DRIK Viveka
Education Beyond Schooling
As Devi, a child from the Bangalore slums spoke of the DRIK VIVEKA campus:
“Where the sky is my roof, the mountains my boundaries, and the lake the mirror of my future, there may I learn the Truth of myself and of a society where every child has the right to a childhood.” Devi, a young girl from Sanyasikunte slum in Bangalore, stood on a mound at the DRIK-Viveka campus, pivoted around on her feet like a spinning top, hands swinging in gay abandon and hair flying in the air. Gasping for breath in awe of what she saw around her she said “thank you so much for showing me a world outside of my slum, that I did not know existed for real. I feel the magnitude of that huge mountain within me. I suddenly feel big inside”.
DRIK Programs were first conducted under the blue skies as in those days when there were not even a few trees for shade. As years passed by, that changed. Hundreds of trees were planted year after year and today this oasis is a green haven. Gradually we built small cottage like structures that helped us conduct our programs with a simple tiled roof over our heads. As DRIK Jeevanotsava, the cultural empowerment process began to take root and children were engrossed in learning through the inspirational weekend programs we gradually started putting together other classroom and buildings infrastructure.
Today there are fantastic school buildings and hostels on the premise. Innumerable opportunities are available for partnering with us at this beautiful campus.
The Changing Campus
Innovation, Intervention and Action
Learning at DRIK VIVEKA
Children and youth have never been taught the importance of their own communities in their schools and colleges, an understanding that leads to self identity and self worth. Nor have they been taught their rights as one who lives in a particular village or slum. Understanding this is as important as learning math, geography or the history of the nation.
Empowering education enables the youth to become the subjects of their own destinies determining their own histories.The ground reality is that there is a void in the current formal, regular education programs which lacks rights based education for the poor and the content taught has no direct relevance to the poor.
Politically Relevant
and enabling youth
for community governance.
Socially Empowering
and will address all forms of oppression, especially issues of caste exploitation.
Culturally Inherent and appropriate for reviving the disappearing skills and livelihood opportunities of a vast segment of artisans, in art, craft, music, dance,
and performing arts.
Economically Relevant, strengthening the skill sets and
entrepreneurial
abilities of the unorganized and informal segments of potential workers.
Current and progressive to question exploitation and oppression through media, journalism, film-making, communication, photography, videography etc.
Environmentally sound to leave behind an eco friendly footprint.
Holistically integrated for wellness and health, including awareness on hygiene and sanitation.
Scientifically stimulating to promote the spirit of scientific thinking and enquiry.
Technologically productive in various skills including affordable housing, agricultural practices, computers etc.
Aesthetically crafted to enhance skills in art, craft, design, graphics, animation etc.
Community based
towards collectivized decision making and collective activism.
Spiritually enabling and mindful to rediscover oneself from within, leading to renewed energy flows, self confidence leading to self worth and resulting in new leadership.