We Empower
Empowering while having fun!
Recess, a place where kids have fun while we empower them!
Our initiative to teach a handful of underprivileged children grew into a full-fledged NGO in just a few years.
We started in 2015, and here we are now, shaping the lives of more than 100 kids with the help of selfless volunteers and generous donors. At Recess, we focus on helping these children grow into well-rounded individuals by giving them valuable life experiences to support their emotional, social, and intellectual development
Our Classes
Educating the underprivileged involves many aspects. At Recess, we educate the kids about many parts of life. Besides reading, writing, and formal education in different subjects, we also teach them the basics of life. Our kids learn everything from personal hygiene, eating habits, cleanliness to being empathetic towards others, and much more!
The real learning takes place outside the four walls!
We believe in experience-based learning. This is why our teaching method includes the following aspects:
Add to this some wonderful trips, factory visits, picnics, and outings that impact their overall growth. These experiences help them understand their surroundings and adapt to social circumstances. Additionally, these outings give them a sense of belongingness to a group and a community. This sense of belongingness, in turn, makes them into strong, responsible youngsters.
Everything cannot be taught in a class, and this is where these fun activities come in and help them observe and learn.
Movie Outings
The kids love entertainment, and what better than movies in a theater?
Most of the students at Recess had never watched a movie in a multiplex before, and the joy and amusement on their faces were truly worth our effort.
An outing teaches our kids a lot of lessons. We observed that our kids were having a great time watching the movie and trying new food items, but they were also learning how to take care of themselves and their siblings/friends in a new place. They were also careful about conducting themselves in a public place.
Lunch Outings
Many of our students have never heard of the different kinds of food items we eat regularly. And we want to change that! We want our kids to experience different flavors and textures in food and explore different cuisines.
Every few weeks, we make sure that we take our kids on a lunch outing to try out a new variety of dishes. We have taken our kids to try out Punjabi, Gujarati, South Indian, Continental, and more cuisines throughout the years.
This exposure helped them explore new tastes and cultures. These lunch outings help them realize their likes, dislikes, and opinions about food. And to top it off, it also gives them the chance to bond with other kids and make new friends.
Garden Trips
Mother Nature has the best box of crayons that add colors to the kids’ lives.
At Recess, we understand how nature heals everything. This is why we make sure our students are exposed to the magic of nature often.
In this free time, we let them make their own decisions independently. They’re allowed to get their marbles, balls, rackets, etc., and play in groups to bond. It’s a fun time with lessons hidden in it!
Theatre
Another experience that we wanted the kids to have is that of live theatre.
A few years back, we took our class to the best theatre in Mumbai – Prithvi Theatre. None of them had ever witnessed live theatre, and they were just amazed! They observed, watched, and enjoyed the act to bits and discussed it for days in our classes. This outing also sparked dreams of doing theatre in some of our kids’ minds.
Visits
We learn a lot about ourselves when we travel. This is true not just for adults but also for kids.
This is exactly why we take our class to regular visits and trips. Some of our past trips include industrial visits, Mumbai darshan, overnight trip to Kamshet, village visits, and more.
These trips have taught our kids more than a class could. With every visit, we widen their horizon. They learn about their surroundings, meet new people, observe them, and see new ways of living. These experiences help them gain a new perspective.
Parties
Last, and the most important one, PARTIES!
Students (and volunteers) at Recess LOVE celebrations! We wait for any special occasion to arrive, to arrange a special celebration for our class.
We celebrate every occasion with pomp. But our kids’ favourite is the Christmas party! We host an incredible Christmas party with the help of our partners and donors. There’s music, fun, tasty food, activities, and the most important – lots of gifts. Also, how can we forget the Christmas tree and Santa!
This party is also important as several other kids from the slums look at our celebration and get attracted to join our classes.