Innovative Teaching Steers Bhumi Pune

A non-profit organisation with a difference, Bhumi seeks to educate underprivileged children via games..

One of India’s largest volunteer organisations, Bhumi has vowed to steer clear of blackboard-style teaching.

Raveen Gaikwad and Meghna Raveendra of Team Bhumi, tell us more about the NGO igniting young minds city-wide.

 

 

Why the emphasis on game-based learning?

We’ve all at one point got tired of classroom teaching. Since the children are already being schooled, our premise is to ensure supplementary education through fun! Our lesson plans ensure that the two hours are being utilised productively. It does take a certain amount of effort to get the kids assembled in one place, bring their concentration to one topic and even through the 2 hours keep them equally engaged.

How do you make Math and Science fun for the kids?

For mathematics, we choose activities involving everything from the ganit-mala to flash cards that can aid in teaching numbers and basic math. Science calls for a more hands-on approach so we go for field trips and ensure that the child is given a deeper insight to the topic.

Moreover, the activities and games we devise encourage a great volunteer-child and child-child collaboration. Today we have new projects catering to languages, life skills, mentoring in addition to computer education.

Talk to us about the children whose lives you impact.

We’ve grown to 13 centers in the city today and we’re blessed to cater to children from age 5-16. Some of our kids belong to shelter homes while some come from BPL (Below Poverty Line) families. On a personal note, these kids might be disadvantaged with respect to having access to different necessities essential for overall development, but they’re chockful of gumption and bundles of talent!

Tell us a bit about your volunteering experience.

Volunteering with Bhumi can go beyond just teaching for two hours and the scope is vast for anyone who seeks to volunteer. One needs patience to really get the kids to listen to you. Today I see from where the kids had started with me and now where we’ve all reached. That is awe inspiring.

How many hours a week do volunteers work with the kids?

A regular volunteer dedicates two hours of his/her weekend to the kids. Across our centres, we work Saturdays, 5-7 PM and Sundays, 10-12 noon.

What do you expect from new volunteers?

Only one expectation- consistency in attending classes. Because it’s not just about the kids gelling up with the volunteers, it’s also about them getting accustomed to this environment. So, they need a great deal of commitment if they wish to go a long way.

One thing you could change about Bhumi, Pune?

I’d like to retain some of our past awesome volunteers who aren’t continuing anymore due to personal or professional commitments.

What’s next on the horizon for Team Bhumi?

The plan is to impact many more beneficiaries by reaching out to more lesser privileged children and initiating new projects. We have started recruiting volunteers by connecting to students and working professionals this year.