Science made fun for children
"I will participate in constructive social activities to the utmost of my ability," pledges 17 years old Chaman Lal from Karsog block in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Such positive determination in a disadvantaged youth might seem unreal to some of us but through the Indradhanush magazine, the dedicated team of volunteers from People's Science Movement witness it on a regular basis. Indradhanush is a children's science magazine that was started in October 2004 with the objectives of bringing the joys of reading and opportunity of exploring and discovering the world to children who do not have the advantage of a wholesome education in their school or home settings.
Cover page of a recent Indradhanush issue
To achieve this goal, the magazine is published in Hindi and is building its readership in the 10 large Hindi speaking states of North India, mainly through schools. Indradhanush contains stories, poems, articles on science and do-it-yourself experiments aimed at 10-16 years old. The task seems to be daunting but judging by the enthusiasm of people working for it, and the sense of ownership it has been able to invoke among its readers; the initiative seems not just doable but fun! In barely 10 months time, the magazine's readership has reached 10,000 every month and shows great promise of increasing further. It is quite incredible that the initiative is completely volunteer driven.
Sandeep Thakur, Roshan Lal, Shobhana, Tek Chand, Poonam Kumari, Chaman Lal and Poonam, students in classes 9-12 in Karsog block of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh are regular readers of Indradhanush. They were unanimous that the magazine is a meaningful addition to their lives! They specifically appreciate Indradhanush's contribution in helping them to enjoy reading, providing them information on science and scientific discoveries, and creating an awareness of social evils. Some of them also voiced that the magazine has brought about an attitudinal change in them like a more active interest in environmental cleanliness, and an urge to contribute towards building a civil society. In the future issues of Indradhanush, they look forward to reading more about recent discoveries and explorations, life-histories of great scientists, lots of stories with illustrations. They are also eager to know how they can tackle problems in their community.
Anshumala Gupta, the editor says, "what touches my heart most is children ringing up on my mobile phone from some very remote village, children (mostly girls, somehow) who don't have the confidence to communicate with a stranger like me, and they tell me how they like reading Indradhanush." The magazine is so valued by both the children and their parents, that those who cannot afford to buy individual copy pool money to own it jointly! Yes, Rupees ten per month can be a difficult amount for many families in India but they are innovative enough to find a way to read Indradhanush. Those who can afford the magazine ensure that they have all the issues. The distribution in-charge, Bhim Singh (better known as, "Indradhanush wale uncle") recounts that at the magazine stall in a local fair, all the issues of the magazine were displayed, and, every 5 minutes a child would come dragging his/her parents and would scan them, "I have this one, this one, this one, but I don't have THIS" and then would triumphantly buy it. Children also brought their parents to the stall saying "Look ma, this is OUR stall!" The magazine team has indeed brought a rainbow into the lives of children! The onus is on us now to keep the initiative alive!
AID volunteers in Boston are actively involved in helping build a resource center for Indradhanush. They write for the magazine, reach out to the local community for eliciting support for the magazine by way of articles and donating subscriptions to kids in India. AID, Blacksburg has brought ?Indradhanush' into the lives of 750 children in 15 schools located in very remote and backward areas. Several volunteers from different backgrounds and disciplines are working together for a common aim: to enable children to enjoy science and reading! Join the fun at http://aidboston.org/indradhanush
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Compiled in the field by Anshumala Gupta, Himachal Gyan-Vigyan Samiti
Contributed by AID Boston volunteers Shailja Pathania, Padmashree Ramchandran, Aranya Bagchi
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