Cycle for the cause of empowerment of children through Life Skills development.
Cyclothon Bengaluru’09 is the largest road cycling event being organized in Bangalore on October 11th, 2009. This is being organized by CNBC Sport18 and BSA Hercules.
The Cyclothon is an event designed to enable everybody to be able to get great leverage and support for the work of an organisation and the cause they stand for. We request you to take this opportunity and choose Dream A Dream as the charity that you support through the cyclothon. So buckle up, spread the message, raise funds, empower children and have fun cycling. We look forward to your enthusiastic participation and your support to Dream A Dream.
There are 3 packages for the Cyclothon available for Individuals and corporates.
Dream Team (DT)
The DT is a select group of individuals who commit to raising at least Rs.1 lac in pledges. Each Dream Teamer cycles for one charity of his/her choice. She /he has to fill the DT Form and make an upfront, non-refundable contribution of Rs10, 000/- in order to join the DT.
Corporate Challenge (CC)
The CC is a select group of companies that contribute a minimum of Rs. 1, 05,000. The company sends a group of upto 20 employees to participate in the event. Each employee is encouraged to raise at least Rs 5,000/- in pledges, which is matched by the Company’s contribution of Rs. 1.05 lacs, thus bringing the total contribution from the team to at least Rs 2.10 lacs.
A company signs up by filling the CC form and making an upfront, non-refundable Contribution of Rs. 1, 05,000/- in order to join the Challenge. Many companies offer to match pledges raised by their employees without a limit, or send multiple teams to participate.
Pledgers’ United (PU)
The PU is for everyone else who would raise pledges of any amount and cycle for a cause. A person joins the PU by filling the Cyclothon Registration Form and obtaining a soft copy of a pledge kit.
Kindly visit this link for more information http://bsaherculescyclothon.in.com/.
We request you to sign-up and cycle for Dream, encourage your companies to sign-up and support Dream A Dream.
Write to us at rao.poo11@gmail.com for more details and the registration forms.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Directors Cut
I have also held the view that social change will only come about when we as a nation rise to this problem and take action in our own way – some by setting up social change projects on their own and some by active citizenship and volunteering. Today, I am extremely honoured and privileged to talk about an Individual who has been able to convert his passion into action and is bringing about tremendous social change through his commitment and determination to promote the sport of Hockey and also use sports as a tool for development.
I remember, Shashank Gupta, from our first meeting at the first Dream A Dream office way back in 2004 as a young software engineer, albeit slightly cynical, but wanting to bring about change nevertheless. Over the next few years, Shashank became an integral part of Dream A Dream volunteering for a variety of programs – Computer education, mentoring, fundraising, strategic advice and his favourite program – The Dream Hockey Program. He managed to build tremendous respect amongst peer volunteers and much love amongst the children. Not someone who is just happy volunteering, Shashank had bigger plans and these finally came to fruition last year when he started his very ambitious – One Thousand Hockey Legs Project. I dedicate this issue of September to Shashank Gupta and his undying spirit to bring about change in the world. He is truly a ChangeMaker.
In Shashank’s own words,
“The sport of Field Hockey, as of today, fails to connect to the youth of today - primarily because very few have ever played or watched a Hockey match in their formative years. Volunteering with Dream a Dream's Hockey Program, I came close to the world of Hockey - a phenomenal sport that has a golden history in India. Hockey has all the life skills well entrenched - Team work, Stamina, Energy, Fitness, Leadership, Conflict Handling, Aggression, Defense, Attack, Respect. I just fell in love with the game over a period of time. As with anything, I came to know the darker side of the game, i.e. not many people fall in love with it anymore. I just wondered where I can make a difference.”
”With this thought in mind, few of us joined hands to form the Hockey Citizen Group and conceived our first project - One Thousand Hockey Legs – with the aim to initiate 500 school children from privileged and/or under-privileged backgrounds in a metro/village/town - to Hockey in 1 year and spread the culture of playing Hockey amongst children. Thus, our vision statement: Give each child of the country an opportunity to play Hockey and learn about it.
They have started their first project in Pondicherry with a few schools. They have provided equipment, coaches and conducted regular festivals to keep the children involved. Started in 2008 end, recently they commenced the Pondicherry School Hockey League with our partner schools.
