Olimalar Foundation
Works with children and communities in Fort Kochi & Mattancherry to build confidence, emotional well-being, and life skills. They create safe spaces through sessions and programs where young people can learn, express, and grow.
What Olimalar Foundation did here
Reconnecting with Curiosity Club children and families
Attendance at Curiosity Club has been uneven. We wanted to find children we had lost touch with. We also wanted to reconnect with their families and understand what makes attending difficult. Over a week, we brought existing records into one master register. This helped us identify children who had not returned recently. We corrected names and removed duplicates. We also added every family to WhatsApp. Children's Day gave us a welcoming reason to reach out. We individually invited all families through messages and voice notes. We kept the invitation separate from questions about absence. We will follow up next week to understand what might help children return. We have planned games and art. We also planned crafts and clay modelling. We will offer face painting and opportunities to perform. We want children to enjoy themselves and choose how to take part. We also want them to feel welcome to come back. Today, we decorated aikyam, ready to welcome everyone tomorrow.
LifSkool students move from observation to empathy in the SPARK Challenge
The SPARK Challenge helps students practise their LifSkool skills through five team missions. We send instructions and worksheets in team-labelled envelopes through their teacher. Students work independently in teams, with weekly WhatsApp check-ins for support. In Mission 1, Spot, teams chose a problem and explained why it mattered. We used voice notes, a short animated explainer and reminders to guide their thinking. Teams shared photos of their worksheets through WhatsApp. We acknowledged their efforts and asked clarifying questions where answers needed more detail. Their initial choices ranged widely from cutting down trees and stray dogs on roads to local traffic accidents involving children. Because many of these issues started out broad, we added a prompt in Mission 2 asking teams to name the specific place where the problem actually happens. Mission 2, People, asks teams to identify who is affected and how. This step encourages students to consider how a problem affects themselves and others. The new envelopes have now been distributed, and we shared a new animated explanation through WhatsApp. Teams have one week to complete and submit one worksheet together.
A Friday Reading Club agreed at SDPY Girls High School
Following our attempts to continue reading online, we spoke with SDPY Girls High School about how we could help students take part. One parent had told the teacher that network issues prevented her child from joining. Students use their parents’ phones, so availability matters too. The school highlighted other possible barriers, including limited data, evening commitments and needing help to join. Finding time in school was still a challenge, as our previous slot was needed for other activities. Together, we agreed a shorter, 45-minute Friday slot for a Reading Club with 7 std students, starting next week. We will plan smaller sections of Matilda, with discussion and short activities to check understanding. We will also explore using the bilingual Reading Room during school sessions, depending on device and internet access. We are looking forward to reading together again!
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Finding a way to stay connected
We have been reading Roald Dahl’s "Matilda" with Standard 7 students at SDPY Girls High School. We help them understand the story and feel comfortable sharing ideas. Since our last session in September, we have been trying to keep reading together. Youth festivals, fairs and other preparations took up the reading period. We agreed with the school to move online. The school coordinator explained the plan in class, created a parents' WhatsApp group and informed families. We shared short weekly activities, including story recaps, English and Malayalam vocabulary, and reading and listening tasks. We did not receive responses, so we tried another approach. We offered weekly online sessions on Saturdays at 8 p.m. To support these sessions, we created the Reading Room. It is our first mobile-friendly reading website built with AI support. It offered word meanings, questions and creative activities in English and Malayalam. Students could complete these after each session so we could check their understanding. We planned our first online meeting as a chance to reconnect, revisit the story and explore the website together. But when the time came, the students did not join. It was disappointing. We had prepared a way to continue, but we still needed to understand whether it worked for families. We plan to meet the school coordinator to hear suggestions. We will ask the coordinator to gather feedback from students and families. Together, we will explore what could work, including reading before or after school.
The planning begins for our calm corners
A calm corner is a small, welcoming space where children can pause when upset or overwhelmed. With a teacher’s support, they can use books, sensory materials and visual prompts to practise calming strategies before returning to classroom activities. Evidence reviewed by J-PAL supports teaching emotional and social skills with adult support. A small classroom study also suggests calm corners may help students settle their emotions. This, alongside positive feedback from our pilot at BTS LP School in Edapally, encouraged us to explore the approach in two more schools. We have already worked with St. Antony’s LP School, Saudi and Govt UP School Thamaraparambu through our life-skills workshops and teacher training. We approached the principals directly. We introduced the idea and shared the BTS setup, feedback, research and our process. Both principals and teachers welcomed the proposal. They showed George possible spaces, which he photographed for planning. Next, George will sketch a layout for each calm corner and visit local vendors to explore suitable materials and costs. Once the spaces are ready, we will train teachers and run a workshop with children on using them. We will share updates here as the plans take shape.
