... for they have their own thoughts - Multiworld India

2005 Goa, India11Sujata, Tenzin, SiyaAnisa, Claude, Munira, AminaUma, Manish, Ravi, Nitin,Hema, ChampaYashodaraMonaThe journey is still on and this is one of the reasonswe are here, to learn and gain from your experience,go back to the context, and make thingsbetter there.AKES has invested in the local teachers, so nowwe don’t call people from abroad. Previously wewere looking to the West to develop our programmes.But now we feel that we have the potential,and we are lucky and proud because AKESgives us opportunities to make meaningful contributionto the education process in Pakistan.AMINA KANJEEPresently I am working with Aga Khan EducationService, Pakistan, as Assistant Program Officer. Beinga member of an educational team I work mainlywith schools supporting them in designing, implementingand evaluating learning programs for theirteachers and students. Research, publication anddissemination of collected learning experiences areother areas we focus on.From experience I believe that one cannotmake people learn. At most one can provideopportunities for learning. Experiential learningseems a little challenging in the confined schoolsystem. However I really want to explore the possibilitiesof making school a place where meaningfuland authentic learning occurs.MANISH JAIN, SHIKSHANTARFor the past 10 years, I have been very deeplyinvolved in unlearning the many lies I was taught atHarvard. Part of this experience involves reclaimingthe use of my hands and body. I am provoked dailyby my 3-year old daughter, Kanku, who is in theprocess of unschooling and my 80-year grandmotherwho never went to school.NEEMA VAISHNAVA – LAKSHMI ASHRAM, KAUSANI,UTTARANCHALI myself did not take academics seriously. I didcomplete my regular mainstream education uptopost graduation, but frankly none of it has anyrelevance to my life and work. My learning camefrom the arrangement that is Laxmi Ashram.I have been associated with Laxmi Ashram forthe past 25 years. In a way my life was born there.Laxmi Ashram is a way of life and thinking. It is anarrangement for one to explore and understandrelationships: my relationship with myself, with myfamily, my community, my relation to people withwhom I am in close contact, my relation to nature.Laxmi Ashram provides an opportunity to understandmyself juxtaposed against various situations.Laxmi Ashram was created 58 years ago bySarlabehn who was influenced by Gandhiji and onThere is a sloganwhich says that theschool educationproduces parrots andthe education which isbased on experiencecreates humanbeings. – Sujata Babar