Virtual classes and binge-watching TV and online shows may be the new normal for several school students across the country during the current nationwide lockdown, but for most children with limited or no access to the outside world and internet, it has meant a complete break from school and academic activities with no playtime.

To ensure such children don’t get completely cut off from the world, the Salaam Bombay Foundation, which works with students of Mumbai’s municipal schools, has started Masti ki Paathshala in the city. More than 80 facilitators from the Foundation call up nearly 400 students on a daily basis to play short games with them, engage them in conversations and ask about their well-being.

Beauty treatments, fitness exercises

“I have been getting bored at home in the lockdown but I am practising head massage, hairstyling and other beauty treatments on my mother after Ma’am told me to practise at home. She also calls me up and we play games on the phone or she tells me a joke,” said 14-year old Sameen Shaikh, a student of Maulana Azad High School in Byculla. She is a student of the Beauty and Wellness course run by the Foundation and hopes to become a beautician when she grows up.

15-year old Rukmini Parshuram Pawar, who studies in Worli Seaface Municipal English School, and is a student of the Foundation’s sports academy, has been working on improving her fitness levels during the lockdown.

“I do fitness exercises every day. Ma’am has told us to do exercises and stretching,” said Rukmini, who is a cricketer, adding that she also does bowling and defence batting practice at home.

“We get a good idea of their state of mind through general chats, enquiries into their health, and round off the call with a fun game to get their mind off their current woes,” said Nandina Ramchandran, CEO, Salaam Bombay Foundation, adding that tongue twisters like Zabaan Sambhal Ke , dialogues in different speeds Local Se Bullet Tak , completing famous Bollywood dialogues Bol Bachchan engage them and give them something to laugh about through the day.

Over 3,500 students have been reached out to through this initiative. The Foundation works with about 350 schools in Mumbai and a lakh students. It also works in cities like Pune, Kolkata and Bengaluru though the current initiative has been started in Mumbai.

“Parents of these children are also equally happy that someone is reaching out to them in these stressful times,” said Dipanwita Roy, Manager, Communications, Salaam Bombay Foundation, adding that the team brainstormed after schools were closed around March 16 on how best to reach the children.

A major challenge is that many of these children don’t have access to internet or even smartphones. Some have also gone back to their villages.

“The idea was to make sure that the activities are so simple and easy that they can be done through a call on a basic feature phone,” Roy said.

Apart from academics, the Foundation has also asked students to continue with their skill training.

So the Arts Academy has requested the Dance children to choreograph a dance to any song they like while children trained in photography have been sending pictures they have taken.

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