Exploring emotions with students at Kadamakudy
Our Life Skills and Mental Well-being Programme runs at GVHSS Kadamakudy. It brings together Olimalar Foundation, Mind Empowered and Sajeeva Counselling and Coaching Centre. The partners help Plus One students with school pressures, relationships and everyday choices. Topics include self-awareness, emotions, communication, managing stress and making decisions. Olimalar designs the sessions and trains a Mind Empowered facilitator to lead them. We led the opening session. Our aim was to learn about the students and plan the programme to fit what they need. After that, the facilitator ran the sessions. This was our third session. Earlier sessions covered introduction and trust-building, then identity and self-awareness. We prepared worksheets. They had a body outline and spaces for emotional triggers, thoughts, reactions and what might help. The facilitator brought existing visual charts about feelings and coping strategies. Students worked in groups. Each group explored happiness, sadness, anger, fear or disgust. Students used the worksheets to identify situations that might bring up their emotion. They wrote down accompanying thoughts and reactions and marked where the emotion might be felt in the body. This connected the discussion to everyday experiences. The facilitator gave simple explanations in English and Malayalam. Students could write answers in either language. Then they discussed what emotions might tell us and what could help them pause before reacting. They filled in feedback slips. The slips noted whether their understanding had improved and one thing they could try before reacting. Because of delays, we hope to go back to the original schedule. We want to prioritise the most important topics with our partners. George will join the next session. He will hear from the students and the facilitator and find out what support they need.
Shadow puppetry returned at the children's request, giving those who missed the earlier session a chance to try it. After free play, we brought reading and puppet-making together. We formed three groups and gave each a short storybook to turn into a shadow show. Children read together, wrote simple scene plans and cut out characters and shapes from paper and card saved from previous activities. We explained how shadows form when an object blocks light and how moving puppets between the light and screen changes their shadow's size. Each group performed its story. One group cut out letters for a "Thank you" ending and worked out how to arrange them so the audience could read the message. We treated the shows as a first trial, with room to practise and improve. We closed by asking what children enjoyed about recent sessions and what they wanted to explore next.
From Lalan Road to London: our weekly check-in
They are miles apart, and still make time to catch up. Shabana from the Stitching Club, Anjali from Thudippu Dance Foundation and Nasrin, a new aikyam fellow, gathered at aikyam. Aarthi from Olimalar Foundation joined online from London. They shared updates on recent activities. Their goal for the month is to find one free, open and safe community space. There they could offer dance, stitching or reading activities. The aim is to bring these activities closer to children and families who might otherwise find them hard to reach.
This week at Curiosity Club, psychologist and Dance Movement Therapy practitioner Devika Murali led a session on movement, body awareness and creativity. Children from Thudippu's Dance Club also took part. She kept the activities simple and adaptable so children of different ages could join in. There was no pressure to follow a dance style or get movements "right". Devika began with a jumping game and movements inspired by children's favorite things. She used familiar ideas to get them started. Opening and closing their bodies, followed by hand-brushing movements, encouraged children to notice how their bodies moved and felt. A grouping game invited children to find others who shared similarities with them. This gave them a way to meet and connect. They then explored making rhythms with their bodies. They also tried freestyle movement, choosing their own ways to express themselves. We plan to host a movement session once a month. This gives children regular opportunities to explore movement and connect through play with Devika.
LifSkool: the SPARK Challenge begins
At SDPY Boys High School, students spent five weeks exploring life skills through games and discussions, and through hands-on challenges. They practised recognising and managing emotions, and they practised thinking creatively. They also practised solving problems and communicating, and they worked with others. What happens when there is no facilitator guiding the activity? Can students recognise when to use these skills and put them into practice themselves? This is what we wanted to explore next. During our final LifSkool session, we introduced the SPARK Challenge. The SPARK Challenge is a series of weekly team missions that help students apply what they have learned to everyday situations. The students formed five teams and chose their own names. We also created a WhatsApp group with parents to share the weekly challenges and stay connected with the students. This week, we began with Mission 1, Spot it. Each team received an envelope containing an illustrated instruction sheet and a worksheet. We also shared a Malayalam voice note to explain the mission. The students have one week to look around their school, home or community and notice small problems. We encourage each student to identify at least one problem independently before sharing their observations with their teammates. Together, they will discuss up to three problems. Then they will choose one they would like to explore further and explain why they selected it. They can write or draw their responses in Malayalam or English. Each team submits one completed worksheet at the end of the week. We have deliberately asked them not to find solutions yet. They start by observing and listening to different ideas. They then make a decision together. Over the coming weeks, the missions will build on one another. They give students opportunities to practise the skills they learned during LifSkool without us directing each step. The SPARK Challenge gives students their first opportunity to apply their life skills through an independently managed team activity.
