Our Vision is Rang Karwan is to work towards a world without oppression where humans are aware emotionally, politically and socially.
Our mission is to create collaborative and exploratory spaces for community members to learn about self and determine community solutions. We build opportunities to engage in artistic, and collaborative spaces that will encourage communities (especially adolescents and youth) to come together to build and share the process of knowledge creation and exploration. We honour the process above the results, and trust communities to know what they need most.
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The "How"
We use the pedagogy of Paulo Freire where he replaces conventional education with a “problem-posing model” that makes people more equal. It presents communities with worldly problems that relate to their lives and pushes them to analyze how and why those problems exist. This model directly combats oppression by empowering people to question their conditions, and by encouraging dialogue.
Timeline
The "Why"
🏡 I hail from multiple small towns in India. In my early years, I had limited exposure, and the idea of a successful career seemed like a distant dream. My father struggled to make ends meet, and the financial constraints were a constant challenge.
📚 My educational opportunities were limited, and I lacked the motivation to break free from the traditional and regressive background that surrounded me. English was not my strong suit, and our family had little connection with literature due to the daily struggle for survival. Despite these hurdles, I was a creative and curious child. I yearned to learn and grow, but circumstances seemed to conspire against me.
👩🎨 At the age of 23, I embarked on a journey. I took a leap of faith, quitting my job to explore the transformative power of arts-based education in rural India.
🌍 The places I called home lacked libraries, community learning centers, or organizations that could provide the exposure and opportunities needed for personal and societal growth. The same complacency that once held me captive had enveloped the people in these remote areas.
🎭 This realization ignited the spark within me to establish Rang Kaarwaan, dedicated to creating spaces that foster exploration, awareness, and the development of conscious individuals. Arts-based pedagogies became the heart of our approach, tapping into my creative strengths and a belief that traditional learning methods needed a change.
💪 For 4 years, I've worked tirelessly, often without financial support or the expertise to raise funds and market our cause. My journey has been a hands-on experience, learning to manage a team, navigate fundraising, and handle social media—all while freelancing to make ends meet.
🌱 The nature of our work, centered on behavioral change, requires long-term engagement with the same individuals, making it challenging to showcase immediate and large impact numbers. This struggle to prove our worth sometimes leads to skepticism about the significance of our work.
🌠 Despite these hardships, my dreams remain undeterred. I aim to gain recognition and support for Rang Kaarwaan, not as a graduate of a prestigious university with impressive statistics but as someone driven by a passion to empower my local community. I don't stand alone; I stand beside a group of local individuals equally committed to transforming our community.
~Vandana Asha
Founder & CEO
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