Parikrma Humanity Foundation visit: Day One

by | Nov 27, 2023

This week our CEO John Turberville & Head of Shifford Adam Clarke are in India to meet with Parikrma Humanity Foundation, an organisation whose goal is to make a difference one child at a time through education, youth development and policy making. Parikrma have a series of specialist schools that provide free, high quality education to children from 99 different slums and 4 orphanages in Bengaluru.
They’ll be documenting their week will be full of incredible insights and knowledge sharing, keep your eyes peeled to see how the trip develops. Also keep an eye out for ‘Rocky’ the turtle…

Day 1

This morning we visited Parikrma Koramangala, which has 320 children aged 5 – 15 all from families who live in the slums. The School was  developed in a derelict bakery. We lit a candle and floated it in the bed of flowers as a welcome.
Then we attended their assembly where they performed a play about business taking over the forests and impacting on their communities meaning they are displaced. They then asked us to speak about The Mulberry Bush and the children asked questions. We then met with a group of mothers at a mother’s support group. This was very moving as they spoke through a translator about their isolation and fear living in the slum communities and how the Parikrma Circle Times had helped empower them, find a voice and develop skills that have led to them earning money for the family.
There is 98% alcoholism in the fathers of the Parikrma families. The mothers spoke with great pride, confidence and it was clear the experience of the groups had been transformational. We then met with the school counsellor who presented a case study and we spoke about how The Mulberry Bush works to support children’s needs both individually and in the group. We were presented with cards as we left. For each school we are giving them a school polo shirt and Mulberry Bush book.
We then went to Parikrma Jayanagar and met with their reception class and had photo with Rocky, after lighting candles as a welcome. We are referred to as John Anna and Adam Anna which means big brother. All children start in all their schools aged 5. The whole charity and all it offers survives on donations. The schools provide breakfast and lunch. We had lunch in the school and then met with more counsellors reflecting on their case study and talking about how we work at The Mulberry Bush. We shared thoughts about behaviour being understood as a communication of unmet need.
We then met with the Resources Mobilization Team about assessment tools and how to show the social and emotional development of children in Parikrma schools and in the new rural outdoor Centre Parikrma Oxygen (we visit there tomorrow). They are keen to develop a Theory of Change model for Parikrma Oxygen and asked us to help. We also spoke about reflective spaces to support their staff with the impact of the work and to help them understand the group dynamics at play working with children with such complex trauma.