Shivani worked at Nomad's Dehradun unit for a year and a half as a craftsperson. She took up working because of her artsy spirit and an urge to create the best world for her 7 year old son.
The freedom to spend her own money, the newfound respect in her household and the joy of self sustainability inspired her to evolve further. Two months back she was with me to conduct a toy making workshop at Wynberg Allen boarding school in Mussorie.
" Seeing her amazing learning caliber and an appetite for teaching herself new and newer things, I made a point of pushing her to apply for art & craft positions in various schools. “Tum mere kehne pe kardo. Ek baar apply kardo bas”, I said to her one day. Being quiet apprehensive at first but when motivated,she finally applied with a few schools.
Seeing her portfolio with experience in making creative products out of fabric scraps and other projects with Nomad, she was granted the position at one of them. And today she is an art and craft teacher at a primary school. Her joy knew no bounds that day as she broke the news with me- “Mam, mujhe teacher ki job mil gayi.
Read more
Swiftly she arose into the soaring wings and took flight as if in a hurry to meet the sky. Carefree, she had left all the care to the winds and us puny humans I guess. Oh am talking of the kite we flew and not me. Or perhaps a part of my soul went to the sky with chakori.
Coming back to the ground, she was more herself...more of the sky...more of freedom.
Freedom was everything Chakori was about. Don't the smallest of things teach you the biggest lessons sometimes?
CHAKORI
" I'll break your legs if you fall down! Come downstairs, now!"
Baamni (lady who cooked food at my Naani’s house in Teetro) was bellowing at her son Chhotu, who was upstairs. Looking upto the terrace and ofcourse, upto another mischief me and Golu itched to join him in whatever he was upto.
Perplexed with a rather amusing and hyped shoutings, we looked at each other with a question mark!
Just as she went out to hang newly washed clothes, we sneaked our way to the terrace. Golu looked in awe as Chhotu expertly tied the kite and the strings together.
Read more