Shashank is already basking in the many memories he has built through this program and shares a few with me.
“After a match on one day, the next day I went to one of the schools. I had to cross a ground which was over 100 mts. This was the lunch time of the school. Over those 100 mts, 4 children from different directions walked up to me and asked me when and where they can see their match's photograph. Somehow I smelled the "Hockey Culture".
On another occasion, a team lost 2 matches on consecutive days. At the end of match, 2-3 children came up to me and said, "Sir, when you come next time, we will surely win a match in front of you."
The program is already scaling very rapidly. It is about to start in 5 schools in Kolkata. Kanpur in UP is already showing promise and Shashank believes Chennai is just round the corner.
You can write to support Shashank at amitabh.bachchan.bigb@gmail.com and learn more about his unique initiative at http://othl.stick2hockey.com/
Shashank truly lives this quote from Mahatma Gandhi ~ “Be the Change you wish to see in the world”
Vishal Talreja,
Co-founder & Director Ashoka Fellow Dream A Dream
I remember, Shashank Gupta, from our first meeting at the first Dream A Dream office way back in 2004 as a young software engineer, albeit slightly cynical, but wanting to bring about change nevertheless. Over the next few years, Shashank became an integral part of Dream A Dream volunteering for a variety of programs – Computer education, mentoring, fundraising, strategic advice and his favourite program – The Dream Hockey Program. He managed to build tremendous respect amongst peer volunteers and much love amongst the children. Not someone who is just happy volunteering, Shashank had bigger plans and these finally came to fruition last year when he started his very ambitious – One Thousand Hockey Legs Project. I dedicate this issue of September to Shashank Gupta and his undying spirit to bring about change in the world. He is truly a ChangeMaker.
In Shashank’s own words,
“The sport of Field Hockey, as of today, fails to connect to the youth of today - primarily because very few have ever played or watched a Hockey match in their formative years. Volunteering with Dream a Dream's Hockey Program, I came close to the world of Hockey - a phenomenal sport that has a golden history in India. Hockey has all the life skills well entrenched - Team work, Stamina, Energy, Fitness, Leadership, Conflict Handling, Aggression, Defense, Attack, Respect. I just fell in love with the game over a period of time. As with anything, I came to know the darker side of the game, i.e. not many people fall in love with it anymore. I just wondered where I can make a difference.”
”With this thought in mind, few of us joined hands to form the Hockey Citizen Group and conceived our first project - One Thousand Hockey Legs – with the aim to initiate 500 school children from privileged and/or under-privileged backgrounds in a metro/village/town - to Hockey in 1 year and spread the culture of playing Hockey amongst children. Thus, our vision statement: Give each child of the country an opportunity to play Hockey and learn about it.
They have started their first project in Pondicherry with a few schools. They have provided equipment, coaches and conducted regular festivals to keep the children involved. Started in 2008 end, recently they commenced the Pondicherry School Hockey League with our partner schools.
Shashank is already basking in the many memories he has built through this program and shares a few with me.
“After a match on one day, the next day I went to one of the schools. I had to cross a ground which was over 100 mts. This was the lunch time of the school. Over those 100 mts, 4 children from different directions walked up to me and asked me when and where they can see their match's photograph. Somehow I smelled the "Hockey Culture".
On another occasion, a team lost 2 matches on consecutive days. At the end of match, 2-3 children came up to me and said, "Sir, when you come next time, we will surely win a match in front of you."
The program is already scaling very rapidly. It is about to start in 5 schools in Kolkata. Kanpur in UP is already showing promise and Shashank believes Chennai is just round the corner.
You can write to support Shashank at amitabh.bachchan.bigb@gmail.com and learn more about his unique initiative at http://othl.stick2hockey.com/
Shashank truly lives this quote from Mahatma Gandhi ~ “Be the Change you wish to see in the world”
Vishal Talreja,
Co-founder & Director Ashoka Fellow Dream A Dream
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Power of Individual Choice leads to Empowerment
We all know how hard Michael Jordan used to practice to become the best, and the hours Lance Armstrong rode and the setbacks he overcame to be great. But is this type of dedication and determination something we can teach to our kids?
