Pen-powerment | Educate the Girl Child

Everyone always says that pens are mightier than swords. Before every battle fought, it’s the general who is the head behind the strategy. Education itself is a debatable term, according to me. Learning text books is a start to a formal education but hands-on experience in different fields of learning can also be considered as education. Another quote is that if you educate a mother, you educate the nation. Mothers are those entities who every child sees from the beginning of his/her life. We learn from her and our perception builds from what we see. A mother is a mother, nonetheless but an educated mother guides her child strategically through their life battles. Apart from fulfilling a successful role of being a mother, a woman has every right to educate herself and conquer her dreams.

In a patriarchal society, there are still areas that have the taboo of educating their girl and even if they do admit them to schools, the girls are a victim of early marriage or forced marriage. The cities have a completely different scenario. Women are still encouraged to get married as soon as they are of an appropriate (early or mid 20s) age. Now, you might ask, why is it important for women to study? Number one and only, the question is irrelevant in its own. It’s not about women studying, rather its

every human being’s right to education. Every man and woman needs to educate themselves. The question of ‘why’ cannot be considered in any circumstances.

Education doesn’t need to be from text books rather lessons that would help in life. Education would not only help women but would help the nation to grow as the workforce would increase and so will the economy and standard of life. When you’re educating half the world population, you are increasing the world by a notch. So, anyone who believes in gender equality should never ask why a woman should study, rather the question should be how can I help a woman study? Nothing is a better feeling than helping another human being to flourish. Remember, women are human first. Genders are a social construction for discriminating and voicing superiority, and avoiding this superficial thought could might as well be the first step to a better education.

Raisa Rahman

Colorss Runs a Brain Gym

WHAT WE ARE UP TO : Colorss Runs a Brain Gym

The Colorss’ team at the government school in Rajupura, Baroda, has recently ran a Brain Gym for students in Grades 1 to 4, to help them learn the numbers from 1 to 100. The children responded positively to the activity, and were able to learn the sequence of numbers through the creative brain game. 

 Students prepare for the Brain Gym

The Brain Gym conducted a housing activity, where students were given cards, which mentioned numbers 1 to 100. The volunteers would throw a set of dice and indicate the number on the dices on their own sheet. This would be related to a specific material within a house on the volunteer’s sheet, with a number on it. This number is then flashed to the students. Excitedly, the students would identify the corresponding number on their flashcards, mark the number and spell it out to the rest of the class.

Within 90 minutes, the students finished playing the game and were asked for feedback. Soon enough, we learned that after the activity, most of the students were able to learn all the numbers from 1 to 100. This is a huge accomplishment as a large number of students across four grades were able to recall a wide range of numbers as a result of the Brain Gym.

Students enthusiastically participate in the Brain Gym

This Brain Gym activity not only improved the students’ ability to memorise numbers from 1 to 100, but also greatly contributed to their personal development. The activity boosted their concentration levels and self-confidence in their own cognitive skills.

 Students pose during the Brain Gym Activity

The positive outcome of the Housing Activity within the Brain Gym led the Principal Mr. Kanti Bhai to express his interest in the activity. He appreciated the effort put into running the Brain Gym and encouraged the school to continue holding similar activities in the future. 

By Asyura Salleh

Make a Difference… @ Colorss Foundation

Make a Difference…

LIFE is a prism, with colors permeated

prismatic is our world, with everything satiated.

fortunate are we with a life complete,

different from those who are incomplete.

They survive with everything limited,

having no land and shelter.

starving are they for a nibble,

surmising a miracle, that shall alter.

Tits and bits and shattered within,

are the kids with nothing to behold.

school bag is what we get,

"pick rags" is what they are told.

Taking a plunge is in our hands,

making their lives prismatic.

colors and happiness everywhere,

with a mere initiative and a stand.

Make a difference, and see what you feel,

giving a hand and making them smile.

contentment shall surround you,

blissful you will be,

Fortunate is what now they can be,

for the completeness can be shared.

no one is incomplete now,

no one is bared.

Akshita Makin 

The Colorss Foundation invites people to take initiative and volunteer and work for the organisation. Because making their lives COLORFUL is in our hands..

Follow the links below to know more about the organization!!

Colorss website

Colorss on Facebook

Colorss on Twitter

Volunteering with Colorss Foundation

With jobs very scarce nowadays to find with this global economic downturn, volunteering remains one of the best methods, which anyone can use to impress employers or even build a platform to start self-employment. Although, volunteering means you would be working unpaid or in some cases offer just allowances for transport or lunch, the experience you end up gaining is worthwhile. Needless to say that you can have as many qualifications as you can obtain, but with the competition today, employers are looking at people with experience ready to work than people with merely paper certificates.

Again, the numbers of contacts you can make, simply by working for no payment, are far more than money. Sometimes, volunteering is just that last door you need to knock to land a job that is going to change your life and future. Unlike in paid employment, which the employers will be asking you a list of requirements to fulfil to grab a job, all you need in volunteering is just the time and will to try something new.

Why volunteer

•  It is good for health and morale
•  It offers the chance to socialise with others
•  It enables you to learn new skill and gain experience

Volunteering is generally considered a philanthropic activity and is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. In return, the activity produces a feeling of self-worth and respect; however there is no financial gain. That is to say although you might be asking yourself, why should I be working for no payment, but in reality you are helping to develop yourself for a subsequent job. It is easy to tell anyone that you have a degree, but once you have been to two or more interviews and end up being refused the jobs, then you would realise how hard it is to convince people that you have something to offer. Therefore by volunteering, you are offering yourself that opportunity to deal with the reality of the daunting world of job hunting.

Volunteering is well-known for skill development and socialization, and fun.  Apart from learning a new skill or developing a skill, by volunteering you get to meet new people and new challenges. Even if you feel low working unpaid, the friends you meet, the contacts share and opportunities you get to be exposed are all rewarding. That is just to confirm that volunteering is also intended to make contacts for possible employment.

What can I volunteer in?

Finding a place to volunteer can be a headache just as deciding what to volunteer on and where. Colorss Foundation is the right place for you since we have helped many volunteers and interns find some that suit them.

To make a good choice on what you want to do as a volunteer/intern, it is easier first to think about why you have decided to volunteer or be an intern if you are a student. Is it to meet people and talk; to learn or try something different or simply to offer something back to the community? With these questions in mind, it shall be easier for our able and friendly staff to get something that matches your need and something that would make you happy and you will enjoy doing as well.

The time you have to dedicate for volunteering or on internship with the Colorss Foundation is also a determining factor to guide us get you something. At the moment, we offer volunteering/internship from 4 weeks (1 month) to 52 weeks (12 months). Depending on the time which one is ready to offer, the programme or project is designed on that ground. Although we welcome intern/volunteer on a short-term base, we are particularly interested in those who are willing to get involved in long term bases. Long term volunteering/internship are beneficial to both the organisation and its project as well as to the person involved.

The longer an intern/volunteer stays, the more skill gathers and the better the people leave as compared to those on a short term project. Long term projects also enable the organisation to collect data, and draw good plans to help the volunteer/intern, since when the project is finished we provide a certificate and also keep records that could be readily provided to back any job references demanded later.

Apart from the duration and the type of project selected, some particular skills or professional work are served solely for long term projects, such as research, and teaching.

If you are interested to do volunteering or internship with Colorss Foundation you need to write us with your resume, date of volunteering or internship and location. We would get back to you with the volunteering brochure and action plan.

For Love,

Mizuh Mbah