Meet Sanju … a third year student at the University of Colombo who spends his Saturday afternoons sitting on a dusty street teaching music to a group of enthusiastic children.  He has developed a close bond with his students despite having joined the initiative only a few months ago.  “I feel that these Saturday afternoons have not just been positive for the kids,” he observes “but I think working with them has changed me as well.”

Dhow Foundation (DF) – How old are you? Have you finished your studies or are you still in school? Tell us a little about yourself.

Sanju – The 7 of us that volunteer now are between 22 and 23 years old. We are all university students here in Sri Lanka

DF – How long have you been volunteering here?

S – I started in November 2016.

DF – How many students are there in the class that you teach? Do most of the children come every week?

S– We usually have about 15 kids at our class, which is held every Saturday. There is another class at a settlement in Narahenpita on Sundays. The classes are two hours long and in addition to the music lessons, we play different music related exercises and games with the children.

DF – Have you seen any positive changes in the relationships between the children or in their interest in the class?

S– I definitely believe the program has had a positive impact on them. When they started, only a few of them knew each other, but now they are all good friends. They look forward to the classes and have reached a level of camaraderie where they play without worrying about making mistakes in front of one another. They have picked up many of the basic skills and they can all play at least a few songs. They look forward to the next class, which is a good sign, as they seem to want to learn. This is a good first step I think.

DF – What else do you think can be done? Are there any ideas you have that you think would be good for the class or the children?

S – The children and their families appreciate these classes and are happy to continue. I think if this program could be arranged at more settlements around the city, we can really make a positive difference in more people’s lives.

DF – Do you have any other thoughts and ideas on the initiative?

S – It is a pleasure to be a part of this initiative. It helps develop the kids’ skills and their ability to perform while keeping them away from any negative influences that they may come across at the settlements. They are such good and happy children. I hope more people will volunteer at least once at a programme like this so that they can see things from a different perspective. I think working with the kids has helped me become a better and happier person. I would also like to thank you for supporting initiatives such as this.