Where Trust Starts

Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz Break the Ice at Chahar Majara School

Shivani Sidhu

8/31/20265 min read

Where Trust Starts: Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz Break the Ice at Chahar Majara School

On the morning of August 29, two groups that had never worked together before walked onto the grounds of Chahar Majara School with the same simple plan: show up, play and get to know the children. No lesson plan, no agenda, no clipboard. Just games, songs and a lot of noise.

Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz have spent months circling the idea of doing something together for the community. Both organizations share a commitment to education and community upliftment, and this visit put that shared purpose into practice. It was built on purpose to be light. Before either organization asks a child about school stress or family pressure, that child needs a reason to trust the people asking. Games and music build that reason a lot faster than an introduction speech does.

This first visit was not a one-off meet-and-greet. It was a starting point, a way to open the door for the programs both organizations plan to run at the school in the months ahead.

Grade 11 and up students from Strawberry Fields High School led most of the games on the Sahyog Sanstha side, with Raahi Rakhra representing the team as Youth Ambassador and Student Leader. Asha Ki Awaaz sent a full crew: Abhir (President), Sairah (HOD of Design), Jiya (HOD of Social Media), Lakshit (HOD of Finance), Jaiveer and Shayaan (Co-HODs of Logistics).

Games, Songs and a Lot of Noise

Within minutes of arriving, the Asha Ki Awaaz volunteers had the kids running through games built to get them engaged and test their memory. A few of the younger children hung back at the start. That did not last.

Music came next. Volunteers and students traded songs back and forth, clapping along, before the afternoon built to a full dance competition that had every kid on the field taking a turn in the middle of the circle. The event wrapped with treats for the kids, a small, sweet way to send everyone off on a high.

"Kindness is a language everyone understands," said Jiya, HOD of Social Media at Asha Ki Awaaz. By the second round of games, the shy kids from the first ten minutes were the ones pulling volunteers by the hand into the next one.

Shayaan, Co-HOD of Logistics, put the whole point of the afternoon in one line: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." That is the belief Asha Ki Awaaz and Sahyog Sanstha are trying to build in these kids, one visit at a time and Jaiveer summed up the spirit the whole team brought to the visit: "Empowering the youth, one crazy idea at a time."

A Moment That Stuck

Not every takeaway from the day belonged to the kids. Sairah, HOD of Design, said the visit reframed something for her too: "Today made me realise that not always do you need everything in life, and sometimes just happiness is the biggest blessing."

That is the kind of exchange this partnership is built on. The volunteers came to give the kids a good afternoon, and left with a reminder of their own.

Bonding That Went Both Ways

The connections built that day ran in both directions. Volunteers taught the kids new games and picked up a few local ones in return. Conversations that started over a ball or a song kept going long after the games ended, the kind of exchange that turns a first meeting into the start of a friendship. We will be sharing more of these moments, in the students' and volunteers' own words, as we collect them.

Why This Work Matters

"Guiding the youth is no less than shaping the nation's future," said Abhir, President of Asha Ki Awaaz. Lakshit, HOD of Finance, framed it just as simply: "When you help someone, you help everyone. "From the Sahyog Sanstha side, Raahi Rakhra left with no doubt about where this is headed: "I had a great time. All of the teachers and staff were very nice, and every kid was super energetic. I can't wait to go back again."

Looking Ahead: Four Areas of Focus

This visit was the opening move, not the whole plan. Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz are building a series of follow-up programs at Chahar Majara School around four areas.

Academics comes first. The plan includes supplementary tutoring and mentorship, pairing volunteer educators with students who need one-on-one support, and building an environment where curiosity gets encouraged instead of shut down.
Mental health and social pressure come next. Workshops and open discussions will focus on peer relationships and coping strategies, giving students language and tools for stress most of them are already carrying.
Sports rounds out the physical side. Tournaments and fitness sessions build teamwork and discipline while giving students a healthy outlet outside the classroom.
Family engagement ties it together. Events that bring parents and educators into the same room build the support system every one of these programs depends on.

Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz see this as a long-term commitment to the school, not a single afternoon of goodwill. For now, the takeaway from day one is straightforward. Two teams that had never worked together showed up, played hard, sang louder and left a school full of kids who are already asking when the next visit happens.

Sahyog Sanstha and Asha Ki Awaaz will share updates on the next event soon.