Spreading Joy Spreading Joy for Design for for Design for

ChangeChangeLohia’s Little Angels High Lohia’s Little Angels High

SchoolSchoolAgapura, HyderabadAgapura, Hyderabad

Design for Change Design for Change TeamTeam

Mentor: Allison GrossMentor: Allison Gross Student Leaders from 8Student Leaders from 8thth Grade Team: Grade Team:

Pravalika GoudPravalika Goud Safia YaminiSafia Yamini Saipriya Saipriya Sara BegumSara Begum Samreen FatimaSamreen Fatima

Correspondent: Reshma LohiaCorrespondent: Reshma Lohia+91 970 133 8631+91 970 133 8631reshmalohia@gmail.com

““FEEL”FEEL” First, the eight grade students were asked to talk about First, the eight grade students were asked to talk about

their homes, school, neighborhoods, community of Agapura, their homes, school, neighborhoods, community of Agapura, and India. They described both the positives and negatives and India. They described both the positives and negatives of each of these and were asked to discuss issues within of each of these and were asked to discuss issues within each of these environments that they think could be bettereach of these environments that they think could be better

Next the class split into smaller groups and were told to Next the class split into smaller groups and were told to make lists of issues they wanted to address within the scope make lists of issues they wanted to address within the scope of the Design for Change competitionof the Design for Change competition

Groups came up with a range of ideas to address, including: Groups came up with a range of ideas to address, including: feeding the hungry, employment for beggars, addressing feeding the hungry, employment for beggars, addressing illiteracy and school dropout, and dangerous driving illiteracy and school dropout, and dangerous driving conditionsconditions

Ultimately, the students felt great empathy for children like Ultimately, the students felt great empathy for children like them that have had their normal, daily lives uprooted them that have had their normal, daily lives uprooted because of illness. They’ve seen this happen to children in because of illness. They’ve seen this happen to children in their families and communities and wanted to determine a their families and communities and wanted to determine a way that they could help make a positive impact on these way that they could help make a positive impact on these lives. lives.

IMAGINE IMAGINE a solution and a solution and plan it plan it

The students considered what it would be like to be sick and The students considered what it would be like to be sick and in the hospital for an extended period of time, and thought in the hospital for an extended period of time, and thought about what they would want a group of kids to come and doabout what they would want a group of kids to come and do

They realized that the best way they could give back to They realized that the best way they could give back to others was through sharing their time through reading, others was through sharing their time through reading, telling stories and jokes, singing, and dancing, and decided telling stories and jokes, singing, and dancing, and decided they wanted to visit their local children’s hospital and spend they wanted to visit their local children’s hospital and spend time doing these things to bring joy to the sick children that time doing these things to bring joy to the sick children that have been away from their friends and feeling sad or lonely have been away from their friends and feeling sad or lonely

They were granted permission to come in a group of 10 to They were granted permission to come in a group of 10 to the Hope Children’s Hospital, and planned their visit by the Hope Children’s Hospital, and planned their visit by practicing their jokes and stories, picking out books from practicing their jokes and stories, picking out books from the school collection they wanted to share, and coloring the school collection they wanted to share, and coloring pictures to give the children as gifts. They soon realized pictures to give the children as gifts. They soon realized that some of their plans like dancing or giving chocolates that some of their plans like dancing or giving chocolates wouldn’t work logistically due to space, noise, and dietary wouldn’t work logistically due to space, noise, and dietary constraintsconstraints

““DO”DO” On the morning that we went into the hospital, there On the morning that we went into the hospital, there

were two patients that could have visitors. The 10 were two patients that could have visitors. The 10 students spent about 30 minutes with each of them, students spent about 30 minutes with each of them, taking turns getting to know them through conversation, taking turns getting to know them through conversation, and sharing the pictures, jokes, stories, and songs they and sharing the pictures, jokes, stories, and songs they prepared. prepared.

The patients were very happy to have a joyful group of The patients were very happy to have a joyful group of visitors and the parents too were very appreciative of the visitors and the parents too were very appreciative of the company for their children. company for their children.

The pictures and stories were very appreciated, and the The pictures and stories were very appreciated, and the jokes and conversation stirred up a lot of smiles and jokes and conversation stirred up a lot of smiles and laughterlaughter

Pictures from Hospital Pictures from Hospital VisitVisit

Pictures Cont.Pictures Cont.

SHARESHARE

The students have shared their experience The students have shared their experience with the rest of our class and the whole with the rest of our class and the whole school. They had such positive experience school. They had such positive experience from giving back to those just like them that from giving back to those just like them that have had to deal with being unwell and away have had to deal with being unwell and away from school and friends. They could feel their from school and friends. They could feel their impact and felt very connected to those that impact and felt very connected to those that they helped. they helped.

They were very happy to have this experience They were very happy to have this experience and hope to return to the hospital again and hope to return to the hospital again

IMPACTIMPACT

Number of students directly impacted: 10Number of students directly impacted: 10 Number of students indirectly impacted: 60Number of students indirectly impacted: 60 Number of people directly impacted: 2 Number of people directly impacted: 2

patientspatients Number of people indirectly impacted: 5Number of people indirectly impacted: 5