Doorman Anwar outside Merasi School
We Recommend
Folk Arts Rajasthan
Stephen Huyler: Anthropologist, Photographer & Author of Books on India Folk Culture
Nasir looks up from writing his first alphabet
The Merasi School is proud to be the educational branch of Folk Arts Rajasthan, (FAR) an American nonprofit that works in concert with Lok Kala Sagar Sansthan, a Non-Governmental Organization in India run by and for the Merasi community, to promote their mutual missions of Merasi empowerment.
Find out more about FAR by clicking here!
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Mongilal and Akram are happy to share their work
A Note from Co-Director Pamela Pelizzari
Thank you, thank you, thank you – words can’t express how grateful I am to all of the faithful friends and supporters of the Merasi School during this transitional time. I’m happy to report that exciting things have been happening at the Merasi School!
Our students continue to receive four full hours of academic and music instruction, and they relish every minute. It’s hard to imagine a community of children more eager for knowledge than the students at the Merasi School – read below about Emily, a Folk Arts Rajasthan intern who recently spent five weeks launching the new Merasi Health initiative, or check out Gumsa, our brand new Murli instructor, on the staff page. Merasi children are starting 2010 armed with fully stocked first aid kits, an exciting opportunity to learn to play the endangered Murli, and for some, a field trip with co-directors Pamela and Sarwar to the American Embassy School in New Delhi to perform and participate in workshops that will encourage further cultural understanding.
Here at the Merasi School, we are thrilled at these developments and the social change that they embody. We hope you share in our excitement, and we will certainly keep you updated as we march forwards in the journey to Merasi empowerment.
Music Merasi, Still Going Strong!
Merasi Health
While spending time on the ground in Jaisalmer as an intern for Folk Arts Rajasthan, Emily recognized a need in the Merasi community that she could not ignore. Growing up with a father who worked as a doctor, Emily’s interest in and understanding of health issues ran deep. Unfortunately for the Merasi community, basic health knowledge is significantly lacking. The simplest malady can be terrifying if misunderstood, and the Merasi were at times unable to discern the difference in severity between a common cold and a severe illness requiring professional attention. When Merasi did manage to see doctors, a feat complicated by their social standing, their lack of knowledge made them easy targets for some opportunistic health professionals. Merasi are often prescribed unnecessary medications and charged exorbitant fees simply because of their ignorance of basic health issues and their untouchable caste status. Fortunately for the Merasi community, Emily recognized this need and felt she could do something about it.
After seven months of research, revision, and Red Cross training, Emily launched Merasi Health. This fall, she traveled to India and taught five weeks of classes to our students. Emily aimed to leave a community that was healthier, more aware of health issues, and less afraid of sickness than one she had found, and she was successful by all accounts. Emily taught with an aim to improve both health knowledge and health behaviors, with lessons ranging from the structure of the cardiovascular system to the practice of hand-washing. Her efforts did not fall on deaf ears – she reports that “…whenever some kids saw me they would start to show me how to brush their teeth.” Before Emily departed, she helped the students put together first aid kits and taught them how to use all of the items the kits contained. We are proud to say that Merasi children can now act as educators for their community, teaching their parents and friends how to clean and bandage cuts and scrapes and sharing their enthusiasm for hand-washing and tooth-brushing with all around them!
Emily, teaching the health curriculum
Merasi Health culminated with a visit from Dr. Bob, Emily’s father and a US-certified doctor, dentist, and acupuncturist. The needs of the Merasi community are great, and we are excited to have entered the realm of health education and health care. Our work is far from over, and we hope to keep the Merasi Health momentum moving towards a healthier future for the Merasi, in both mind and body.
In closing, a reflection from Emily on her experience:
“The children were so eager to learn. There was never a unenthusiastic moment for the 5 weeks. I feel honored to share this gift of health education with this incredible community.”
Read On for More Updates!
We are delighted that Folk Arts Rajasthan (FAR) has recently released Voice of The Desert: MERASI MURLI, an educational film about the murli, an endangered wind instrument featured on FAR's last two cultural exchange tours. Read on for more Student Stories, Wandering Educators articles, Facebook Page Developments, and ways that you can support what we do!
Swaroop practices writing on The Merasi School stoop as Co-Director Sarwar and student Heena look on
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Seema reads The Merasi Counting Book, an empowerment gift to Folk Arts Rajasthan
In the News
Brown Student Radio Interview with Co-Founders Sarwar Khan & Caitie Whelan (Listen!)
Facebook: Be a Fan of The Merasi School
The Hearts with Hope 2 Tour, Spring 2008
The Merasi School Blog
Port City Life
Portland Press Herald (Maine)
Providence Phoenix
South Portland Sentry (Maine)
Takoma Voice (Maryland)
Troupe Merasi concert at the Kennedy Center (Watch!)
Wandering Educators
The Merasi School & Folk Arts Rajasthan in the World
Harvard's China-India Development Relations Symposium, New York City, Spring 2007
Peace & Justice Studies Association Annual Conference, Elizabethtown, PA Fall 2007
International Conference on Peace, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Winter 2007
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