By: Nidhi and Gazala.
Gubbacchi Learning Community works with migrant children from underprivileged backgrounds, many of whom are attending school for the first time. New Mornings has partnered with Gubbacchi to support these children by focusing on life skills and holistic development through group and one-on-one counseling.
Gubbacchi marks a significant milestone in our journey. It has been both a challenging and enriching experience. The challenges are unique. Many children have not attended school before, and their language and comprehension skills are underdeveloped. To address this, we design our sessions using a combination of storytelling, interactive discussions, and fun activities that effectively convey the intended messages. While these children have high aspirations, they face limited exposure, minimal opportunities, and mindsets that often hinder their growth. Some students show sharp intellectual abilities, while others demonstrate strong emotional resilience. Unfortunately, their pent-up anger, frustration, lack of social skills, and absence of a positive environment have deeply influenced their personalities.
We began with group sessions to build trust and rapport. After a few introductory sessions on emotions and feelings, using interactive exercises, we introduced one-on-one counseling alongside monthly group sessions. A few months into the program, our team identified common challenges across the children. In response, we adjusted our strategy to focus more on group sessions, addressing shared topics such as anger management, relationship issues, and behavioral challenges to create a broader impact.
Our journey at Gubbacchi is slow, with small yet meaningful achievements. However, the joy we experience is immense. As counselors and facilitators, it is deeply satisfying to witness even the slightest positive shift in the attitudes of these children. These moments renew our motivation to continue making a lasting, positive impact on their lives.
