“Will you come again?”
That’s what many children asked us as our workshops came to a close in the Dalmore and Ramjhora Tea Gardens. Some even wrote us letters -about what they learned, yet others, heartfelt innocent love letters. They didn’t want Sourav and Daraab to leave.
In May 2025, Anahat conducted a creative expression and storytelling workshop for children in the two abandoned tea estates of Alipurduar, Dalmore and Ramjhora. Led by wonderful external facilitators: Daraab Saleem Abbasi and Sourav Roy are both designers and development professionals who bring together creativity and social impact work. Both are India Fellow alumni who have worked extensively in Gujarat – Daraab with Khamir creating handicraft-based school curriculums, and Sourav with KMVS using theatre and storytelling for community engagement. They specialise in facilitation, research, and creating learning experiences that give voice to marginalised communities through art, design, and creative expression.
Under their stewardship, these sessions became more than just activities. Instead, they became spaces where children found their voice, freedom and joy.
We brought along:
- Paper, clay, cardboard
- Short animated films
- Time, patience and a willingness to listen
In Dalmore, the 5-day journey became a powerful reminder of what happens when children are trusted with space, creativity and care.
On the first day, some children were reticent. A few said they didn’t like drawing, while others hesitated to speak or join games. But as the days unfolded, so did they. With every activity – playful ice-breakers, painting together on rotating charts, clay modelling and short films like The Story of Walter and Wings – they started opening up.
By Day 2, their clay figures began to reflect real emotions and dreams. By Day 3, they were building entire characters – giving them names, likes, dislikes, magical traits. And by Day 4, those characters found their way into full-fledged stories. These weren’t just fictional tales; many were shaped by their own thoughts, feelings and realities.
Children who once said “I can’t draw” were now sketching scenes of home, pets and even imaginary friends. Storytelling became a tool for catharsis- helping them process fear, friendship, joy and courage.
The most beautiful shift came when the children began to see themselves as creators. They wrote, drew, imagined and even edited their stories like little authors – focused, excited and confident. Some kids who were the quietest on Day 1 stood up on Day 5 and narrated their stories in front of an audience – voices steady, eyes bright.
And then, there were the letters.
After the final session where their stories were shared with parents, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) team and the Panchayat Pradhan- several children quietly handed over handwritten notes to trainers Sourav and Daraab. Some said thank you. Some were full of affection. Some simply pleaded:
“Please don’t go. Can you stay?” Others professed, “This was the best week ever”
It was emotional for the children, the trainers and the community. The growth in a mere five days was visible: confidence, emotional awareness, teamwork and joy.
This wasn’t just a workshop. It was a turning point – for many children, it was the first time they felt truly seen.
In Ramjhora, we had only had three days – but we filled them with colour, warmth and quiet magic. Because of the number of participants, each day was thoughtfully divided into two sessions – morning and afternoon – so that every child had space to speak, create and be heard.
We began with playful ice-breaking games to ease hesitation and slowly invited the children into a world of imagination:
They started with “mann marzi drawings” -free-flowing drawings that reflected their moods and inner thoughts. They then sat face-to-face in pairs, drawing portraits of each other.
This wasn’t just about art – it was about really seeing the other person. One child said afterward, “I never noticed their smile like this before”
On Day 2, the children used cardboard to create expressive face masks. Guided by a visual PPT, they shaped emotions, personalities and stories into faces – some happy, some thoughtful, some just plain funny. The process helped them explore shape, emotion and identity using the simplest of materials.
Day 3 brought in clay – soft, sensory, grounding. Children shaped their favourite objects, emotions and people using clay. Many said they had never used clay before but found joy in the process of creating something with their own hands.
Each session ended with honest reflection circles.
Children were asked simple questions:
“What did you enjoy today?”, “What did you feel while creating this?”
For many, it was the first time someone asked them how they felt, not just what they did.
The transformation over three days was visible – children who were hesitant on Day 1 were deeply immersed by Day 3, freely sharing, playing and expressing themselves.
In those few days, a strong bond of trust and curiosity was built – one that opened the door for deeper engagement in the future.
What we witnessed was truly heartwarming.
- Children who barely spoke on day one were laughing, helping each other and working together by the final day. Through each activity – be it drawing, clay modelling, or storytelling – they began to see their own worth.
- We saw quiet hesitation turn into confident expressions.
- We saw friendships forming, voices growing stronger and smiles becoming wider.
- And most of all, we saw a deep emotional bond forming between the children and the facilitators, Sourav and Daraab – a connection built on trust, play and gentle guidance that will stay with all of us for a long time.
This wasn’t just a workshop. It was a reminder of how powerful love, imagination and being truly seen can be for a child. We left carrying not just artwork and letters – but memories we’ll hold close.
Written by- Soumit Das, Communications Associate