Colorss was set up with a purpose – to empower and develop the underprivileged children in the society and to make them ideal and value-driven individuals. And since its inception, Colorss has been working towards its vision, thus contributing in whatsoever manner possible to strengthen the deprived communities and get them in closer proximity to what may seem alien or new to them. It has also been striving hard to inspire and transform individuals and volunteers to take action and serve the society and in turn give back to the communities where we belong.
Mission:
Colorss is currently working towards setting up an educative and resourceful environment for the socially deprived children, which will help them complete their basic education. Its founder, the supporting organizations, individuals and volunteers are working with dedication and devotion to make its vision a reality. On the road towards achieving its goals, Colorss would be more than happy to absorb like minded individuals on board their efforts to support them in whatsoever manner possible. In the words of its founder, Anand Koti ”If you want love or if you want to give back love”, then you are all set to join the social bandwagon! -> contact@colorss.org | emailcolorss@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/colorssfoundation | www.colorss.org For Love,
Every New Year brings in new opportunities for
people, avenues to go by their resolutions and ways to achieve their dream.
But, unfortunately some people get lost while looking around for such
opportunities or probing for avenues and paths. Here, in Colorss we sincerely
make an attempt to intertwine the right people with the right opportunity and
further go on to create hope and strength in the people who will then pave way
for a healthy society. Synonymous to this, starting this January, Colorss is coming
up with a project – ‘See Green’ which is determined to be a fine integration of
proposed solutions for some of the critical issues in the society. To give it a
personal touch, we are creating an opportunity for each one of ‘you’ reading
this to contribute in whatsoever manner possible to light hope and give
strength to empower someone out there to stand up and live their life
themselves. Read on to understand more about See Green.
The Objectives of the Project:
1.Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle:We are appealing to
educational institutions, organizations and individuals to donate old clothes.
Thus bringing in, the ideas of 3R’s – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.
2.Production
of Hand Stitched Bags:The collected old
clothes will be distributed among women in rural and underprivileged households
of Vadodara, who will then produce hand stitched bags made of these old
clothes.
3.Empowering
Women:These bags would later
be sold for a nominal price to interested vendors in and around Vadodara. The
income earned would be given to the women, thus empowering them and improving
their financial stability.
4.Plastic
Free:By encouraging people
to use cloth bags, we will be contributing our share to building an
eco-friendly environment, free of plastic.
What can you do?
1.If you are in Vadodara,
then do take a casual drive to drop by your old clothes.
2.For schools, we have a
collection drive that has been planned and the respective schools are expected
to intimate the same to the students.
3.If you are not around
but still would like to contribute, then do spread the word about this project
on twitter @colorss or alternately on G+.
4.You can go a step
ahead to encourage volunteers and like-minded people in your neighborhood to
come up with an initiative as this one.
5.Choose to fund for
this project by being a sponsor.
A
little action can make wonders. It will lead to mutual satisfaction and
happiness and will give a new social meaning to your life. As Stephen Covey
rightly said, ‘Life is just not about accumulation, it is also about contribution’.
Act now. As an intern to Colorss, Mr. Aditya Gupta a Doon School Alumnus who had been working on his idea 'See Green' is now a reality.
It was September of 2012 that I met this old friend of mine, by sheer chance, after a long gap of close to 12 years and boy it did turn out to be the best catch up sessions I have had in years. Before you jump the gun, No – it was not that we were the best of friends or were inseparable when we were in touch in the nineties, but yes – our association was definitely way better than those of preferred acquaintances. So it was not about discussing those lovely summers that we spent playing together, but more about some wonderful things that he has been doing over the past few years. It was about COLORSS, the organization or should I say the institution that he founded in 2008 and the tireless efforts that he and his team have been putting in to get it where it is today. This was the same time when most of us, in the same group as teenagers in the nineties, were busy raking in the moolah for ourselves somewhere out there in the marketplace. Not that I am feeling bad about what I did and achieved over the years, but I am definitely happier and filled with a sense of pride at what Anand Koti, this friend of mine dared to do - give up a corporate career and set up Colorss – the foundation.
