The idea was to avoid classroom training as much as possible, and use music, games, street plays, and a mapping exercise to help us learn and have as much of the discussion out in the open as we could.

Each day commenced with songs, facilitated by a singer/composer PV Ramana and his team. Each song was composed in simple, local language around social themes such as health, revolution, caste divides etc.

A practical session as a test in a nearby slum brought more understanding to the mapping technique. Key elements of how residents can participate in a mapping exercise were discussed.

The teams split into two and enacted independent street plays that touched upon issues of poor access to water and education among the marginalised residents and how it is possible to get access to them through collective negotiation.

The classroom exploration of mapping touched upon what is a map, how is it drawn, what is it used for and what are the different elements of it.

Facilitated by Prasanna, everyone discussed how we could explore ‘health and well being’ with waste picking communities, what it means to researchers, what it means to the community, how do we address implicit power structures.

We hope for a long and fruitful partnership together.