Sport activities in particular count on having your child present to participate. He may not be the best player on the team, but teaching him to honor his commitments and that results come with effort are valuable life lessons.
Why do children quit? There are many reasons for this. A child may quit because of a feeling of "this isn't fun for me." Sometimes children initially want to do what their peers are doing and then find it is not what they expected. Additionally, in today's fast paced society children are often easily distracted or bored, especially with traditional teaching methods that require a child to be disciplined, where there is no room for fun or laughter. Other times, children who want to quit may feel that they are not good enough after the first training/lesson/activity where other kids were doing better.
Parents who struggle with children about sport activities or music lessons need to know that such a struggle only tends to accelerate. Eventually, it is not possible to force children to participate in a class or sport. Trying to force them may only develop anxiety and even more resistance. This in turn could make them even more reluctant to try other new experiences.
Joanna Jeske
Joanna spent one year volunteering for Ashoka's Youth Venture in Thailand, where she worked with youth passionate about bringing about social change. Now, apart from working as a project manager for a international marketing company, she is actively involved in programs empowering young people from underprivileged backgrounds to lead more meaningful lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sport activities in particular count on having your child present to participate. He may not be the best player on the team, but teaching him to honor his commitments and that results come with effort are valuable life lessons.
Why do children quit? There are many reasons for this. A child may quit because of a feeling of "this isn't fun for me." Sometimes children initially want to do what their peers are doing and then find it is not what they expected. Additionally, in today's fast paced society children are often easily distracted or bored, especially with traditional teaching methods that require a child to be disciplined, where there is no room for fun or laughter. Other times, children who want to quit may feel that they are not good enough after the first training/lesson/activity where other kids were doing better.
Parents who struggle with children about sport activities or music lessons need to know that such a struggle only tends to accelerate. Eventually, it is not possible to force children to participate in a class or sport. Trying to force them may only develop anxiety and even more resistance. This in turn could make them even more reluctant to try other new experiences.
Here are some tips on what parents could do to help their child make their own individual choices:
- Children are often compared to sponges because they absorb the knowledge you share with them. To fully saturate these sponges, parents should make sure the tools used to help a child understand the lesson that is being taught are fun and exciting. This way children will enthusiastically absorb information and look forward to next activities.
- Before enrolling to any activity, parents should sit down with their child and discuss how much time it will require, and what other activities they might miss out on. It helps kids realize they’re making a commitment. Involving children in decision-making about trying new activities helps - parents should discuss in advance about what would be a reasonable trial period for a new activity. Children get a sense of sharing control that makes the decision theirs and helps them accept the commitment.
- Giving enthusiastic encouragement. Children crave for acknowledgements like “You are doing so great,” “I love listening to you!” or “It’s so much fun to watch you perform”. Parents who maintain a positive attitude and say all the right things help keep their children motivated especially when good results are yet to come.
- Reminding them that results require work. If the child is already good at other activities like soccer, dance or any other activity, it's good to remind him/her how she got from a beginner to a good performer. If the child is younger, parents could try sharing their own story of how they quit too soon or got better at something with practice.
We always must remember that kids mature at their own pace and develop their unique skills at different times. Whatever parents decide for their children, they should consider their child's emotional and physical maturity and finally give the choice to the child to make decisions. Sometimes quitting simply means that the activity is not for him or her. Sometimes children show greater wisdom than their parents about what is good for them. At the end of the day, children will never quit doing what makes them feel happy.
At Dream A Dream, we strongly believe in the “Power of Individual Choice” and work hard towards developing this life skill through our programs and also through our attitude and actions.
Joanna Jeske
Joanna spent one year volunteering for Ashoka's Youth Venture in Thailand, where she worked with youth passionate about bringing about social change. Now, apart from working as a project manager for a international marketing company, she is actively involved in programs empowering young people from underprivileged backgrounds to lead more meaningful lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
One Little Smile makes it worthwhile for Aisha Venugopal
Aisha interned with Dream A Dream in July 2009 as part of a “Summer Service” requirement of her school in North Carolina (USA).