A rose for Sundar Sarma @ vocational training program #Baroda
With a central idea that children are indeed the colors in our life and recognizing the fact that not all these colors are as bright and impactful as they need to be, he set out with his dynamic team to ensure that they help rediscover the radiance of the “colors” lost in the cloud of economic and social hopelessness. Their simple idea, as I was able to understand, was to empower these socially underprivileged children by helping build a better self esteem, creating a sense of pride in them and preparing them for greater responsibilities in life. There were no free meals, clothing or shelter on offer, but there was a promise of a better life where one could live with the head held high. Their projects right from “Colors of Life” which talks about developing faculties like writing and expressing through painting or “Urja” which aims at developing a vocational skill or my favorite “Enhance” which uses techniques like martial arts and other creative skills to help develop self esteem in an individual were very different from the ones usually seen or experienced. So along with education, these children are provided with avenues where they could put their evident or latent skills to good use to discover their inner potentials and feel good about themselves. They are guided on the importance of honing these skills with the right kind of focus and discipline which holds them in good stead for whatever they decide to take up in the future. I have always believed, that great individuals achieve greatness in whatever they do, and greatness is a direct function of confidence which in turn is directly proportional to one’s state of happiness. And generally, one is happy when one feels good about oneself i.e. when one has a high self esteem. I am not a psychology expert and I am sure Anand will have a few thoughts about my ramblings considering his psychology background, but I see things in a certain manner and this manner compels me to believe that Colorss has hit the nail right on the head when it comes to understanding the current socio-economic context of our country and has come up with some unique and thought provoking projects to address some of the key issues faced by the socially less privileged.
Why only socially less privileged, helping any child develop his or her self esteem is one of the best service possible in today’s day and times, but I have to say that it is a great start. Another wonderful thing about these projects is the long term vision which makes it all the more challenging. When you see so many projects with a vision and results that are short or sometimes even immediate term in nature, one tends to believe that that they are more effective than some of the others that Colorss has set out to achieve. Why outsiders, even the stakeholders including the benefactors and the beneficiaries question this and it is in the process of answering these questions that the unwavering focus of these strong willed members of team Colorss is called upon. I was privileged to meet up with a few of them and really am in awe of their enthusiasm and dedication and the sheer love for what they have set out to do. While I absolutely mean no disrespect to any effort taken by any other foundation, I have to confess that education, self reliance and a higher sense of self esteem are right up there as far as my personal priorities are concerned. So here I am now, trying to find ways and means to being useful to Anand and his wonderful foundation. As I sit here and contemplate, I am sure Anand and his wonderful force is out there in some community centre of theirs, in a less privileged part of the cities they operate in, trying to empower and create a new society. Thank you Colorss and thank you Anand for letting me be part of your journey. I will keep doing my bit, in whatever way I am able to for I have experienced the ecstasy of “Colorss” in my life.
On
the 15th of September this year, Pune was witness to the 4th
Anniversary Celebrations of Colorss. Colorss foundation commemorated this
occasion by organizing a flashmob [on 14th of September 2012] to
perform at Symbiosis Law School around noon time. Later that evening around
7pm, the same mob performed in Pheonix Marketcity, Pune.
The
flashmob was organised by the combined efforts of almost 50 participants who
were all proud of the fact that they had managed to come up with an innovative
idea to spread their cause. As Sweksha Ballabh puts it, “From
practicing all day and night for the flash mob, to performing it in front of
over 100 people, the excitement that this event has brought to our lives is
splendid. The event was very well planned and organized by an amazing team of
volunteers. I am so glad that I got a chance to be a part of such a noble
event”.
