Today’s Question: What’s a BaLA School?

Let’s cut right to the chase today and get at the answer to the burning question of the title of this blog post.

“BaLA” means “Building as Learning Aid,” where the building itself becomes a tool for learning.  Today, I visited a school in a “basti” (slum) community, where an organization called Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has revitalized, renovated, and rebuilt a government school and neighborhood over the past 10 years.  There is a great deal more to the story, but the pictures will give some idea of the ways in which this organization has injected new life into an abysmal reality.

Imagine a government-run school in such squalid condition that opening your mouth meant having flies swarm in.  Literally.  Imagine a place where teachers don’t show up, where health hazards abound, where children are hit for minor infractions.  And then imagine trying to transform that environment into one of cleanliness, learning, positive energy, warmth, and well-being.   Here are a couple of photos illustrating the before/after pictures of this particular school:

As for BaLA elements, check out the details in this set below… halls lined with chalkboards at children’s level (lower half of the walls throughout the building); art filling the walls and spaces; doors opening to reveal angles on a curve; window features teaching fractions (pie shape) and even an abacus!; stairwells with numbers, sound-makers, and other playful activities; and more.  It was amazing to see!

Outside, AKF was able to transform a plot of land that was being used as a dumping ground, where rag-pickers (trash-pickers) and drug-dealers used to roam.  Now — it’s a playground for children.  And a similar lot nearby?  It’s now a park for women and children — designed to provide women, who are often vitamin D deficient, a place to get some fresh air and sunshine in privacy and safety.  Because the area is largely Muslim, many of the women cover their heads and faces in public, so the private women’s park is a place where they can let down the coverings to get some sunshine. The park also has been equipped with exercise stations to help the women stay active. The park for women is to the right of this picture behind the wall (for privacy and safety of the women).

This particular school doesn’t cater to children with disabilities, but they do assist with locating appropriate placements for those kids from the community.  Also, have any of you heard of the Hole In The Wall computer kiosks?  There’s a very well-known TED talk about the initiative which places computers at random places mainly in slum communities, to allow people to explore and develop skills “organically” through free exploration.  This school had one of those stations just outside:

And just for fun, take a look at this barefooted boy from the neighborhood playing cricket!  The children are just starting their vacation:

I’ve gone to a great variety of others schools in the past two weeks — too many to describe in detail for each.  But here are some photos to give an idea of the inclusive settings that I’ve visited.  This set is mainly from one particular school that takes children with cognitive impairment, autism, and other developmental challenges.  Note the ways in which they create picture-boards for non-verbal children — including a set of cards on a “key ring,” velcroed items on desks (words as well as pictures), booklets and bulletin boards. This school also had a small wading pool for the kids to play in, and a place where they made crafts to sell.  And of course, a food shot of the lunch they gave me, from their cafeteria!  South Indian food — dosas and idlis.

And while we are on the topic of food, here is a sequence of photos featuring “jalebis” — very very sweet and syrupy treats.  Priyanka and I picked some up from a street vendor, and brought some home to enjoy with ice cream.  First, the dough gets squeezed into loops in hot oil. Then, they get dunked into the heated syrup.  They are best when enjoyed hot and fresh, but also quite delicious a bit later with “date palm jaggery” ice cream.  🙂

 

And what’s that you say?  More street scenes?  More cows?  Well, ok!  And we’ll end this post with these scenes, since it’s getting too late on my side of the world to still be up! (The one of the gorgeous pink tree was actually at another school visit.) (Please click on the set to see them in full size.)