Paper, Rock, Scissors: FLEX Alumni Use Crafts & Music to Celebrate International Children’s Day

International Children’s Day, a globally recognized celebration of society’s youngest members, has been annually observed on June 1 for the past 54 years. The celebration was commemorated by two Eurasian Alumni Coordinators this year, each with a longstanding commitment to the children and young adults of their communities.

What makes Farangis Nozimzoda’s ’07 (Azerbaijan) and Aizat Jakybalieva’s ’07 (Kyrgyzstan) efforts so unique, however, is that both chose to focus on disabled youth. In conjunction with the year-long 15th Anniversary Colors of FLEX initiative, which highlights the multi-faceted aspects of the alumni program, Farangis and Aizat continued their work with “Aiming High for the Disabled” – the “purple” section of the project. In Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Farangis and two additional FLEX alumni paid a visit to School #8, an institution for the deaf, to discuss the FLEX program, make origami, and create collage portraits. Seven hundred kilometers to the west, in Bishkek, Aizat Jakybalieva ’07 and a team of FLEX alumni gathered at School #9 to host a concert for 35 children affiliated with the Association of Parents of Disabled Children. Their efforts jointly embody the values and proactive attitudes FLEX alumni strive for in their continuing dialogue with all aspects of the world around them.

When Farangis Nozimzoda first envisioned her visit to the Dushanbe school for the deaf, she saw it as an opportunity to share an interesting Asian art form (origami), and jointly develop the students’ interpersonal skills. During the time she spent there on June 1, however, she, along with Zurab Dodkhudoev ’07 and Abduhvakob Hofizi ’09, learned as much as they gave. Beginning with a discussion, via a translator supplied by the school, of the FLEX program and the United States, the alumni soon discovered the children were fascinated by their stories, as well as deeply interested in the recent presidential elections, and President Barack Obama. Having just returned from the U.S. from his FLEX year, Abduhvakov Hofizi ’09 was able to provide and share essential insights on America with the children.

The group was subsequently supplied with U.S. magazines, donated by the U.S. Embassy and alumni themselves, and instructed to create collages representative of their individual personalities. They shared their collages with one another, and described why the images and symbols they had selected accurately portrayed who they were. The three alumni then showed the children how to construct a variety of different animals and flowers by folding paper into origami shapes. As an entirely new experience, the students were fascinated to learn the tricks and techniques necessary for origami, and asked the alumni to bring them books on the subject on their next visit. At the conclusion of the day, the origami and portraits were hung on the board while the group took photos together.

Working in collaboration with the “Milky Way” performance theater (a student organization), Aizat Jakybalieva ’07 succeeded in bringing an attention-grabbing, unusual event to the disabled students at Bishkek School #9. The 35 children, along with their parents at the school, watched “Milky Way” perform the musical Krasnaya Shapochka (“Little Red Riding Hood”) on May 30. The musical was filled with songs and comical situations that kept both the children and parents amused, interested and excited. Following the performance, the alumni set up a buffet where the group enjoyed sweets, fruit, and snacks that had been prepared by the alumni. They organized a few small games before opening up the stage to the children themselves, allowing them to perform their own songs, accompanied by a musical instrument, or to dance. Both the parents and teachers expressed their thanks to the alumni at the conclusion of the event, which represents one of many Aizat has led with the school and Association of Parents of Disabled Children.

Farangis’ and Aizat’s work on International Children’s Day reveals that the day, in addition to calling upon the community to respect children’s rights, and highlighting problematic issues of discrimination and social neglect, is also a salute to childhood and its playfulness. By engaging disabled children in projects that promoted their self-esteem, Aizat Jakybalieva ’07 and Farangis Nozimzoda ’07 brought International Children’s Day home to their communities.