Aditi,
who is a first year student in Symbiosis chimes in, “15th September,
2012 was when we realized that working for a good cause can come with loads of
fun, frolic, and dance. It was not just about the dance in the end or the
socializing that was inevitable, it came with immense satisfaction. Having
worked with Colorss Foundation in its various other projects, this one was
definitely awesome”.
Flashmob at Pheonix Marketcity, Pune
Even
the audience were left amazed by the team’s performance. A participant who was
witness to the flashmob stated that, “The flash mob was a unique way to
create awareness about the cause and about Colorss Foundation. It was an
inspiration to all those who took part”. Some of the many faces behind this
event include Nikita Puri, Abraham Verghese, Dhiraj Khatri, Stuti Prasad and
Nikita Lamba.
From left: Stuti Prasad, Dhiraj Khatri, Nikita Lamba and Nikita Puri
The next
day afternoon, Colorss foundation continued the celebrations by organising a
Walkathon from Symbiosis Law School to Pune Central, University Road. The
Walkathon which covered a distance of approximately 5 kilometres saw about 50
participants who covered this distance with the knowledge that their effort was
spent in raising awareness about a worthy cause.
Although
the celebrations are in the past now, Colorss Foundation has found a new lease
of life in all the efforts that its volunteers put in for the event and is now
fuelled with the positive energy it created to go through another year filled
with the aim of reaching out to more underprivileged kids! For Love,
Internship opportunities are available at Colorss. Students can apply for internship along with their detailed resume. Opportunities for MSW / BSW students to get on-the-job training. It's just not limited to social work students - we are accepting students from media, communication, engineering, management, art-n-craft, fine-arts, NID, NIIT and more... Feel free to drop an email with your resume and make an inquiry. - emailcolorss@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/colorssfoundation | http://colorss.org For Love, Anand
Reducing the number of school drop outs,
brightening children’s lives with martial and creative arts, and teaching
skills to poor women: some actions have a great potential of change. This is
what Colorss Foundation believes in. This is what we do: use knowledge to
transmit knowledge. Colorss Foundation
has been operational since
Sep 2008 having its presence in Baroda, Gujarat and
Pune, Maharashtra.
By developing programs to improve disadvantaged
groups’ lives, Colorss Foundation is doing its part.
1.Project Enhance – 110 girls [Pune]
Underprivileged
children face stress in many aspects of their lives: family, academics, health,
and more. The situation is often worse in female children; because of social
stigma, girls tend to be seen as inferior or even neglected, which leaves them
with a sense of worthlessness and low self-esteem. The truth is, however, that
they deserve much more than this.
How can we brighten
these children’s lives? How can we empower these girls and foster their
confidence? Thinking about this, Colorss Foundation has developed a program
called Enhance. This project uses the benefits that Karate and Creative arts
bring to reach a better life for these kids.
2.Project ‘Colors of Life’ – 100 students [boys
and girls – Pune, Baroda]
Observing government
schools in India, we can face a bad reality: 50% of students drop out of school
before the 8th standard. This is very worrying when we think about the
importance of education, a key for the development of individuals and of the
society. And this is the point when creating a program like Colors of Life. How
this can be done? The students are given topics for creative writing –they are
either encouraged to write in Marathi, Gujarati or Hindi. These topics are
thereafter translated into English and published as an E-zine.
The program works with
brain stimulation games, workshops on life-skills and different issues, drawing,
music and dance, creative arts, and PBL (project based learning) too.
3.Project 'UrjAa' – igniting the fire within – 15 women in
vocational training [Baroda]
Helping on the
development of children is very important. However, we do not work just with
children: Project UrjAa that attends to disadvantaged women is important as
well. It intends to break the vicious cycle of poverty, in which these women do not have access to training
and resources and, consequently, have little or no education. Then, they stay
in poverty, and the same thing keeps happening.
Only education can solve this
problem. The children of their families are provided with needful education.
