Our theme for this new academic year is 'Being Change Makers' and all of us facilitators are busy setting up for the year, making notes, brainstorming stories, finding connections, connecting with the children. To keep all of us inspired, we, the team, decided to take turns and do an activity everyday morning together. As we did a lot of games in the entirety of last week, we decided to read an article and reflect for our morning inspiration today.
The article was about a lot of starfishes that a little boy was throwing back into the ocean when an older adult walks over and asks him why he was doing that, as it didn't make much of a big difference. The boy then picks another one and says, "It makes a difference to this one", and throws it, out of the millions, back into the ocean.
After taking turns to read out loud, we all quietly sat, reflecting, wondering about the story and relating it back to our previous discussion on 'Being Change Makers' (what being a changemaker means, how we are already change makers, and why we need to be change makers) an overwhelming amount of inspiration took over. These are some of the things each of our facilitators said,
"I feel I am also doing my bit as a change maker. Whatever small thing I am doing is contributing to change. I considered it small or insignificant until now. But now that also makes a difference and I am contributing it in my own way- whatever I do at home- reject water not wasted, fixing leaking pipes, waste segregation etc. I ensure all my family members are also aware of it, and practice it. . Now that I am aware of the value of my contribution, I feel good about it and want to spread the message to those close to me."- Jennifer
""It made a difference to that starfish", he emphasized on value, the magnitude does not determine value. We find excuses that let us be ignorant. As humans, our natural instincts work best when we are faced with a stimuli that has a direct effect in us, which explains our slow response to climate change and fast response to a pandemic.
The boy wasn't looking for attention, he didn't see himself as a hero. He had just one intention, saving a starfish's life, so it didn't matter to him how many he saved or if he was the only one. He had a clear purpose." - Tasha
"I always thought about environment from a very young age. Nature has its own way to bring all natural things into use. Being part of SM, part of an organization into change making., everyone's opinion matters. That's a door to change. Because I knew my voice will be heard, I proposed my opinion and it was applied. I'd proposed to remove the trash bags to reduce plastic and now, on a regular basis, at least 3 trash bags we have changed- as an organization, I am a part of change making. I always go to a shop with a cloth bag. I even educated my maid on burning plastic with wood - that isn't good for health, so educated her about how it affects health, she looped back to me saying how it has stopped.
"There are people throwing so much. Will I make a difference?" Yes!"- Neha
"I love the environment and I can't do anything consciously that will hurt the environment or the beings living in this environment. When I was in University, I used to use more organic products, use less plastic, and such. Slowly, I started to not do it as much thinking my contribution is not going to help, and those around me used to discourage me. Post our discussion on being change makers, I am a lot more aware of my thinking along the lines of the passion towards the environment and how my contribution, even if it is little, matters- like closing the tap, fixing leaks, and such. I know it's just one person but I don’t ever want to back down on what I believe in, which is my love for this planet and the beings living in it. It is my home, our home and I want to do what I can, no matter how little, to take care of it." - Sruthy
""Change starts with us", and also if everyone could think like the boy rather than the man... Collectively we could have saved the star fishes. Starfish is a "metaphor" for so many things that requires change. I can equate it to corona too...if one person follows social distancing well and seeing that another person too supports and practices the same and so on and so forth we could have brought it down and eventually have it not affect us for this long. This story helps me see how we can make a difference in the bigger scheme of things and we need to become these change makers in the world to truly bring about shifts in things we think need to change to better the world we live in, not only for us but for the sustainability of all kinds of living beings on this planet for generations to come." - Kruthika
"Most of the time when people want to do things, they don't get the right kind of motivation and they end up not trying anything new. The right kind of motivation and inspiration, or sometimes nothing said in response also help people to move forward. For me, trying new things is important and when the progress I see on it, however little, is satisfying. And that is my first step towards success." - Sheela
The said article started with a quote, "A single, ordinary person still can make a difference- and single, ordinary people are doing precisely that every day." - Chris Bohjalian, Vermot- based author and speaker.
So now to our readers,
What comes to your mind when you hear 'changemaker'?
And moreover, do you think you can be a changemaker?
Do you know what change you want to make, that one (or many) cause(s) you are passionate about and feel it burning deep within you?
What contribution did you make today?
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#everychildcan
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Contributed by Sruthy Krishna, Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz Global Preschool.
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