She has been of great help in the various activities of the team and helped in the Dream Football Program and Creative Arts Program –
both aimed at building life skills among children. Her presence and contribution to the programs were immense and she provided tremendous support to the team. All of 17 years old, Aisha went beyond the call of duty as an intern to not only be a great asset for the program but to help out in organizational tasks. Her suggestions and ideas have made a great impact in improving the quality of the program and making a difference in the lives of many children. Her excitement has been contagious and the children she worked with will definitely carry the memory in their heart.
She has been of great help in the various activities of the team and helped in the Dream Football Program and Creative Arts Program –
both aimed at building life skills among children. Her presence and contribution to the programs were immense and she provided tremendous support to the team. All of 17 years old, Aisha went beyond the call of duty as an intern to not only be a great asset for the program but to help out in organizational tasks. Her suggestions and ideas have made a great impact in improving the quality of the program and making a difference in the lives of many children. Her excitement has been contagious and the children she worked with will definitely carry the memory in their heart.Aisha shares her volunteering experience at Dream A Dream
This summer, working with Dream-A-Dream was a very memorable experience to say the least. I had a lot of fun and realized a lot of things that I would not have been able to see if I spent my summer in the United States. I loved my experience working with the Dream-A-Dream staff as they were very welcoming to me and included me in activities in and outside the office because I barely knew anyone in Bangalore.
I volunteered in the football program for three weeks last summer. It is weird for me to call it football because since I’m American, I always have called the sport soccer. I had to stop myself from saying ‘soccer’ the first few times we played, but by the end of the summer I was instinctively saying football as well! The kids that I played with seemed so normal and fun that it was easy to forget their backgrounds. When they’re playing football, they put all their problems at home or at school aside and just let out all their feelings on the sport.
An example of how I love their spirit is one day the girls forgot the cones that they use as goal posts in the auto rickshaw. The kids didn’t even pause for a moment- they got coconut shells and played with those as goals instead. I also came across problems like the cows on the field that I would never ever imagine happening in the United States. We played around cows sometimes, which was kind of funny to me! Nothing kept these kids from playing, not even rain. One day it was pouring and we all got soaked, but we played anyway. They only get to play football three days a week, and they were so enthusiastic about it that I had to be enthusiastic as well! They played in the rain until a teacher came out and told them to come inside.
Another thing I learned this summer is that language does not have to be a barrier. I can only speak English because my mom is from Kerala and my dad is from Coimbatore. Since they do not speak the same language, I never learned any other language than English. I was excited to learn that it didn’t even matter! The kids from Adugodi could speak a little English, so they tried their best to communicate with me, but the boys from the school were not as good at speaking English. It somehow didn’t matter. They made friends with me by kicking the ball around while we weren’t playing and using hand motions to make me understand.
I feel like instead of using language, a smile can mean so much. To me and to the kids. These kids don’t get all the encouragement they need, so that is why I love that Dream-A-Dream is there to encourage them when no one else will. To have someone smiling at you and telling you ‘You can do it! Good job!’ means a whole lot. Even though some of them didn’t know what I was saying, a smile made them understand that I was there for them. It also had a huge effect on me when the kids smiled at me. In the beginning, a few children seemed aggressive to me. Some were almost as old as me, because I’m seventeen, and that’s intimidating! But every day when I left the football field, they would smile and say ‘Bye Aisha’! That one little smile made everything worthwhile. One of my favorite quotes is ‘There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all’. I never knew the true meaning of it before this summer.
The day I left was also a memorable experience for me. Rahul Dravid had come to observe the football game, so the kids were all hyper and really excited to meet him. They all got his signature before he left, and when they found out that it was my last day, they all got my signature too! I felt so ridiculous signing all of their papers, but it was really sweet. I’m glad I had the change to get close to some of them because they have really interesting personalities that are different from the children that you see in the United States.
I would most definitely volunteer with Dream-A-Dream again because I love the message that you want to convey. I think that to have a good society, you need to begin with empowering children, because they are our future. When I come back to Bangalore, next summer, or maybe the summer after that, expect a visit from me! Volunteering made me look at the area in a different way, and I hope that I can do something to create a future for these kids.
Aisha Venugopal
Volunteer of the Month - September 2009
Shareen is on a gap year from her work at London. She is from New Zealand and is a Web Designer by profession. From the beginning of her volunteering stint at Dream A Dream she has been very regular and receptive to learning. Her commitment to the program can be seen by the quality of the feedback she provides to help us ensure the quality of our interventions. The children love her and always look forward to having her come for sessions. She has volunteered for multiple programs (Adventure Camps, Sports and Creative Arts) and does not hesitate to lend a helping hand where it is needed.