A quiet Saturday of drawing and making
We had prepared a full afternoon. The children would begin with a word activity. Then they would choose books and read together in pairs. After that they would work in teams to invent something that could solve a problem they had noticed at home or around Kochi. This Saturday, just one child arrived. We waited until 2:30 p.m. in case others were coming late. When no one else came, we asked whether he was happy to stay and what he would like to do. He chose drawing. As he had missed the previous session, the word activity was unfamiliar to him. Instead, he tried the Circles Challenge. He turned the empty circles into faces, planets, balls and other pictures. Afterwards, he picked up "Lights Out" written by Vibha Batra and illustrated by Sahitya Rani. He asked whether he could draw his own version of the cover. We gave him chart paper and colours and let him work. When he finished, we cut strips from black paper and added them around his drawing to make a frame. He was curious about what else we could make, so we tried cutting and folding paper into a small cube. While his hands were busy, we talked. He told us about his drawing at school and the prizes he had won. It was not the session we had planned. It became a quiet afternoon of drawing and making, and we got to know one child a little better.
In earlier sessions, some children could read words aloud without fully understanding them. This week, we changed from paired reading to reading aloud together. We paused to explore unfamiliar words and discuss the story's meaning. We chose "Stage Fright" by Pratham Books. It is a story about Champa, who loves singing but is afraid to perform on stage. We prepared slides with selected tricky words. Children guessed their meanings from the story before we revealed the Malayalam explanations. We discussed why Champa felt scared. We asked who had felt like her before. Children shared their own experiences of nervousness. They connected the story to their lives and explored the feelings behind the words.
This week at Curiosity Club, we explored a question. What helps us share our ideas when we feel nervous? We began with Champa from "Stage Fright", a story about a child who loves singing but is afraid to perform. Her worries helped children talk about their own feelings when facing an audience. We prepared slides with prompts and examples. We set up a microphone for practice. We started by inviting each child to introduce themselves with an action. Afterwards, we asked how it felt to stand up and speak. Children described shaking hands, trembling legs and sweaty palms. Their experience matched Champa's. This led us to practise breathing to calm our bodies and shaking out our arms and legs to release tension. We then warmed up our voices with tongue twisters and tried changing our volume and expressing different emotions. A facilitator demonstrated different speaking styles, and children noticed the difference posture, voice and energy made. They then chose topics for short talks in Malayalam or English. We introduced PREP, which stands for point, reason, example, point. It helped children organise their thoughts. We provided paper for notes. They then came to the front and used the microphone to share their ideas with the group. We closed by reflecting on how it felt to speak and what had changed after trying.
We start our Curiosity Club with free play as children arrive. They choose games and building materials, then play together. This gives everyone time to arrive before we gather for the guided activity. We asked children what they wanted to play and added games based on their suggestions. The children were excited to see their choices. They started setting the games up themselves. With six games going on at once, children could choose what interested them. On their first visit, two older children were unsure how to join in. Our facilitator invited them into an "UNO" game with others. As they played, they became more involved and helped explain the rules to younger children. The group later learned dominoes together too. Another group prepared "Guess Who" for next week. "Jenga", "LEGO" and "Dobble" were also popular.
Our Saturday Curiosity Club fell on World Mental Health Day. This made it a fitting time to explore caring for our thoughts and feelings. We prepared slides, art materials and our first Malayalam explainer video made with NotebookLM. The video was about the hand-brain model. It explained why big feelings can make thinking difficult. After a rainstorm movement activity, children and facilitators shared their emotional “weather”. We discussed how feelings change. We used think, pair and share to explore when and where big feelings arise. We talked about making a plan when we can change something. We also talked about coping when it is outside our control. We used three ways to cope: Breathe through bee breathing, Move through gentle movement and a body scan, and Create through art. For Create, children used crayons to scribble their stress or big feelings onto paper. They pressed down and made marks freely. They tore the paper into smaller pieces. Then they arranged and glued the pieces onto a fresh sheet. This created a design of their choice. They added words to encourage themselves. The words included “You are amazing”, “Never give up” and “I love you”. The messages children chose surprised us. On the back, they traced a hand. They added people they could reach out to when they needed support. We closed with a recap of the model and ways to care for our mental health.
LifSkool: last in-person session and the SPARK Challenge
Students were ready to go with our familiar movement and mindful breathing routine and settled into the session quickly. Today was our last in-person LifSkool session before a break and it brought together the skills we had explored throughout the programme. Students revisited what they had learned, why the skills mattered and how they could use them in everyday life. It was encouraging to hear their reflections in their own words. We introduced the SPARK Challenge. Students notice a small, real problem at school, at home or in the neighbourhood. They use their life skills together to try making a difference with a buddy. Students will receive weekly SPARK challenge envelopes in person to complete with their buddies. They will share updates through our WhatsApp group, where we will stay connected and support them. At their graduation day in January 2027, they will present their work and learning. To finish, students worked together to spell SPARK using their bodies. It was a playful, emotional close to this part of our programme, with more learning ahead.
