The first step

Photo: Vinodh Baluchamy

Hello. Forgive my grimy hands. I’m just back from the forest. There is a stream there. On its banks is a rock that’s shaped like an elephant. I was sitting on it with my friends all morning. We played a lot of games. We made animals and birds with clay from the bank and released them into the forest. We drew clouds on the ground using red earth, we also drew the sun. We wrote a story in which the moon goes for a swim one night. We collected seeds which we will plant near our homes. We read a book under a tree when it drizzled. And when the sun came out we danced for a song we wrote. We then…oh my, we’re late. The seeds! We have to plant them right away. See those grey clouds floating towards us? They hold precious water drops that will give life to the seeds. We have to go now, there’s so much to do. Good-bye. No, wait, do you want to come along?

Now you might be wondering what we do. Let me tell you more about us. We are from the Cuckoo Movement for Children. It was started by a group of friends in 2004. Our objective — letting children discover themselves. We mostly work with little ones from rural Tamilnadu, who lack the opportunities that children from urban environments take for granted. We introduce them to Nature, good books and movies. We tell them stories, play with them, draw and paint with them, introduce them to the colorful world of photography, traditional folk arts, music, martial arts, theatre, and also engage them in exciting discussions on socio-political and environmental issues. We wish to bring out the inherent spark in every child. And more than anything, we want to learn from them, for their world is the most beautiful place on earth.

You may now ask us, ‘how do you do this’. Here's how: Through libraries.

We have established libraries across Tamil Nadu, where local volunteers work with children from the area. Our libraries are not just a place to read – it’s a place for kids to meet on a regular basis. We have nurseries attached to the libraries where children raise saplings using seeds they collect themselves, plant them in their localities and tend to them.

Hey, we want you to note that we aren’t an NGO. We are just a bunch of happy friends, who absolutely adore children and everything related to them.

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