Shareen shares her thoughts and feedback with us on her volunteering experience.
In Shareen’s words, “To be honest I had a good feeling from the day I walked into Dream A Dream and spoke to Anju. I liked the vision of Dream A Dream and what they stand for. I felt comfortable straight away and I give credit to all the staff as they are so laid back and not too serious and know how to have a good laugh.”
A highly self-motivated person, what keeps her going are the children and how excited they get when she walks into the school every day. How they want her to sit next to them which makes her feel like part of their world and not just a teacher like figure. She says, “In this life it’s not about us as an individual, it’s about what you can do for others and if I can make just 1 child smile in 1 day then it’s all worth it.”
Shareen also strongly believes that the volunteering experience has been good for her, “The children are the ones who sometimes encourage me so it’s working both ways. Not only are they given encouragement but they are learning to give it back and this is something that stands out a lot with me and the children here. They are great kids and I love them and love being around them”
We are thrilled to have volunteers like Shareen work with the children and wish Shareen all the very best and hope that she has many more volunteering experiences with Dream A Dream.
You can congratulate her at http://www.blogger.com/freebirduk@yahoo.co.uk
Shareen shares her thoughts and feedback with us on her volunteering experience.
In Shareen’s words, “To be honest I had a good feeling from the day I walked into Dream A Dream and spoke to Anju. I liked the vision of Dream A Dream and what they stand for. I felt comfortable straight away and I give credit to all the staff as they are so laid back and not too serious and know how to have a good laugh.”
A highly self-motivated person, what keeps her going are the children and how excited they get when she walks into the school every day. How they want her to sit next to them which makes her feel like part of their world and not just a teacher like figure. She says, “In this life it’s not about us as an individual, it’s about what you can do for others and if I can make just 1 child smile in 1 day then it’s all worth it.”
Shareen also strongly believes that the volunteering experience has been good for her, “The children are the ones who sometimes encourage me so it’s working both ways. Not only are they given encouragement but they are learning to give it back and this is something that stands out a lot with me and the children here. They are great kids and I love them and love being around them”
We are thrilled to have volunteers like Shareen work with the children and wish Shareen all the very best and hope that she has many more volunteering experiences with Dream A Dream.
You can congratulate her at http://www.blogger.com/freebirduk@yahoo.co.uk
Thursday, September 17, 2009
In 48 Hours - 19 Donors and $ 1700 Needed
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Dream A Dream! Hope all of you are doing well.
I write to you with a very special request for support. Dream A Dream (www.dreamadream.org) is participating in a challenge to find a permanent spot on Global Giving's (www.globalgiving.org) list of projects. This challenge needs 50 donors to raise $4000 by September 18th. Please read the flier below for more details. Please visit - http://tinyurl.com/mhvuhm or click on the flier below to help us win this challenge.
We have another 2 days to accomplish the challenge (19 More donors and $ 1700 More Needed) and we need your support and the support of your friends to make this happen for Dream A Dream. You will ofcourse, be delighted to know that since you visited us, Dream A Dream has grown to reach out and impact the lives of over 1500 children from vulnerable backgrounds every year through our work.
I look forward to your very generous and gracious support to Dream A Dream
Warm Regards,
Vishal Talreja
Co-founder & Director | Dream A Dream
India Mob: +91-98455 24118 | www.dreamadream.org
Dream A Dream with Us!
Visit us at our new office: # 11/17, 3rd Cross, 1st Block, Jayanagar (Near Ashoka Pillar), Bangalore 560011.
Greetings from Dream A Dream! Hope all of you are doing well.
I write to you with a very special request for support. Dream A Dream (www.dreamadream.org) is participating in a challenge to find a permanent spot on Global Giving's (www.globalgiving.org) list of projects. This challenge needs 50 donors to raise $4000 by September 18th. Please read the flier below for more details. Please visit - http://tinyurl.com/mhvuhm or click on the flier below to help us win this challenge.
