Support Media Literacy for Kids in Rural India

The MediaArts Lab, located in the tallest building at Agastya’s 172-acre Campus Creativity Lab, offers children from nearby schools a platform to explore their creativity through media arts such as filmmaking, photography, animation, and digital storytelling. Through practical sessions on storytelling, cinematography, and editing, instructors guide them in learning key aspects of media production. The lab helps children express their ideas, share unique stories, and amplify their voices.

Program Highlights:

1. Summer Camp

 The Summer Camp 2025 began with the theme “Objects from Nature.” Children created posters using natural materials and developed animations with digital software. Children from Operation Vasantha Centers participated and benefited from the camp at Agastya’s Campus Creativity Lab.

 During April, a total of 1,048 children participated, which included 553 boys and 495 girls. In May, participation was 829 children, comprising 489 boys and 340 girls. In June, 384 children took part, with 214 boys and 170 girls. Altogether, the total participation across the three months was 6,360 children, with 2,871 boys and 3,489 girls.

2  Bandhu Sessions:

As part of the Bandhu program, stop-motion animation sessions were conducted for two groups of children. The first group, consisting of children from different states, created four animated films together. The second group, from Sewa International’s summer camp at the campus, included a larger batch of participants who produced eighteen stop-motion films on diverse themes.

3. Canva Training:

Canva training sessions were conducted for campus Ignitors from different departments, including Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Participants were introduced to poster and banner design, as well as photo and video creation. Separate sessions were also organized for school graduates preparing to enter college. These sessions ran over three weeks and were held in three batches.

4. Community Fairs:

Community fairs were organized at ZPHS Rallabuduguru and ZPHS Gudlanayapalli on April 22, with the theme “Save Water.” The program engaged children and community members in awareness activities. Another event, themed “Health and Hygiene,” was conducted on May 29 and 30 at the OV centers in Avulatippanapalli and Gudichembagiri villages. In June, a third fair was held at the same OV centers on June 28, highlighting environmental safety and the role of yoga in daily life.

5. Cyanotype Printing:

Children explored the art of cyanotype printing by using natural objects placed on paper to create striking blue-toned prints. An innovative variation was also tried, where stones were used as the surface for printing with cyanotype chemicals, making the process even more engaging.

Links:

• Media Arts Lab