CREATE Foundation’s Online Workshops With NGOs

Equal opportunity is just as important when it comes to the arts, for holistic learning and development
The CREATE Charitable Trust, founded by Raell Padamsee in loving memory of her parents Pearl and Alyque Padamsee, aims to revolutionise education and society through the lens of the creative arts. In the past, CREATE has worked with several NGOs to give marginalised and challenged children the opportunity to feature in Raell Padamsee’s ACE productions across some of the most prestigious stages in India. This has been possible with the support of several corporates, including TATA Sons, HDFC, the Bajaj Group and CIPLA, among many others.

Online Speech & Drama Classes
Now, as marginalised and challenged children bear the brunt of the pandemic, CREATE is working with multiple NGOs to conduct virtual Speech and Drama classes for them. Pehchaan, Salaam Bombay Foundation, Society for the Education of the Challenged, Seva Sadan and ADAPT are among the NGOs that CREATE is working with to conduct these classes. In fact, the CREATE Foundation has a long history of working with these organisations. The CREATE Foundation is committed to furthering the development of the children they work with, and reaching as many children as possible.
The Speech and Drama classes include a number of activities that have been thoughtfully designed to foster holistic development and inculcate essential life skills. Thought exercises, role play, mime, improvisation, speech exercises, theatre games and performances are among the activities included in the classes. These activities are proven to increase concentration, spark creativity, boost confidence, build character, enhance memory, improve attitude, create self-awareness, strengthen social skills, develop public speaking skills and improve communication. Plus, they’re also a ton of fun, and the kids always have a blast.

Joy of Giving Week
During Joy of Giving week, which is celebrated globally from October 2 to 8, ACE Productions and The CREATE Foundation are conducting online workshops for kids via the Wishing Well platform. In view of the pandemic, many NGOs continue to remain closed, so they have requested leaders in their field to share their skills and expertise and bring some fun and excitement into the lives of those they work with. ACE Productions and The CREATE Foundation are conducting a 5-day Speech and Drama workshop for children of ages 10 to 13 and a 1-day workshop for young adults between the ages of 14 and 19.

Overwhelming Response
The response to the workshops have been overwhelming. The organisers have mentioned that many children have been attending the workshops from their villages, sometimes travelling half an hour away from their homes to get a cell phone signal. One young lady went all the way to the side of a highway to get a signal. Her father accompanied her for protection and her uncle held up a light so that she could be seen in the dark. The children’s enthusiasm and commitment to the classes has been nothing short of inspiring.