Leadership workshop with kids from the psycho-social unit of FOG (including a Yoga class at start)

FOG has also a unit which provides psycho-social support for villagers living in Seenigama and around. See following link for detailled information. On Saturday a leadership seminar for youngsters was held at the premises of the foundation. A week before Fazana Ibrahim, the head of psycho-social unit, asked me whether I would like to conduct a Yoga lesson for the participants of the workshop. I agreed  and asked for her support during the lesson to translate from English to Sinhala in case my Sinhala should abandon me.... (most of the kids were not able to understand English).

Saturday 9:00am I started the course. 25 kids were present at this morning and they may wondered about what they will going to face during the next hour....

Starting the yoga class

Me and Fazana demonstrating the downward facing dog

Kids practising the downward facing dog

Kids completing a sun salutation

Demonstrating the cobra

Kids practising the cobra

Preparing for Trikonasana

Tree posture

streeeeeetching the leg....

The hardest part :-)

Finishing the class

I conducted a very basic Yoga course because there were only beginners attending the course. Most of them never heard of Yoga which is quite strange as Yoga has been developed not far away from here, in India. Anyway, we practiced a lot of sun salutations and some easy yoga postures afterwards. The kids were quite flexible (must be the genes :-)). After about one hour the lesson was over and the kids were fit to jump into the leadership workshop.

Unfortunately I was not able to follow what the kids were doing afterwards in the workshop. There were 3 teachers with different approaches. I have selected some pics in the following where one can get an impression of the following leadership workshop (team-building exercises and other games, presentation mode, etc.). It must have been great fun!

Presentation

Teamwork

Artwork

What the hell is that? Looks like a weird Voodoo game

Presentation of team work?

Final discussion

Practising yoga with the kids was really fun although the language is a challenge for me as my Sinhala is still not good enough to explain everything in necessary the grade of detail. But it's getting better the longer I'm here, I already learnt a lot from Fazana's Sinhala translations. What I really like is that Yoga unfolds it's effect immediately while you are practising it. Unlike IT-trainings were you get the benefit only after several lessons. Therefore the kids really enjoyed their first yoga class.

I'm looking forward to conduct two additionaly weekly yoga classes for the kids swimming and cricket team of the foundation. The classes will start next week.....