Different workshops are conducted for these women and their families. Building
up these women current skills and introducing new skills, we can empower them
and impact positively their families. This is the basis of Project UrjAa:
professionals, peers, community, awareness programs, and mentorships teach
vocational skills to a group of women from the slums of Sanjay Nagar, New Sama
Road, Baroda.
4.Risachi - It is the research wing of Colorss
Foundation, recently formed in early July 2012. Despite its recent inception,
Risachi has successfully completed one major survey study involving 62 subjects
and has three other major projects in different phases. The outcome of the
research will involve designing novel strategies to improve the health of the
underprivileged population.
5.Aircel a+ a CSR initiative in partnership with
Colorss Foundation – 480 students [Pune,
Maharashtra State]
480 students are in a+
Center in Pune. This is an Aircel CSR initiative to help bridge the digital
divide in India. The initiative will help empower underprivileged children and
adolescents with computer literacy and vocational training and provide them
with employability skills.
The original plan for the class on 21st July 2012 in Navprerna was to show the children the e-magazine on the internet but due to some technical error we were unable to do so.
We then decided to do some simple speed math using flashcards.We divided the class of 18 (11 boys and 7 girls) into two equal groups. Each of us separately conducted the activity with one group. We started by explaining the rules of the game - each card will not be shown for more than 2 seconds and the students had to write only the answers in their books. For the first round, we decided to keep it simple, thus we started with just 10 questions/cards. We used cards for addition and subtraction only. Then we conducted two more rounds of 10 questions each.We noticed that the performance on the whole was not bad.
Some students did very well, like Kajal Chauhan and Rita Katara who scored 30/30.
Others made mistakes in reading the signs (whether it was + or-) or they would not notice where the blank was, whether it was in the question or answer. For example in the question 9+_ =15, they would write 24 as the answer rather than 6, i.e. they would simply add up all the numbers they could see on the card. A few of them often did not look at the card and missed the question. Their concepts of addition and subtraction are quite clear, but they either lack confidence or do not pay enough attention to the question.We will probably conduct a similar exercise again also including questions on multiplication and division.
Conducted by Ankita Bhagwat and Shreya Hiryur [Baroda Team]
If you pay attention, you will see that you are just
beginning your life. You can study, you can work – you can do everything you
want to build your future. Doesn’t this moment look like the perfect one to
start making a difference in the world?
Reducing the number of school drop outs, brightening
children’s lives with martial and creative arts, and teaching skills to poor
women: some actions have a great potential of change. This is what Colorss
Foundation believes in. This is what we do: use knowledge to transmit
knowledge. And, this way, find better possibilities to people’s lives.
By developing programs to improve disadvantaged
groups’ lives, Colorss Foundation is doing its part. If you want to, you can do
yours. By volunteering, you can begin your journey in a great manner. And you
do not just help: volunteering is a mutual relationship. You, for sure, are
going to get a better person and learn new things.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill
When I first contacted Anand, founder of Colorss Foundation for volunteer teaching at one of the several schools run for the underprivileged in Pune I was not sure what I was getting into -- there was a will to help but not a true grit; there was a path to tread on but no one to lead the way.
But having been associated with the kids and the foundation itself for quite a while I can affirmatively say that it has been a truly rewarding experience. From the very first day when I was introduced to the principal and members of the staff at Dr. Ambedkar Memorial High School school by Anand , everyone including the children have been very warm and welcoming . I have no previous experience as a teacher/tutor and was initially skeptical about how I would handle a bunch of exuberant kids but I was surprised at the level of discipline and knowledge in the students of Project Enhance which made the ice breaking process seamless and easy.
From playing "Fire in the mountain" to singing "Happy and you know it" in perfect harmony to teaching me the basics of Karate and martial arts the kids have been lovely and I have enjoyed every bit of my time with them. Some of the kids are particularly brilliant and surprised me with a "Nice to meet you" and a firm, confident handshake at the end of one of my sessions at Dr. Ambedkar Memorial High School with the enhance girl students.
