' Rubaroo: Nurturing Stories for Social Change



Change stories


Interfaith Story


Rubaroo taught me something that is invaluable, a way of living life. It gave me the space to fight over my anxiety while doing my Social Action Project by interacting with others and exchanging ideas throughout. Previously I have believed that 'Interfaith' only meant one religion and that religion is mine, but I have now learnt that it means 'humanity. I read about Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity, and I have come to realize that every religion advocates that each one should be equally treated with love.
~ Arif, Youth Champion, Agaaz-e-Baatcheet 2017


Agaaz-e-baatcheet was the stepping stone towards change within myself. It taught me to see myself before pointing at someone else. I have explored religions, through many religious facts which were not known to me. It is my journey from being an Atheist to being a Monotheist. I have seen that religions are not different actually, but their way of expression is different. To create interfaith among people is to create interfaith in your soul.
~ Mahadev, Youth Champion, Agaaz-e-Baatcheet 2017




"I learnt so much about Religion and their misconceptions. I learnt about what it means to be a perfect citizen of India.”

~ Participant, Keeping the Faith Workshop, in partnership with US Consulate, Hyderabad

"I learnt so much from this workshop. Firstly I learnt the meaning of interfaith as I interacted with different people. I learnt the value of Religion and Faith. Thank you so much for arranging this workshop.”

~ Participant, Keeping the Faith Workshop, in partnership with US Consulate, Hyderabad

"Thank you! I learnt that no religion should be treated differently and all should be friendly."

~ Participant, Keeping the Faith Workshop, in partnership with US Consulate, Hyderabad



Agaaz-e-Baatcheet


The skill that I learned is, how to face conflicts in society - something that is present everywhere around us. When my teammates were doing their Social Action Project - 'Social Experiments in public spaces', I experienced and analyzed situations on how we could react towards religious issues but I felt very introverted then. Slowly I learnt to inculcate a habit to raise my voice towards any conflict happening even in public.

Rubaroo is a huge platform for young India - a stage in which not only can we participate in events but also live moral and ethical values which all of us want in our life.
~ Akula Mohana Sai Bios, Youth Champion, Agaaz-e-Baatcheet 2017




"During Agaaz-e-Baatcheet, trying to convince people to participate in my Social Action Project was difficult for a person like me who had difficulties interacting with strangers, but Rubaroo and my wonderful group helped me overcome this. This experience helped me learn about the lives of different people and hear some of their heart touching stories."

~ Saroja, Youth Champion, Agaaz-e-Baatcheet 2017, in partnership with the British Deputy High Commission, Hyderabad



"This workshop completely changed me as a person. The journey with Agaaz-e-Baatcheet helped me understand myself better. I used to be someone who had a difficulty in interacting with strangers, but here I met a lot of people on the first day who were strangers to me and I learnt to understand them and see their positive sides. By the last day, we were the best of friends. Rubaroo made me question what was being told to me instead of blindly believing passed on knowledge. I would say that this was an experience of a lifetime! Thank you Rubaroo!"

~ Vishnu Saha, Youth Champion, Agaaz-e-Baatcheet 2017, in partnership with the British Deputy High Commission, Hyderabad



Rubaroo with Gender


Rubaroo with Gender has been a great learning experience for me. The 3-day workshop has changed my way of looking at Gender and has helped me understand it as a social construct. I have also started wearing my 'gender lens' in many spaces. It's never too late to do something and hence, I have started taking forward all my learnings. Rubaroo is a great platform to learn about social issues by experiencing them and I personally have explored a lot things - about society and my own self.

I have also started understanding things around me and accepting them. With all the activities i have done in 'Rubaroo With Gender' I have started acknowledging them and thinking about them deeply, a first step for change.
~ Reena, participant, Rubaroo with Gender 2018




"After being part of the 'Rubaroo with Gender' Workshop, I can differentiate between Sex and Gender and also have begun to define it. I now do things and feel good enough doing all kinds of work beyond looking at them being 'women based' or 'men based'. I also got to know that Gender roles are different Socially and Biologically."

~ Tanusha, Participant, Rubaroo with Gender

"I have been able to clear my misconceptions regarding sexuality through this Workshop. It was great to work with people of different genders. Now my perspectives with the 'Gender lens' would be adjusted in such way that there would be no discrimination through me and I will also try to create awareness in society around me. Apart from Male and Female, there are other genders who deserve equal respect in society. In order to bring the change, I need to be the change."

