Thulikha, is just six years old. But she has big plans for her summer holidays, apart from her swimming, yoga and keyboard classes. She plans to help a child go to school with the money she makes by selling her rainbow bands. She has a talent in arts and crafts. She is fond of cutting and sticking newspapers and making things from craft books.
Click on the thumbnails to view larger images
“I love making these bands. I can make the fusilli, hexa-fishtail and beaded bands, but I need help with the hot-air balloon pattern.” she says with a smile. Thulika googles and spends hours trying to learn new patterns. She makes wristbands, rings, earrings and even necklaces. Her mother, aunt and cousin also help her.
Thulikha’s aunt inspired her to sell the bands and finance a child’s education. She started in April and her aunt maintains a Facebook page for her. In one and a half months’ time, she has made Rs. 7000, after expecting to make only Rs.3000. When asked about what she would do with the money, she replies, “I’m going to give the money to my aunt’s helper’s daughter because her parents find it difficult to pay her school fees.” She loves what she is doing. Her only grudge is cleaning time, she doesn’t like clearing messy bands.
Her future plans? “I am trying to learn quilling, maybe, I can do that next time.” She has found what she is good at and she is using it to help people. This young philanthropist is rearing to go and you can follow her journey on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thulikha-Educating-a-child/806551179423316
Gopika is an Economics graduate on the outside, and a writer on the inside. She used to be a student reporter for YOCee which she says, gave her the kickstart to move on to writing with her university magazine – The Context, an online news website called the Bastion, and become a peer tutor at the University Writing Centre, Her post-lockdown plan currently is to do her two-year fellowship with Teach for India