“Last week we had a special visit of some friends from Auroville!

 The Grade Two class from Transition School (Auroville) came to see what is happening in Children’s Land and to learn about sustainability. From the minute the twenty of them stepped off the bus they were eager to take in everything around them and we loved to answer their questions as the day went on. They first went for a tour through Sadhana Forest to see the different aspects of a sustainable community, and after lunch ended their visit with a cool and crazy swim in the mudpool. 

On the tour we showed them many different parts of our home to help them learn about sustainability, such as the locally-made huts, water conversation methods, the rocket stoves in the kitchen, the space-efficient dorms, the cycle-powered energy, the solar panels, the vegetable gardens and, of course, the forest!

Many questions and ideas came from these motivated and curious children, and we were so inspired by their own experiences, stories and wonders! Many shared their own personal methods of conserving resources and we all cheered for the many aspects of sustainability!

While in the forest, we sat in a circle around the beautiful baby trees to take some time for reflection and listening. As a group, we closed our eyes and meditated and listened to what this young trees had to tell us. We felt their living energy and heard their stories individually, then shared together what we had heard and felt from our small friends. Many of the children felt that the tree was thankful for us, that we could look after them and understand what they needed. This was such a powerful moment, to see the connections made between these children and their future!

In Childrens Land they were excited and curious, and started running all over the place to see the projects that other children have done. They understood then that Sadhana Forest was also their home, and that Childrens Land was for their own projects and ideas too! This brought up a lot of suggestions and ideas, such as a place for them to play.

“Can you make a tree house?” they asked. ”Of course!” we said, “but we need your help too! You are in charge!” They laughed and said they would come back to see if their ideas could work just as the other projects had!

After playing some games we went for a delicious lunch all together in the main hut, sitting in harmony in a mandala shape surrounded by a bigger circle of all the Sadhana Forest volunteers. 

All the children washed their own dishes so that they could run to the mudpool, jumping and splashing. They had a lot of fun, making different hair styles with the mud and letting it dry on their skin in the warm sun.

 This day was such a motivating and educational journey for all of the teachers, children and volunteers, and we look forward to more visits from our friends at Transitional School!”

Photograph by Diego Fontecilla Correa