~ Mani Mukesh, Participant, Rubaroo with Gender

"I would like to implement my learnings beginning with ‘me’ and try to explain every relevant learning of mine - to my boyfriend, parents, brother, and my friends. I came to know how violence has its different forms today through this workshop. And the most important one was - Change always need not to be external, there are many such things that have to be internally challenged as well.”

~ Rashmita More, Participant, Rubaroo with Gender



Samvidhan Story


The Samvidhan LIVE! campaign was a different way to understand the Constitution. The Constitution appears to be dry when taught as Civics in class but through this journey, through the many tasks, I got to see how people live their rights and duties mentioned in the constitution, by experiencing them. Personally, I also improved my communication skills by learning how to speak with people.

The Jamghats were a space where we could openly share our ideas, debate, discuss, and argue, while we reflected on every task which was a learning experience.
~ Nirman, participant, Samvidhan LIVE! 2017




"I feel this as the best opportunity to share my feelings and learnings through Samvidhan LIVE! which made me know what the fundamental duties and fundamental rights are in reality and how to balance them. Before this programme, I saw every topic from one or two views but now I started viewing a topic from different aspects and thinking about them. I got some invisible strength, that how to face some obstacles and overcome them."

~ Rahila, Jagrik, Samvidhan LIVE! 2017



"My Journey throughout the Samvidhan LIVE! The jagrik project was amazing. This was my first time to go into public and do such tasks, that too, about fundamental rights and duties mentioned in the Indian Constitution. Formerly, I had a bit theoretical knowledge of Constitution but after this project I got complete clarity about the Constitution in a practical manner."

~ Gagandeep Reddy, Jagrik, Samvidhan LIVE! 2018



Rural Inturnship


The people I stayed with were really friendly and were there to comfort me, and help me adjust, and know them and the place. The comfort and care that I received was unexpected as my perspective on strangers was very different than what I experienced. The time I got to reflect on myself was really nice and I guess enough for me. I have become much more confident. My placement place has made me realize that I can adjust to a really new and different place in a very less one and after the Orientation Camp I have started appreciating stuff rather than complaining about what I don’t have.

The bond, affection, love, care, and talks with each and every person is what I really liked about the Orientation Camp. I felt very peaceful after the camp, after getting a lot of time to reflect on myself. I have started living each and every moment now.
~ Sara Kadiwala, Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, Participant, Rural In-turn-ship 2017

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. The Rural In-turn-ship was such.”

~ Krishna Sanketh, Rural In-turn-ship 2017, in partnership with Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad

"The Rural In-turn-ship was truly an enriching experience in terms of learning about life. An unexpected journey that led us to a beautiful destination. A challenging camp which led us out of our comfort zones.”

~ Reeyan M, Rural In-turn-ship 2017, in partnership with Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad

“I closed my panic zone and became close with my family during The Rural In-turn-ship.”

~ Aryan K, Rural In-turn-ship 2017, in partnership with Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad



Looking within: Leaders for Change


Main kisi bahar wale se khul kar baat nahi karti thi aur unku kuch bhi bolne se darti thi, par is workshop se mera saara darr door ho gaya hai aur main sab se khul kar baat kar sakti hoon. Mere pass ab bahut himmat hai. Main apni family ko samjhaoongi ki zindagi mein Education hi important hai aur unki manzoori lekar main apne khwabon ko pura karongi.
~ Sara, participant, My Life-Mere Faisle 2015-16



"I wanted to end my life as I thought I couldn’t make my mother happy. Through the My Life-Mere Faisle curriculum, I now believe in myself to achieve my dreams and give my mother a comfortable life."

~ Anitha, participant, My Life-Mere Faisle, a programme on addressing Early and Child Marriage issues



"I gained knowledge, learned to respect each other, and learned to take decisions for myself. The MLMF sessions made me realise that fun is a serious business. I learned that we should be able to take our own decisions and not judge anyone.”

~ Md. Abrar Ahmed, participant, My Life-Mere Faisle, a programme on addressing Early and Child Marriage issues



"Hum ne is workshop se doosron ki respect karna, help karna, aur decision lena seekha.”

~ Sakeena Begum, participant, My Life-Mere Faisle, a programme on addressing Early and Child Marriage issues