Opening Doorz

By Harshikaa Udasi | Opening Doorz Editorial | February 13, 2017

How do you remember your classroom? Dreary? Just plain white walls? Or sometimes as musty damp places? Well, a revolutionary campaign by a small but driven group of young, enthusiastic and dedicated professionals is out to wipe out that memory forever! All those classrooms in dire need of some tender loving care need no longer despair for the My Classroom Campaign is here. The jolly set of workers behind this campaign identifies classrooms that need their TLC and works on them. They essentially rectify any issues like peeling paint, water seepage or cracked and crumbling walls and then paint them with beautiful art that is both academic and inspiring in nature.

The need to beautify our classrooms
Jayakrishnan Pillai is the driving force behind Heyyo Media and the My Classroom Campaign is his brainchild. “We aim to spread smiles across the faces of as many little children as we can, and make their schools an environment where learning becomes exciting, a space they are excited to come to and belong to. We aim to cover 50 classrooms by the end of 2017,” he says.

My Classroom Campaign aims to beautify classrooms, especially in underprivileged and rural areas and make them a beautiful and happy learning space for the little ones. “We felt that the lottery of birth should not influence how enjoyable the experience of learning is. So we, in association with Canvas Tree, are looking out for classrooms that need attention and we collaborate with brands that are looking to associate with good causes,” says Pillai.

For Sreejith P A of Canvas Tree, the artists’ collective that associates with Heyyo Media in the My Classroom Campaign, art is euphoria. “For us, creating art is joy. And it becomes priceless when we are creating art that will make a big difference in the life of little kids. If our art makes coming to school a happier and enriching experience for the children, there lies the real value of the work we are doing,” he says.

Projects undertaken by My Classroom Campaign
Work has begun in earnest. The first project in the My Classroom Campaign was in September last year. It was carried out in the St Ignatious Layola LP School in Edapally, Cochin, followed by the City of Los Angeles School, Mumbai, in association with Teach For India. This week the team will be in Noida, in association with the NGO My Perch to beautify classrooms there. They will be back in Kochi in association with Belong Foundation at a school in Vypin. Without a moment’s rest, Pune is next on their radar!

About the people at Heyyo Media and Canvas Tree
Heyyo Media is an interactive agency that works in the realms of digital marketing, content creation and CSR campaigns. Canvas Tree is an online collective of emerging artists. Why do they want to make a difference in the field of education? Because they are spurred by a desire to spread smiles across the faces of as many little children as they can! “We want to make their schools an environment where learning becomes exciting, a space they are excited to come to and belong to,” says Pillai.

(Harshikaa Udasi has worked with top publications across the country for the last 15 years. When not busy with her journalistic pursuits, she runs a book reading club for children called Book Trotters Club. Besides these full-time pursuits, she enjoys observing the two main circuses of our country—Bollywood and politics.)

Do you have an inspiring story to share? Do you know of someone who is a ‘hero’? We at Opening Doorz would love to Open our Doorz for you. Do write in to us at editor.openingdoorz@gmail.com

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