A recent project created in Landmark Education’s self-expression and leadership programme, created by Mahesh H.C., allows special needs children such as deaf children to explore the world of photography, both fulfilling their artistic expression and possibly raising funds for other special needs children. The Bangalore-based project was titled Drushya-Kaavya, which means Visual Poem. A story appeared about Drushya-Kaavya in the Hindu on January 30, which is shown below.

Photography promoted as a medium of expression for children with special needs

Photography is the best medium of expression, especially for children with special needs. With a little push these children can do wonders. Drushya-Kaavya (visual poem), a project to reach out to the children with disabilities through the medium of photography, is doing all that it can to give them an opportunity to express themselves.

A joint initiative by Abhivyakthi and Bangalore Photography Club, Drushya-Kaavya joined hands with 28 children with hearing disability from R.V. Integrated School and conducted a photography workshop recently. According to a press release from the organizers, during the workshop, the children learnt the basics of photography through theory and practical lessons and later on were sent out to take pictures of life and world surrounding them.

Drushya-Kaavya is now holding an exhibition of the photographs taken by these children at R.V. Integrated School, in front of Lalbagh West Gate in the city on January 30 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the release said.

Abhivyakthi and Bangalore Photography Club have come together with the objective of creating photography as a medium of expression for children with disabilities. The project is dedicated to undertake photography workshops for the joy and happiness of children and to encourage photography as a possible career option, the release said.

The project aims at promoting the work of these children through exhibitions, calendars, greeting cards and coffee table books and so on and share all the proceeds generated with NGOs working for children with disabilities, the release added.

Call 99801-42367 or 98801513.

Arunaraje is also a mother and an acclaimed film producer who has made more than 25 documentary films and 9 feature films. She has also been an advocate for underprivileged women.

]]> http://www.landmark-education-forum.com/2010/01/25/new-landmark-forum-leader-arunaraje-patil/feed/ http://www.landmark-education-forum.com/2010/01/04/children-turned-on-to-books-through-fun-to-read-camps/ http://www.landmark-education-forum.com/2010/01/04/children-turned-on-to-books-through-fun-to-read-camps/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:25:05 +0000 sumeet http://www.landmark-education-forum.com/?p=107 For her project in the selp programme, Anubha Phophaliya of Bangalore (of Vijaya enclave) started a ‘fun to read’ camp for kids which not only gave them an opportunity to discover books and reading, but to do so in a way that was exciting and enjoyable.

The Bangalore Mirror carried the story about Anubha’s landmark project, which created an empahsis in the camps on group sessions for added entertainment. The children, which usually range from 6-7 years old, are each asked to bring two books to the camp. The books are then read aloud for all to hear.

The reading sessions are participatory, however, as the facilitator will stop during the reading and ask questions of the children about what they think about the story, which has them thinking as they go along.

Anubha says that her own children, two and seven years of age, are avid readers, but that she noticed that many other children in her community were not as interested, with other options like television and the internet available to them. She held the first camp in October with 10 children, and since then has held camps every Wednesday evening.

She has also gotten the idea into the schools, having ran a programme in Presidency school for 120 children. Arubha went to the school with 25 colleagues and read books aloud and acted out the different characters.

by Gayatri Nair

Independence Day is not just another holiday for software engineer Dheeraj Kumar M. He wants to celebrate it by planting 300 saplings and restore some green cover in Bangalore. On Saturday, Kumar along with volunteers, will plant 100 saplings in Marathalli and another 200 in and around HMT Layout. Kumar said, “Trees are being felled to make roads and other infrastructure. The City has almost lost the Garden City tag. Hence, I want to compensate by planting more saplings.”

This is not the first time he’s planting saplings. On July 11, he planted about 500 saplings in the Vishwa Santhi Ashram in Nelamangala. Kumar added, “There are many benefits of planting saplings. It strengthens the soil and obviously reduces pollution. And what better way to celebrate Independence Day.”

Joining Forces

Saturday’s spot for planting saplings was recommended to Kumar by his colleague Apoorv Jain, who lives in the apartment complex SJR Spencer on Varthur Road, Marathalli.

The place chosen is a small plot of land behind the apartment complex. Planting is taking place from 8 am with the children of families living in the apartments taking part.

“Later when the children will play in the garden they will see the plants and remember to water them,” added Kumar. Residents of the apartments are extremely supportive of this initiative.

All the saplings for Saturday’s planting are provided for free by Isha Foundation, said M Rajesh Kumar, a software engineer who works with it.

Dheeraj has also started a blog www.grow-trees.blogspot.com to create more awareness about planting.

Five Questions: Andrea Daley

Andrea Daley, the owner and operator of Restoration Specialist located at 253 Fourth St. in Troy, is on a mission to have all of the historic doors in the city restored to their original glory.

Q: How would you describe this mission of yours?

A: My mission is to bring awareness and attention to all the magnificent entranceways that Troy has, and I need to do that in two ways: by teaching others and by just being out there fixing them. It doesn’t have to just be old doors. It can be any entranceway that needs attention. If people don’t do something with them then eventually they’re going to get to the point of no return and be replaced with metal and plastic doors — things that are just so out of character with these beautiful homes.

Q: How did you get into the restoration business?

A: I started by doing porcelain restoration, which my mom taught me, and object art restoration. For the most part, I’m self taught and took airbrush courses, as well as other little courses I found interesting, in addition to my background as an artist.

Q: Why did you choose to become so active with the Little Italy neighborhood?

A: One of the reasons was that I bought a home in that area and also have my showroom there as well as my studio for teaching. The people there are just so great that they are really starting to bring life back to this area.

Q: What made you start writing a book about your restoration of doors in the city?

A: The idea for that came from the education that I take called landmark education, which focuses on making you stretch and go beyond your comfort zone to help make a difference in the world. It puts you out there in your community and anyone who takes this type of education really ends up doing great things for their community.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: My free time is taken up with 21 grandchildren, 10 of which are under 10 years in age, and six children of my own, so every couple weeks there is a birthday or parties to go to.