This Saturday I got an opportunity to visit the Mahadji Shinde High school where I was introduced to the principal and the team of volunteers including Dhiraj , Neha and Nikita. I interacted with the girl students of project enhance who have been learning karate at an average duration of one to two years variably amongst the group and got their feedback regarding how karate/martial arts has impacted both physiological and psychological aspects of their lives.
The girls were very enthusiastic about sharing their karate learning experience and willingly stood up to talk about the same. Most of them agreed to the fact that their posture has improved and slouching/sluggishness while walking and other normal daily activities has reduced to a great extent. Showing off their power with a mighty punch on my palm they also said that their efficiency and stamina in lifting heavy objects and other tasks that involve a firm grip like holding on to a bus pole steadily has also improved. They said that the karate classes has given school a whole new perspective and that not only has it been a great learning experience but also immense fun . Some of them admitted that the karate classes were the highlight of the school for them and that they attended just so they could be a part of it all.
Amongst psychological aspects they said that the physical well being and a sense of self reliance which comes from the fact that they are better equipped to defend themselves in the face of danger has promoted an overall sense of well being and comfort in their minds. Even though the rigorous physical nature of this sport would leave them exhausted by the end of the class, girls said that they felt very mentally active and alert after the karate sessions.
They also admitted that their concentration level has improved and studies have become fun because they listen and understand better. Some felt that their minds were able to reject the antagonism, hardships and anguish in their life amidst their community because they are simply happier on account of having learnt something novel and fun which they can share with their family and members of the community.
I believe I have seen only one facet of this magnificent problem of education that our society faces today and that it will take generations to uproot it completely. But a firm belief in the capabilities of these children, a helping hand and little bit of your time can go a long way in bringing a smile on the faces of these little kids who never have and never will have access to the same opportunities that you and I had growing up as a child .
It is immensely gratifying to be a part of a great cause like this and there is no joy greater than sharing a part of the bread that you have earned for yourself.
The biggest forte of our Project Enhance is that it is the brainchild of Mr. Anand Koti, founder of Colorss Foundation himself. No doubt Mr. Koti is personally involved in every initiative Colorss Foundation takes, but he is personally at the helm of affairs for Project Enhance because of the nature of the project and Mr. Koti’s experience in the field.
What is Project Enhance?
Project Enhance is an unusual blend of martial and creative arts. In India the children belonging to the underprivileged sector already have to face countless hardships during their lives. Stress is a constant in their lives and this is particularly prominent in the case of female children who have to face many social stigmas in addition. They are often not given the place they deserve in society and their progress is not only hindered due to financial reasons but also due to many social taboos. This is bound to create mental pressure and strain for these female children. Project Enhance focuses on this chunk of the population in particular. With its unique programme of sports and arts it seeks to eradicate the mental pressure and strain that these young, underprivileged girls have to endure. Not only mental strain but these young girls usually have to undergo through a sense of low self esteem and inferiority too because their position in society is not very strong and they are many a time manipulated and exploited because of their weak standing. Giving such girls strength and perseverance to withhold these negative forces of society is the aim of Project Enhance. Through Project Enhance we conduct bi-weekly sessions of half an hour duration focusing on martial arts including karate, yoga and other forms of meditation and self-defense exercises in addition to creative art sessions including techniques like drawing, painting, story telling etc. Through this unique combination we at Project Enhance aim to relieve the stress endured by these young and weak members of our society.
If you want to help us in working toward the betterment of our society’s underprivileged members you can send you valued donations to the account details mentioned at the end. In addition to monetary donation you can also send in karate or exercise clothing, drawing materials like coloring books and pencils etc. Or if you want to volunteer for Project Enhance you should be proficient in either of the skills that our project focuses on. Volunteers that have some experience in the martial arts and karate techniques/yoga/dance/sports are welcomed to volunteer for our Project where they can disseminate their knowledge and talent to these young girls.