Opening doors: first school outreach together
Our team meetings showed a shared challenge: reaching children and young people who could benefit from the programmes at aikyam. We agreed to bring our networks together and prepare a shared introduction to what we offer. We acted on this and prepared a shared brochure introducing the programmes at aikyam. Each team wrote programme descriptions, and we brought them together in a brochure for the visits. We made our first school visits together as the aikyam, Olimalar and Thudippu team. We visited two schools suggested by Shabana, using her knowledge of the local community. We spoke with headteachers about opportunities for children to take part. One school already knew Olimalar through LifSkool. At the other school, youth festival preparations opened a conversation about possible dance support from Thudippu. We collected their contact numbers and shared printed and digital copies of the brochure. When we returned to aikyam, we discussed the visits and how we could reach more children. Alongside welcoming families to aikyam, we explored finding spaces in schools and communities. We also looked at training facilitators to run activities closer to where children live.
Understanding each other at LifSkool
We began by revisiting The Egg Drop Challenge. Why had some designs protected their eggs, and how had the teams worked together? This connected our previous session to interpersonal relationships. We explored how we listen, share ideas and make decisions together. We explored the relationships in our lives and what strengthens or damages them. The idea of a "relation-ship" helped us talk about trust, listening and respect, and how to work through disagreements. We changed the pace this time. We watched two short films, Snack Attack and Purl, and came together for circle discussions. We explored misunderstandings, feeling left out and the pressure to change ourselves to fit in. We connected the stories to everyday school situations. Students practised asking directly before making assumptions and inviting someone to join their group. We closed with a reflection on being themselves and responding to peer pressure. We brought the discussion back to everyday choices in their relationships.
Malarvattam: making space to share
We surveyed nearly 100 people in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry to find out what support parents and caregivers wanted. They told us they wanted to share experiences, feel heard and support one another. This led us to create and name Malarvattam ("flower circle"), a monthly circle for parents and caregivers. For the first gathering, we chose a get-to-know-you conversation. The facilitators reviewed the survey together, developed discussion prompts and prepared slides. Their role was to make space for everyone to contribute, listen and summarise what participants shared. They did not give expert parenting advice. We designed a poster and shared it widely through partners and community contacts. On Saturday, the facilitators ran a mock circle. They worked through the slides and practised how they would introduce questions and guide the discussion. They also prepared their own scripts for Sunday's session. The first circle had two participants. Together, we explored memories of childhood, children's lives today and experiences of parenting and caregiving.
Students returned with creations they had continued at home after "LifSkool: What Else?" — photo frames, a little fan, a house, a puzzle and chopsticks. It was lovely to see their ideas develop beyond the session. We began with our routine movement break and mindful breathing, giving students time to shake off the school day and settle. The class split into six teams for the Egg Drop Challenge. Each team tried to protect an egg from a fall. We chose the task to bring problem-solving, effective communication, decision-making and creative thinking together through discussing ideas, choosing a design and testing it. Students combined recycled materials from home with supplies from our inventory to create their egg carrier. We planned a second-floor drop, but their confidence went one floor higher and they asked to test from the third floor. From each team, a student stayed with a facilitator to drop their design. The others went downstairs to watch and check how their egg fared. Much to their amazement, two of the six eggs appeared to remain intact. We had little time left after returning to class. We planned to revisit why some designs worked and how the teams worked together in the next session.
What else? Creative thinking at LifSkool
Today's LifSkool session explored creative thinking. We revisited last week's question "How do you know?" and tried a new one, "What else?" The boys turned the same pairs of eyes into different drawings. In pairs, they found new uses for everyday objects. They combined two objects into a new invention. Finally, each pair got the same ice cream sticks and joiners. They were free to build anything. Every creation went in a different direction, showing how one starting point can lead to many possibilities. In discussion, the students shared what helped when an idea ran out. They said to keep thinking and to listen to a partner. Combining ideas and trying something unusual also helped. The students worked through the challenges. Some creations were still in progress. The students took them home to continue.
This week, schools were holding make-up classes, so nine children joined us. We began with LEGO, Dobble and building blocks. When the children asked to try body percussion, we set aside the planned reading activity and made a rhythm to "We Will Rock You". We then explored what causes shadows. We watched a video about the history of shadow puppetry in China. We connected it to traditions in Kerala. Using materials left from previous sessions, the children made people, houses, a cat, a coconut tree, bees and an ant. For our theatre, we tied one side of a white blanket to the window, with a facilitator at the other side. A torch lit the puppets from behind, with the audience seated in front. The children worked in teams to create and present three short shadow puppet stories. It was lovely to see them combine their ideas and bring their characters to life.
Reading for meaning with Stories, Voices and Confidence
Stories, Voices and Confidence began on July 10 with Standard 7 girls at SDPY Girls High School. We raised funds to buy 50 copies of Roald Dahl's "Matilda". Penguin India gave us a discount. We will use the books with future groups too. Through the story, we are helping the girls understand what they read and share their ideas. Between monsoon rains, Onam, exams and the youth festival, it had been some time since we last met. During the break, we encouraged the girls to read for 15 minutes a day and note difficult words. In our first session back, the girls were at different points in the book. Some had finished it. We planned for 37 girls to read short extracts in groups and then act out scenes or show them through still pictures. Many could read the English words but struggled to understand the passages. Olimalar facilitators and the school teacher moved between groups to help them work through the meaning. With support, the girls understood their extracts, but we did not move on to the performances. The session showed us where to focus next: helping the girls pause, ask questions and understand the story before presenting it.
