By Tess Molloy | HANDS AROUND THE WORLD Project Co-ordinator
I have written before about the special qualities of the New Life Centre school Sports day, which has just been held again in February.
This photo shows the bicycle race which involves cycling the slowest you possibly can as the slowest wins, and the photo below involves the younger children running to where their shoes and socks are, putting them on and then completing the race.
As you can imagine, both are amusing to watch, and when I have attended Sports days in the past, I have joined in with the parents in their fun.
It strikes me each time that I visit the school that there is a lot of fun in learning, which is a great combination.
What makes education relevant for these children, whose parents are barely literate, is the enjoyment they get from it. This has been an uphill struggle for Alindra Naskar to convince the disadvantaged community in Sarberia that education is worthwhile.
We all take this for granted in the West, because it has been a long held belief, but imagine if you have never known how liberating education can be, and are only fearful of what might happen?
In these seemingly frivolous races the parents are amused and laugh openly with their children, realising that there is nothing fearful about this establishment, where the teachers join in the fun, and the children are obviously pleased to be there.
The prize giving as seen here (below) shows the winner of the race receiving her prize - a bowl for eating! I always try to imagine what one of our children would do if they received such a prize at their Sports day?
Once again Alindra wins over the parents with these practical medals in his mission to educate both the parents and children of this area.
Wouldn’t you like to help more children enjoy their precious time at school?
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