Also if you think you can conduct productive sessions involving arts and craft, drawing painting, story-telling, personality development etc then please feel free to contact us on the contact numbers given out. We would be more than happy to have you on our team. Together our small steps can make a big difference.
Many underprivileged people are stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. How would YOU like to help break this cycle? Colorss Foundation has developed the concept of Project Urja; this innovative project aims to develop vocational skills in women. This gives them the power to uplift themselves as well as their families so that they have a chance of a brighter future. Since 2011, Colorss Foundation has its Project ‘Colors of Life’ for 25 students of Navprerna Day care at Navrachana School, Baroda, Gujarat. And now we are starting our first vocational training in Baroda. how does project urja help them learn?
Currently, the needs assessment has been conducted and a training program has started on from 18th March 2012. 25 women are undergoing training program and they are being taught 6 products to start with; Keep your imagination wild till we upload the photographs of the products
1. Designer Water pot ready to hang outside home/balcony – this summer be humble and sever water to the thirsty birds.
2. Paper earning – something you should wait till we upload the photograph
3. Night lamp
4. Designer show basket – useful to decorate the home and also a gift
5. Pen-stand made of clay
6. Hair-band – beautiful hair-bands for the little angels and for you as well. how does project urja make a difference?
Disadvantaged women have no access to training and resources, which means that they have little or no education, resulting in poverty. This is where Project Urja comes in, to break this cycle. By both improving their existing skills and teaching new skills, disadvantaged women gain the training they need to become self-sufficient, productive members of society; their financial and social independence is strengthened. how can you change someone’s life?
It is obvious that this one-of-a-kind program (at Baroda, Gujarat) is the key to improving the lives of disadvantaged women and their families... But we need your help, especially since Project Urja is still in the development stages. You can contribute to this good cause by:
Monetary support to finance raw materials, equipment, pay the women in training and our trainer fees.
Marketing, planning and organizing events and exhibitions.
Organizing interactive meets and awareness programs with experts concerning topics such as health, education and sanitation.
we need your help to change someone’s life?
If you would like to send your donation directly to our bank account: Colorss Foundation Current A/C number: 30562854518 IFS Code: SBIN0009737 State Bank of India New Sama Road (9737) Branch Vadodara, Gujarat
If you would like to send in your cheques and DDs in favour of `Colorss Foundation` at: Colorss Foundation E/68, Jyoti Park, Behind Navrachna School, P.O. E.M.E New Sama Road, Vadodara - 390 008 Gujarat
Anand
Koti, founder of Colorss with more than 15 years of martial arts training, a
second-degree black belt, and a passion for using his talent to help others
reach their potential has come up with this project.
Project Enhance uses a combination
of sports (Martial Arts) and creative arts as vehicles to promote both the
physical and mental well-being of underprivileged children in India. Good
mental health is not just the absence of a mental disorder; it is a state of
well-being where an individual feels confident and ready to cope with the
stresses that life sometimes presents.
In India, young girls are viewed as
inconsequential, often ignored, or even harassed and molested. Project Enhance
aims to empower young girls and boost their self-confidence through a blend of karate
and creative arts in hopes that they can one day become educated, productive,
and active members in their communities and society.
Objectives:
-Empower young
girls
-Promote mental and physical health
-Foster a sense
trust, cooperation, confidence, and community
-Encourage values
of discipline and responsibility
Students undergoing self-defense techniques under project enhance.. Demonstrating the techniques with our volunteer/inter Neha Shaw (Symbiosis Law School, Pune)
How Can Martial Arts Help?
The art of karate involves
integrating the mind and body to condition the physique and enhance
self-awareness. When the muscles and brain act in perfect unison, a sense of
discipline, mindfulness, and serenity are set in play. Thus, learning to
control each movement in a fluid and adaptable fashion produces benefits that
outlast practice sessions. Research has shown that karate is associated with
positive changes in mood, as well as reductions in anxiety and depression.
