Design for change - Crafting for a cause

When one of the admins received an invitation from Lakshmi Venkatraman to participate in this truly noble cause of gifting a group of school kids to experience the joy of crafting, the invitation was promptly passed on to the rest of the crafting community in Chennai. And guess what ! A team was quickly formed to storm the Government School in Saidapet, Chennai on the 12th of July to enthrall the little kids with multiple fun sessions of crafting.

Design for change, as the goodwill project is called, is aimed at teaching the kids to make little art and craft items which can thereon be auctioned and returns from it will be used for providing the kids with clean water. A very virtuous gesture right ? ChennaiCrafters had the opportunity to make their teeny tiny contribution to this initiative few days ago.

There were about 200 students in the age group of 10-12 and each crafter had to indulge the kids in a specific craft / art work. All the crafters had to bring and supply their own materials for each of the session.  Sreeja, who taught the kids to make painted diyas took half a day off from her corporate job to spend time with the kids. Archana had the pleasure of taking two complete sessions for the kids despite knowing about the event just a day or two before. And every other crafter made her presence felt taking time off her precious schedule to contribute in her own small way.

Think it was an enriching experience for the kids ? Before you do that, hear what some of the crafters had to say about their experience :

• Reshmi Gopinath : “we had a fun packed session today ...thanks Lakshmi Venkatraman the satisfaction we got is boundless................”
• Ranjani Ashok : “Hi. Had so much fun the kids were too good and they were asking" can I make One more bracelet miss......". Thanks for giving me a wonderful opportunity.”
• Sreeja Ravindran : “have to admit it was a 'humbling' experience. Saw some real talents there. Thankyou lakshmi and shilpa for giving me this awesome day. Will be available for more such events..”
• Tasneem  Ilyas : “They were so excited and did it very well.. Had an awesome day.. Thank you Shilpa Mitha and Lakshmi Venkatraman”
• Kamla Ravikumar : “Thank you Shilpa Mitha and Lakshmi Venkatraman...for giving me the opportunity to work with such wonderful kids.They were full of beans and we enjoyed painting pots .They speak such good English.I was shocked when one of the kids asked me if he could go to the restroom”
• Vineetha Naval : “Awesome experience ! Wud love to do more of these Lakshmi Venkatraman  the joy of seeing them excited can't be expressed actually.”
• Shri Kris : “Was nice to see such enthusiastic kids”
• Sowmya Lakshmi, Tina Katwal : “It was fun!!! Kids were asking miss will u come again”
• Shilpa Mitha : “A big big thank you to all you wonderful people who made it today!! :) It was 2 hrs of our time but many many days of happiness for those little ones. I'm glad we could pull this off. ”
• Priyanka, Aksanksha, Archanaraje Bhonsle were the other wonderful crafters who were part of this event.

Thanks to Lakshmi Venkatraman for giving the crafters this amazing, one of a kind opportunity. We look forward to participating in more such events and add (in a teeny tiny way) to the bigger cause of what Lakshmi and her likes are working towards.