“Akanksha is for learning very hard”-Shabana, 7

Akanksha is Home away from Home

 

 

Team:
Teachers: Jasmine Didi, Madhu Didi and Donali Didi
Education Co-ordinator: Anjali Didi
Social Worker: Shweta Didi
Volunteers: Vishaka, Suresh,Nandita, and Ruta didi
Helper: Sindhu Didi
Sponsor: KINOE - Merrill Lynch Investment Managers

Our favorite song is “Why Not”

There are two words that say why not
Two little words that change so much
Most of us could live wondrous lives
If each new day we asked why not

Why not believe in every thing
Why not believe in every one
Why not make every single day
One where you laugh and where you play

Most of us are too scared to try things
We are afraid to spread our wings
And yet why not aim to fly up high
And yet why not we may just touch the sky

There are two words that say why not
Two little words that change so much
Most of us could live wondrous lives
If each new day we asked why not

Our goals for our children are:

  1. Respect
  2. Confidence
  3. Working towards a model center

 

Some of what we are learning:

  1. Word families
  2. Sight words
  3. Addition
  4. Creativity
  5. Games
  6. Values


Our Favorite Thinking Question:
What would you want as a gift from your mother?
The answers ranged from ice cream, chocolates, dolls, and crayons to cameras, mangos, cakes and even umbrellas

 


Programs and Special Events:

  1. Art class
  2. We visited Fellowship of the Physically Handicap as well as an Animal hospital.
  3. We sang songs at the Old People’s home.
  4. We were a part of a treasure hunt.
  5. We enjoyed a puppet show.
  6. We enacted parts of the ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate factory’.








Gaus Sheikh, 8

 


Gaus Sheikh, 8, goes to the Worli Sea Face Municipal School and is in the second standard. He is in level 2.

His family lives in the Mariamma Nagar community and comprises of his parents and old brother, Raheen. His father is an electrician.

Jasmine Didi says that Gaus is very strong in his studies especially math. She needs to give him slightly more difficult math sums than the rest of her class. While he’s great at studies, he does occasionally hit other children. Gaus is one of her more creative children and is always ready for art and craft.





Shabana Shaikh Khalil, 7


Shabana Shaikh Khalil, 7, goes to Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar School and is in class 3. She is in level 3 and has been in Akanksha for the past 4 years.

Shabana comes from the Marriama Nagar community where he lives with her father, mother, four sister and two brothers.

Shabana is a very sweet girl and always speaks in English. She is a clever girl and very good in studies. She loves to interact with everyone at her center. She always takes part in all the activities at Akanksha and at her school. Shabana understands values very well and believes strongly in working hard.

“I love to come to Akanksha and I have learned many things in Akanksha, every day I learn new-new things and because of which I always come first in my class. Now I can speak in English very well and I love all my Akanksha Didis and Bhaiyaas. Didi teaches us values like friendship, respect and always to be honest. I have many friends in Akanksha but Saziya and Jasmine are my best friends. I love my Akanksha center very much but I feel very sad when Didi comes and goes”. She feels proud when she can talk in English and Didi says, “Very good Shabana, everyone should speak like Shabana then I feel very happy and proud”