Sensi Pervez Mistry, the father of modern martial arts
in India, noted: “Karate is generally perceived as a destructive sport. This is
a misconception. In fact, the reverse is true. With karate, we can work towards
improving health. A willingness and desire to be a better person is developed
and self-confidence is built while ego is dampened.”
In
fact, martial arts promote both mental and physical health and enforce values
such as respect for others, faithfulness, and tranquility, and sincerity. When
these qualities act in unison, they can induce relaxation and increase
self-confidence. Additionally, many studies have championed the cognitive and
behavioral benefits of martial arts. Improvements in self-esteem (Fuller,
1988), positive receptiveness of physical challenges (Richard and Rehberg,
1986; Trulson, 1986), greater autonomy (Duthie, 1978), emotional stability and
assertiveness (Konzak and Boudreau, 1984) and reductions in anxiety and
depression (Cai, 2000) have all been associated with martial arts training.
To
sum it up, Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate, once said, “The
ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of
the character of its participants.”
Sensi Mistry speaks about Anand
Sensi Pervez Mistry is considered to be the father of
martial arts in India.
He has been the Chief Instructor for the International Okinawa
Goju-RyuKarate-do Federation in India
for the past 46 years and is the founder of Karate-do in India.
“Karate is generally perceived as a destructive sport.
This is a misconception. In fact, the reverse is true. With karate, we can work
towards improving health. A willingness and desire to be a better person is
developed and self-confidence is built while ego is dampened. When Anand met me
a few years ago, he was worried whether or not we would be able to manage the
program. I was confident from day one that he would succeed. He has struggled and faced hurdles, but he
has conquered all of them, in part from the confidence he has gained from
martial arts training.
How Can Creative Arts Help?
Creativity
and art help reinforce elements of martial arts training, further helping
children develop and retain their learned skills. Though its task-based
instruction and demanded attention to detail, art cultivates a sense of
responsibility, hand-eye coordination, and controlled motor skills.
Furthermore, selecting materials and tools, focusing on creating a work of art,
and ultimately finishing a project fosters a sense of achievement as well as
enhances cognitive skills, decision making skills, and discipline. Furthermore,
to maintain and develop awareness of different methods of mind and body
control, games, meditation, and dance are incorporated into each creative arts
session.
Current Status and Project Structure:
Project Enhance currently focuses on
helping 110 girls from two schools
·Fifty five girls
from 5th, 6th, and 7th grade girls from
Mahadji Shinde High School, a municipality school under Pune Cantonment Board.
· Fifty three girls from 6th, 7th,
8th and 9th grade girls from Dr. Ambedkar Memorial
School, a municipality school under Pune Cantonment Board.
It consists of 1 hour sessions, twice a week, with 30
minutes of martial arts training and 30 minutes of creative arts. Each martial
arts session is a mixture of exercise and meditation. These sessions aim to
relax the body muscles and gradually build flexibility and stamina. Each
creative arts session includes various exercises in drawing, sketching,
dancing, music, acting, brain-stimulation games and story-telling.
Based on child progress, the program introduces longer
and higher levels of martial arts and creative arts sessions. Thus, the
contents of each session change along with the children’s progress in order to
keep challenging and encouraging each child to reach his or her full potential.
Finally, a counseling component is integrated into the
program. Professionals work with the children not only to provide a support
system, but also to motivate them to succeed, improve communication skills,
discuss future careers, and teach them about socially acceptable behavior.
Quote from participant:
I feel very peaceful after joining the karate project.
Our teacher is a very cool person and karate benefits us and gives us physical
exercise. Karate also helps us develop a better memory and gives physical
flexibility to our bodies. There are so many benefits of karate.
How can you contribute?
Volunteer:
Volunteers are our greatest asset. You can contribute
by volunteering to conduct workshops in various media of creative and performing
arts, such as drawing, counseling, painting, dance, personality development, brain-stimulation
games and creative writing. Any other forms of creative art are welcomed as
well!
