By Jessica D'Cunha | Project Leader
Hi there!
Thank you so much for your generous donation towards the Maya Musical. Because of you our kids can continue to break all barriers and overcome their demographics, continue to sing their hearts out!
In this first report, I'd like to introduce you to Teach For India’s Special Projects and Outreach Manager – Sanaya Bharucha. Sanaya completed her Fellowship in 2011 and today dedicates most of her day overseeing the Maya Musical, creating a vision of excellence for all Teach For India students. Here are a few lines, straight from her!
“The Maya Musical is an original script, with Broadway composed music, and tells the story of Princess Maya’s journey. Tasked to bring light back into her Kingdom, Maya and her friends use the values of courage, compassion and wisdom to lift three great curses that have been cast on the world.
Through their journey of practicing for this musical, the Teach For India children staging Maya have been on their own quest to imbibe values through pursuing excellence in the arts. They have been working closely with teach For India Fellows and Broadway professionals to stage a world-class performance in November which will show thousands of people across India that all children can overcome their demographics and meet their greatest potential.
The Maya children who reside in the low income communities in Pune, started their journey never having been exposed to any form of the arts. They spoke little to no English and were shy and afraid to speak to strangers. They are now the ones coming first in all their school exams, leading sessions for teachers across the country at national conferences, bringing change to their communities by educating their parents and peers and helping to push the global vision of what children can achieve when given the right education by being on panels and interacting with Teach For All members from across the world - all while rehearsing after school hours to stage a magical and exceptional musical this November!”
We really have so much to learn from our Maya kids. Neha* extends her gratitude through this short note she asked us to send out to you!
“I am one of the Maya kids and I’m honoured at the opportunity to tell you about some of the wondrous things I have had the opportunity to learn here. We believe in Carpe Diem and this has taught me that the occurrences in a day do not control me, but I control the day and must use every second wisely and give 100% to everything I do.
Through Maya I have interacted with lots of different people and now I am not afraid of talking to strangers and I am excited to learn about their life and journey.
Maya is a musical and we will have a great show in November; but for me, Maya is my life and it has shown me who I truly am and what I am capable of.
In the dark, I hid my spark
Alone I couldn’t run, and there was no one
But then I saw a light shine
Which refreshed, released and opened my mind
I was then confident and full of passion
To fight for myself and live with compassion.
Maya helped unleash my potential,
Speak in English, be grounded in my values,
Maya is a musical that to me it is essential.”
* Name changed to protect the identity of the beneficiaries.
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