LifSkool: Think Like a Detective
Our hour began by looking back at the previous LifSkool sessions and asking the boys what they remembered. They were able to recall the activities and connect them to skills they had already been practising, including communication, problem-solving and decision-making. Today’s LifSkool session focused on critical thinking. We invited the boys to think like detectives, using short thinking challenges and a collaborative investigation. Rather than explaining the skill first, they were encouraged to ask questions, examine information and work out what they thought had happened. What worked particularly well was the balance between pace and reflection. Having the activities and materials prepared in advance meant we could move quickly from one challenge to the next without losing momentum. But we also paused briefly between activities to ask the boys how they reached an answer, what they were assuming, or what made them change their mind. The boys responded strongly to this format. They were curious, eager to talk and ask questions, and every child contributed. The detective-style investigation gave them something concrete to think through together rather than simply listening to an explanation about critical thinking. Only afterwards did we name the skill and connect it to a simple idea: ask questions and check what you know before deciding what you think. Our main learning was that a fast-moving session does not have to mean rushing the learning. Good preparation helped us keep the energy up, while short reflection moments gave the boys space to notice how they were thinking. In future, we would like to build on this with slightly more challenging investigation-style activities. Group: Local Government School | Std 5–7 boys | 15 boys Materials: Simple thinking challenges, investigation materials, whiteboard and LifSkills workbooks. Space: Regular classroom with tables and benches Timing: Around 45 minutes
Team challenge day at LifSkool
Today we ran a Team Challenge Day at LifSkool. A group of 14 boys from a Local Government School, in Std 5 to 7, took part. The session ran in a regular classroom with tables and benches. It lasted around 45 minutes. The boys worked in pairs and small groups. They took on short challenges on memory, co-ordination, problem-solving and communication. From the start, the boys were curious and eager to take part. In earlier sessions, we noticed that transitions and side conversations could take up our limited time. Today we introduced a simple attention routine. It supported smoother transitions between activities. It worked well. The boys responded quickly. The shifts between challenges felt much smoother. We saw how naturally the life skills appeared through the games. The boys were not only talking about the skills. They were using them in real time. This session combined a few things we had learned over the previous weeks. We had seen that too much explanation could reduce participation, especially when the ideas were abstract. Today we changed our approach. We explained less and gave the boys more space to work things out themselves.
Community programme made shared progress and worked through challenges together
Shabana, who leads the Stitching Club, met Anjali of Thudippu Dance Foundation and Aarthi of Olimalar Foundation for their weekly check-in at aikyam space. They shared updates on their work so far and spoke about the challenges they faced. They helped one another think through possible solutions and reflected on what they learned over the past week.
We begin Curiosity Club with a question rather than an explanation. This week, holding up a battery and a small LED, we asked: “What do you think we need to do to make this light turn on?” The children shared their ideas first. From there we introduced a few simple concepts around atoms, electrons and circuits. We used a short game and a digital simulation to help make the invisible parts of electricity a little easier to imagine. Then came the real test. Could they make the light turn on themselves? Each child built a paper circuit using a battery, an LED and conductive tape, then turned it into their own design. We had traffic lights, lightning bolts and cars with working lights. Not every circuit worked first time. We had been unable to source copper tape, so we used aluminium tape instead, and some connections needed to be adjusted or rebuilt. We also noticed that some children used quite a lot of sellotape to hold things in place, which sometimes interrupted the connection and stopped the circuit from working. That ended up being one of the best parts of the session. Instead of giving up, the children kept checking, changing and trying again. One boy struggled for a while, but stayed with it until his light finally came on. The look on his face when it worked said everything. By the end, every child who stayed to complete the activity managed to light their LED. We came away with a few practical learnings. Next time, we would slow the build down further and demonstrate one step at a time before everyone moves on. We are also curious to try reversing the order altogether — letting the children attempt the circuit first, notice what works and what doesn’t, and then using their questions and mistakes to introduce the science behind it. For a concept as abstract as electricity, experiencing the problem first may make the explanation easier to understand. A messy, hands-on session in which the children tried, failed and tried again. That was where much of the learning happened.
This week's Reading Club was smaller than usual, with 10 children attending. The quieter group gave us more time to support each reader. The children began with informal play downstairs before moving upstairs for the reading session. We recently received a donation of books, which gave us a wider selection to work with. We organised the books across three reading levels. This time, instead of giving every child the same book, the children could choose what they wanted to read from the books at their level. Our emerging readers worked closely with Sreena. They read together and stopped to talk through unfamiliar words and meaning. The other groups worked more independently or alongside a buddy. At the end, we asked each child to tell us what they had understood from their story so far. Almost everyone shared something, which gave us a clearer sense of comprehension than simply knowing they had read the page. One of our main learnings was that children read at different levels, but they can still have a choice. Giving them a few books to choose from at their level helped them stay interested while still reading something suitable for them. Attendance is still something we need to understand better. Numbers have reduced over the past few weeks, so we want to speak with children and families to understand what may be making regular attendance difficult. For those who came, it was a calm and positive session. There was time to play, choose a book, read together, and talk about what they had understood.
