Nothing holds her down

By Maitrayee Sangitrao

COURAGE is an essential component of her personality along with kindness. Her driving force is the Latin phrase ‘Sapere Aude’ which means dare to know, simply begin! To have the courage to use one’s own reason and understanding, to make the decision to act despite the fear of the unknown, and believe in the magic of new beginnings - these are the mantras she firmly believes in. These mantras were her guiding force at a crucial juncture in her life journey. They helped her find a purpose and thus originated Zero Gravity, an NGO that transforms educational spaces and learning experience for children in government schools. Just like every teenager in the dilemma of choosing a career, Maitreyi Jichkar was at the turning point in her life. From wanting to pursue medical, architecture, engineering and finally ending up studying commerce, her dream to start Zero Gravity is what sustained with her through time. “If there was anything I was sure about, it was Zero Gravity,” said Maitreyi. “I was very much like other children. Absolutely confused about what I wanted to do. Now I know, how important it is to simply begin. To know what you are truly capable of,” she added. Plucking the courage from her father late Dr Shrikant Jichkar’s ideals and teachings, Maitreyi started the NGO at the age of 17. However, she was envisioning it long before its birth.

“I lost baba when I was 14. I was in transition and I think Zero Gravity’s dream took roots somewhere around that time. I guess it has been about him, his kindness and courage that I keep pursuing through my work,” a beaming Maitreyi said. After dreaming it for long, she took a deep plunge into its making. In doing so, she transformed the lives of thousands of people and created a niche of volunteerism amongst youth in the city. With a pool of 3000 young volunteers, the organisation never runs out of helping hands because their idea is - ‘We belong to each other’. What do they do? They transform educational spaces to redesign the learning experience for children in government schools. Through ‘Building as a Learning Aid’ concept, they give holistic infrastructural makeover to increase educational value of the school building and enhance visual learning as an aid for children. There is a colour psychology that affects how one feels in a certain environment. From little things like changing the colours of the walls and making the space interactive, the children get a sense of happiness. They feel that they are learning in a dignified space and that has a tremendous impact on the way they think and behave, she explained. The organisation also gives makeover to shelters. “All this helps introduce a way of thinking and shifts their outlook towards life and future possibilities as it inspires behavioral and psychological changes,” she added.

Very soon, Zero Gravity will finish transforming 100 schools. Recalling the hard labour she pulled for years Maitreyi said, “The first five years were a little tricky. We were studying and working as well. But the need to make this work was so clear for me and my friends that we decided to make this a full time job after our graduation.” After starting the organisation in her father’s name Dr Shrikant Jichkar Foundation in the year 2008, Maitreyi has managed to create a community whose core values are: Maximum happiness to maximum number of people. Although she is the founder of the organisation, she is also the Happiness Officer at Zero Gravity. Her personality and conduct reflects in the organisation’s core value system aptly - ideating creativity and originality. “I look for potential in everything around me. It is such an integral part of who I am that I do not know any other way to exist. Everywhere I go, I wish to do better, to transform anything and everything into something marvelous,” said the starry-eyed Maitreyi.

Her hopes for transformation are seen in the events they organise and the projects they carry out. They are warm and inviting and strive to bring people together and make space for others. It loves everyone it encounters. “When we work for a project, I always tell the team that we are not just designing a project, we are designing an experience. We pour a bit of ourselves into it. And it is about that ‘feeling of belonging’ - that we are each others. Because life has to start making sense for people who haven’t had a chance to taste its sweetness,” Maitreyi said. Narrating an experience of meeting a beneficiary at the Goa airport, Maitreyi said, “A woman came to me as I was checking in. Although I didn’t recognise her right away, she knew who I was. Zero Gravity had worked on a project years ago and she was one of the girls living in the shelter. She acknowledged the impact of Zero Gravity on her life. She told me that she got a good job and she was married. For me, it was the most satisfying feeling of changing a life.”

Maitreyi credits the success to her team. “People stick around, you know! They show up. Now, it isn’t just a job for us anymore. It is a family,” said the warm-hearted and ever-smiling Maitreyi. Although the NGO is called ‘Zero Gravity - Nothing holds us down’, it has its own gravitational force. Here, everything gravitates around each other. The volunteers gravitate back to office to help do good, the beneficiaries gravitate towards their life goals. They, as Maitreyi calls it, always gravitate towards each other. For, here everyone is at home.