Young girls and women from the slums of Kolkata can now train in music, dance, arts and theatre at a school set up by NGO EkTara, in association with Tomorrowland Foundation, a foundation created by the popular electronic music festival.
The Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School was formally inaugurated at the EkTara Learning Centre in Kolkata on December 2. The team members of We Are One World, a Belgian company behind Tomorrowland, were present.
Girls and women from different slum areas of Kolkata can enrol in the school
School with a difference
Built on an area of 7,000 sq ft, the school has a performance area within the EkTara Learning Centre at Gobra, the heart of the largest slum area in Kolkata. Professionals will train young girls and women in music, dance, arts and theatre.
Vinita Saraf, founder and managing trustee of Tomorrowland Foundation Music and Arts School, said, “Learning and education for EkTara was never limited to academics and from our inception, we have worked on the holistic child development model.”
The school will also open its doors to children enrolled at other non-profit, budget private schools and government schools in the city. It aims to reach out to 5,000 children in the next four years.
Children enrolled with other non-profit, budget private schools and government schools can also join this school
EkTara for the lesser privileged
EkTara Learning Centre is focused on facilitating access to high-quality English medium education and skill building opportunities to children and women living in slums. Since the foundation of the NGO in 2011, it has reached out to around 2,000 girls and women to educate, engage and empower them.
EkTara has set up this state-of-the-art school with support from the Tomorrowland Foundation, which has committed to partially support the running cost.
Saraf added, “With the music and arts school and its association with the prestigious Tomorrowland Foundation, EkTara is equipped to deliver holistic development at a whole new level of quality and scale. This will not just help them express creatively but also enhance their self-esteem and personal development.”
The school will reach out to 5,000 children in the next four years
Tomorrowland Foundation imparting skills
The Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School by EkTara is the second of its kind in the world, with one in Nepal. These schools offer classes in music, dance, arts, theatre, photography and other visuals and performing arts. The schools give the less privileged children a chance to express themselves creatively, work on their self-esteem, and create avenues to explore their talents and interests.
The foundation also supports Mobile School. This non-profit organisation also works with street children all over the world through extendable blackboards on wheels. They work on themes such as reading, writing, social skills and creativity. They help street children to discover and unlock their talent and regain a positive self-image.