LifSkool class on empathy and kindness
This session focused on empathy and kindness, understanding how someone else might be feeling and thinking about how our words and actions affect others. It was also a learning session for us as facilitators. This was George’s first time leading a LifSkool class. He had prepared carefully beforehand, but nerves meant he relied quite closely on the printed lesson plan. We began with a movement energiser, which helped bring some energy into the room. A few boys were shy at first, but most gradually joined in. From there, we explored empathy through familiar situations and conversations about how another person might feel, what support could look like, and how small acts of kindness can make a difference. The boys were able to contribute examples and seemed to understand the core ideas. The biggest learning for us was around facilitation. Following a script closely can help a new facilitator feel prepared, but it can also reduce eye contact, interaction and responsiveness in the room. Attention drifted at times, and side conversations became more noticeable. It reminded us that the lesson plan is there to support the facilitator, not replace the connection with the students. The session also highlighted the need to revisit classroom routines and transitions. With an after-school group, chatter and changing energy levels are part of the reality, so clearer signals and expectations should help us protect more time for participation. At the end, each student chose a LifSkool buddy, who they will work with during upcoming team challenges. Attendance was again lower than the full cohort, with 12 of 20 boys attending, which remains an ongoing challenge for the after-school programme. Overall, the boys understood the ideas of empathy and kindness, while the session gave us useful learning about facilitation, engagement and classroom rhythm too. The group was 12 boys in Std 5 to 7 at a local government school. The materials were LifSkills workbooks, lesson-plan materials, speaker and music. The space was a regular classroom with tables and benches. The session took around 45 minutes.
Today's group was smaller than our previous session. After-school football coaching has now started, and some of the boys attended that instead. It is another reminder that after-school programmes have to work alongside the wider rhythm of school life. We began with a quick recap of emotions and the calming tools the boys had already learnt. We revisited STAR breathing and introduced box breathing before moving into the new topic. Stress itself was a little harder to explain than we expected. At first, some of the boys struggled to identify what stress might look like in their own lives. Once we started using familiar examples — schoolwork, running late, arguments, tests, or several small things happening at once — the idea began to make more sense. We used a simple Stress Bucket demonstration with a cut plastic bottle and water to show stress does not always come from one big event. Sometimes lots of smaller things build up over time. From there, we explored coping strategies as ways of releasing some of that pressure. The boys were especially good at coming up with their own ideas for what might help their body and mind settle. They then completed a short reflection activity, thinking about what can add to their own stress and what might help them cope. Our biggest learning today was that abstract ideas need concrete examples with this age group. The word “stress” was difficult to pin down at first, but once the boys could see it, connect it to everyday situations and talk through examples, the conversation became much easier. A smaller group today, but a useful session. It was a good reminder that sometimes showing an idea works far better than explaining it. Group: Local Government School | Std 5–7 | 12 boys Materials: LifSkills workbooks, simple stress and coping activity materials, whiteboard and markers Space: Regular classroom with tables and benches Timing: Around 45 minutes available
Saturday's crochet session taught 21 children a new skill. A facilitator from aikyam's stitching unit led the group. We split the children into three groups of about seven. Each child received a crochet hook and colourful yarn. Some of the boys hesitated at first and said they did not want to try crochet. Once they had the materials, their interest grew quickly. Most children concentrated and tried to understand the movements. Supporting everyone with one crochet facilitator was challenging. She explained the technique to one table at a time, so some children had to wait. A few children already knew how to crochet, so we encouraged them to help someone else. They showed the movements, encouraging and patiently supporting their friends. A practical challenge became peer learning, cooperation and children sharing skills. Our main learning was that an activity like crochet needs a clear whole-group demonstration at the start. Next time, we would first show the basic movement where everyone can see it before moving into smaller-group and one-on-one support. We would also identify children with previous experience earlier and pair them with those needing extra help. Initial hesitation soon turned into concentration, conversation and shared learning. The session reminded us that people in the community already have skills to share. Children can learn from adults and from one another.
Books, buddies and growing confidence
This Saturday, 21 children joined us for our first structured, level-based reading session. Before the session, we reviewed the available reading assessments. They used the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach developed by Pratham. We chose three storybooks from Pratham Books. They were broadly suited to the children’s different reading needs. We printed multiple copies and arranged the room into three small reading areas, with a facilitator supporting each group. We removed the visible level labels from the books on purpose before giving them to the children. The levels remained useful for facilitators in planning the right support. They were not presented as fixed identities for the children. For about 15 to 20 minutes, the children read together. Some needed more assistance to work through the text. Others read with a buddy. The buddy-reading approach worked well. When one child struggled with a word, another would often step in to help. It was also encouraging to see how comfortable the children were asking for support. Some children raised their hands when they could not read or understand a word. They asked for help and kept taking part. One unexpected challenge was that a few children who attended that day had not completed the earlier reading assessment. We placed them provisionally, using our previous interactions and observations. At the end of the activity, the children completed a short reflection to tell us how manageable they found their book. Our main learning is that we need to check assessment records against the children who actually attend each session. Next time, we will confirm every child’s assessment status, assess anyone we missed, and adjust the groups where necessary. It was a positive first session. Books and buddies helped children participate at their own pace, support one another, and grow more confident about asking for help.