We have another 2 days to accomplish the challenge (19 More donors and $ 1700 More Needed) and we need your support and the support of your friends to make this happen for Dream A Dream. You will ofcourse, be delighted to know that since you visited us, Dream A Dream has grown to reach out and impact the lives of over 1500 children from vulnerable backgrounds every year through our work.
I look forward to your very generous and gracious support to Dream A Dream
Warm Regards,
Vishal Talreja
Co-founder & Director | Dream A Dream
India Mob: +91-98455 24118 | www.dreamadream.org
Dream A Dream with Us!
Visit us at our new office: # 11/17, 3rd Cross, 1st Block, Jayanagar (Near Ashoka Pillar), Bangalore 560011.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Making a Stand!
Over a conversation with the Shailaja (facilitator), Mohammed Nihaj (3rd std Gurudwara School) told her that his parents hit him when he goes out to play and that they want him to study all the time. He is the class topper already and he is still feeling pressurized by his parents.
The facilitator asked him if he thought it was alright for his parents to hit him for this reason. He said no and also said that he did not like it at all and feels rather bad and hurt. She then asked him what he can do to make things better and he said that he can talk to his parents and try to make them understand.
That evening he spoke to his parents about how he likes to play and wants time for that. Unfortunately his patents did not pay attention to what he said. But he came back really happy haven taken the effort to do this and also being able to communicate his thoughts to his patents.
My Happiest Memory
On 27th August, 2009 we conducted the session on “My happiest memory” at the Round Table School for the children from 3rd and 4th standards.
The children were asked to recall the happiest day of their life and draw that on paper. They were then taught to use a variety of raw material to make their own paint and paint their happiest day.
In addition to the facilitator and a few regular volunteer and staff members, the session was also attended by a volunteer named Esmeralda GC who is a professor and works with quality systems in NGOs in Spain.
The children were asked to recall the happiest day of their life and draw that on paper. They were then taught to use a variety of raw material to make their own paint and paint their happiest day.
In addition to the facilitator and a few regular volunteer and staff members, the session was also attended by a volunteer named Esmeralda GC who is a professor and works with quality systems in NGOs in Spain.
At the session, Esmeralda too joined the children in learning painting and was able to connect very well with them. The following is the feedback given to us by her- “It was a great session for me. The children are so receptive and smiling all the time. The volunteers are so kind and generous. They welcomed us with openness. Thank you for allowing us to come and allowing us to do to things that are so important in helping us improve our world. I am very happy to have met all of you and am looking forward to coming back for a longer period next summer”
We are all looking forward to having Esmeralda with us in the next few months.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Featured Volunteer- Medha Bhaskar
Medha has been volunteering with us for a year now and started off with the Learn IT programme. From being a support volunteer to a session co-ordinator who conducts and leads multiple batches, Medha has left no stone unturned in her attempt to ensure the children are engaged and at the same time, are picking up life skills. She has also brought in a lot of her friends and family to volunteer with us and with her energy has made a huge impact on the programme. Apart from this, she has also volunteered for the Sports and Adventure Programme and is ready to help out whenever the need arises.
Here is what she had to say:
I’ve always wanted to work with children; I knew couple of people who have volunteered with DAD, and DAD seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I had pretty high expectations and I’m glad to say it has more than ‘met my expectations’, I love going there.
What keeps me going is the thought that by volunteering, I choose not to sit around and complain about the deterioration of the society, but to take one minuscule step forward.
It is amazing how much I’ve learnt. The sessions are as much a learning experience for the volunteers as they are for the kids. I think one of the major things someone as a volunteer learns is sensitivity.
We wish Medha all the very best and hope that she has many more volunteering experiences with Dream a Dream.
Here is what she had to say:
I’ve always wanted to work with children; I knew couple of people who have volunteered with DAD, and DAD seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I had pretty high expectations and I’m glad to say it has more than ‘met my expectations’, I love going there.
What keeps me going is the thought that by volunteering, I choose not to sit around and complain about the deterioration of the society, but to take one minuscule step forward.
It is amazing how much I’ve learnt. The sessions are as much a learning experience for the volunteers as they are for the kids. I think one of the major things someone as a volunteer learns is sensitivity.
We wish Medha all the very best and hope that she has many more volunteering experiences with Dream a Dream.
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