Tuesday was about self-awareness. By Thursday, we moved on to coping with emotions. Meeting the boys twice a week during this 5-week programme helps us build naturally on the previous session. We started by revisiting the previous session and asking the boys what they remembered about self-awareness. A short movement game helped bring energy into the room. Then we discussed emotions, how they can show up in the body, and the difference between reacting immediately and taking a moment to respond. We introduced a simple pause-and-breathe strategy and used familiar situations to explore how taking a moment can help us choose what to do next. We ended with a short story about feelings and ways of responding to them. One of our main reflections was that we spoke more than we wanted to. When time is tight, explaining can feel quicker, but it leaves students less space to connect the skill to their own lives, share ideas and practise for themselves. We are also still finding the best classroom rhythm. Getting everyone together and settled can easily take five or ten minutes, so clearer routines and shorter activity blocks should help us protect more time for participation. A lively second session, plenty of laughs and a useful reminder to keep the learning active and student-led. Group is a Local Government School, Std 5 to 7, with 19 boys. Materials are LifSkills workbooks, completed "This Is Me" folders, whiteboard and markers, Find Your Happy by Emily Coxhead. Space is a regular classroom with tables and benches. Timing is 45 minutes available.
LifSkool is Olimalar Foundation's school-based life skills programme. It helps young people build practical skills for everyday life. Group: local government school | Std 5 to 7 | 13 boys This week, we began a 5-week programme with our Std 5 to 7 boys from a local government school. We chose to return because this is one of the schools where we already have an established partnership. Continuing here lets us build on the trust and relationships formed last year. It was lovely to walk back into the classroom and see a few familiar faces. Boys we had met in Std 5 last year are now in Std 6. They are a little taller, and they still remembered us. Space: regular classroom with students on benches. Timing: we had 45 minutes, and we planned 60 minutes. Our goal for the first session was simple. We wanted to break the ice, reconnect, and begin exploring our first life skill. That skill is self-awareness. We started with "This or That." Because the classroom benches left little room to move, we took the boys into the corridor. We stood them in a line and called out two choices at a time. They moved left or right depending on their preference. This was a simple way to share something about themselves and notice where they were similar to or different from others. Back inside, we introduced the LifSkills workbooks and the LifSkool Promise. We read the promise together, and each student signed it. A member of the LifSkool team signed alongside them. Co-signing helped make the expectations feel shared rather than simply a list of rules. Each student also received their own folder and materials. Their first activity, "This Is Me," was to begin decorating the folder. They used drawings and words to show what they like and what they are good at. They also used symbols to show what matters to them. Because the start was late, the boys had only around 15 minutes to sketch, so they took the folders home to complete.
A Wrinkled Heart opens a conversation about kindness
The children read "A Wrinkled Heart" by Tracy Hoexter. We talked about how words and actions can affect other people. The story helped them think about kindness, feelings, and why it is important to speak to others with care.
Body percussion and group games get children moving together
We ran a session with 12 children. We used body percussion, movement, and group games. The children listened, responded, and participated. They explored rhythm, coordination, attention, and teamwork.
Paper planes help children explore how things fly
We started a Curiosity Club activity about flight using the wings from "Perfectly Norman". Children explored the basic forces that help things fly. Then they made different paper planes and tested how changes in shape affected how far and how well they flew.
Perfectly Norman opens a conversation about being different
The children read “Perfectly Norman” by Tom Percival. The story is about a boy who grows wings and learns to accept what makes him different. We opened up a simple conversation about being yourself and accepting differences. It was also about feeling comfortable with who you are.
Children make themselves at home during the community program
During the community program, the children made themselves at home. They sat together and played UNO. It was a simple moment that showed how comfortable they felt spending time together. They used aikyam space in their own way.
Olimalar and Thudippu discuss how to support children better
Aarthi from Olimalar Foundation and Anjali Krishnadas from Thudippu Dance Foundation met at aikyam space. They discussed how to work together to help children from the community. They talked about understanding the children better. They also talked about ways to support the children's learning, confidence, creativity and participation through future activities.
Reading club started testing each child's reading level
Pratham developed the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach. We used it to assess each child's reading ability. This showed us what each child can read now. We can use these results to plan future sessions around what each child needs. Every child can learn at a pace that suits them.
The Reading Club split into small reading groups
The Reading Club continued with small-group activities. These activities encouraged children to read and to discuss stories. They also encouraged children to support one another in their learning.
Children built spaghetti towers and drew as a team
On March 14, 2024, we ran two life skills challenges for children. Both were team challenges. In the Spaghetti Tower, they used spaghetti, tape, string and a marshmallow. They built the tallest free-standing tower they could. In Draw Together, they relied on observation and clear communication. They recreated a picture as a team. Both challenges encouraged teamwork, communication, creativity and problem-solving through hands-on learning.
Children read together with volunteers at the Reading Club
On March 14, 2024, children attended the Reading Club. They read books together with volunteers. The session encouraged regular reading and helped children become more comfortable with books.
Each child took home a fruit seed to grow
Each child took home a fruit seed to grow in a cup. They will water it regularly and watch it week by week. The session was about plant growth and the basic needs of living organisms. We will track progress with the children. The learning comes from their own observation rather than classroom discussion.
Children began using the new Reading Corner
The science class continued with hands-on learning. Children also began using the new Reading Corner. The reading programme follows a research-based approach adapted from proven models such as ASER and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL). It helps children build a regular reading habit based on their current reading ability rather than their age or grade. The goal is not just to provide books, but to help children enjoy reading and build confidence over time.
Young readers picked up their first books
The children’s reading corner came to life. Young readers picked up their first books and spent time exploring stories. This small beginning showed that a reading habit starts with a welcoming space. Children also need the freedom to find books at their own pace.
Children pulled DNA out of a kiwi fruit
The science class explored cells and DNA, helping children learn how cells and DNA form living things. Students took part in a hands-on experiment to extract DNA from a kiwi fruit. The activity generated many questions and curiosity. It showed that practical experiments can make science easier to understand and more engaging for children.
Olimalar Foundation held a meet-up for its volunteers
Olimalar Foundation held a volunteer meet-up on March 14, 2024. It took place at the space. We brought volunteers together. They learned about the organisation's work and future plans. The session encouraged discussion, questions, and sharing of ideas. We learned that regular communication and orientation are important. They help volunteers understand where they can contribute most effectively.
An evening of music and chai raised funds for Olimalar
People from all walks of life came together for an evening of music, chai and community. The event welcomed everyone. Some were seasoned singers, and others simply loved music and wanted to join in. Singing perfectly did not matter. Singing together did. Through shared songs, conversations and laughter, we created a warm and welcoming space. We also supported Olimalar Foundation's work with children and communities across Kochi.
Olimalar Foundation shared a cake with the space
Olimalar Foundation shared a cake with the space. We did it as a small gesture of happiness and togetherness. It became a simple celebration of new beginnings, working together, and the growing bonds within the space.
Olimalar Foundation and aikyam began writing shared rules for the space
Olimalar Foundation and aikyam began writing shared rules for the space. On the second day with Olimalar Foundation, we talked about creating shared guidelines. We also talked about how to use the space thoughtfully and together. The conversation helped build clarity and a stronger sense of working together in the space.
Practice began for the Paattum Chaayayum music fundraiser
Olimalar Foundation organised a community fundraiser called "Paattum chaayayum" on May 30 at aikyam space. We held a practice session at the space recently. It had music, conversations and collective energy for the event.
We welcomed Olimalar Foundation with gifts and a note
We welcomed Olimalar Foundation to aikyam space with small gifts and a welcome note. They are starting to use the space for their work and community activities. We expect to work together and learn from each other, building stronger community connections.
Children learned how air pressure works
Our team explained air pressure to the children on March 14, 2024, using simple examples and activities. We then ran a game session to make the learning more engaging.
Children mixed colours to see science at work
Children mixed colours to see science at work. Students watched and took part in a simple experiment using colours. By mixing and observing, they learned how small changes can show important science concepts.
Children explored the brain through hands-on experiments
On March 14, 2024, we ran a workshop for children about the brain. They did experiments to see how different parts worked. We made it practical so they could understand the ideas better.
Students saw the laws of motion for themselves
Students saw the laws of motion for themselves On March 14, 2024, we ran a session on the basic laws of motion. The students came to the workshop with curiosity and excitement. We set up experiments so they could see and feel the laws firsthand.
The children's art exhibition filled the walls with colour
The children's art exhibition filled the walls with colour. The walls slowly filled with colour. The space became somewhere children could feel seen, appreciated, and proud of what they had created.
Olimalar prepared its eighth children's art exhibition
The Olimalar team organized its 8th children's art exhibition and workshop. We made a colorful space for children to express and share their art.
At the science club, twelve children explored gravity and electricity
The science club brought together twelve children from the community. We played games and had conversations to get to know each other. We also joined a simple session exploring how gravity and electricity work.
Olimalar Foundation held a children's art exhibition
"Made with HeART", an exhibition of artworks by children from across Kochi, was held on April 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Olimalar Foundation hosted it as part of their LifSkool programme. Alongside the artworks were hands-on stations. Guided clay modelling and calligraphy were open to all ages. Entry was free, with no registration.
Their story
What people said
Aarthi Veerupillai, founder of the Olimalar Foundation
“I realised how much I would have benefited from these lessons growing up.”