Children are like unmoulded clods of clay — raw and natural with unlimited potential for growth. That’s what makes early childhood education so important. It is the building blocks determining the kind of individual the child grows up to be. This makes it of paramount importance to have children’s books that have contextual content that fosters linguistic and cultural relatability while stregnthening roots and broadening perspectives.

That is exactly what the SauraMandala Foundation’s 'The Forgotten Folklore Project' is all about. The project's goal is to bring 45 indigenous tales from the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo areas to life for Anganwadi and Primary school kids in Meghalaya, in support of early childhood education. The storybooks created as part of this initiative will be given back to the children from these communities, aiding in the creation of stories that are relevant to them. Throughout the story development process, local artists, content creators, institutions, and resource persons will offer their perspectives and local context. The project also aims to visit the communities where these stories originate, validate them, and capture more voices from these communities with the assistance of local team members.

Early childhood education, which as a general rule of thumb, entails what children learn from birth, up until the age of 8, is a critical time for learning and development that can have a lasting impact. High-quality early education has been linked to greater success in school and life. The goals of early childhood education are to promote physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development through engaging activities such as play, art, music, and storytelling.

The Forgotten Folklore Project understands the importance of early childhood education. Their books contain vibrant and colorful illustrations combined with engaging narratives. Recently, thr SauraMandala Foundation shared a wonderful story on the Khlanbor Kwai, written and illustrated by Nandan. Look how creatively, simply yet effectively it introduces children to the idea of sustainability, preservation, and the beauty of nature in a culturally relevant way.

You can follow the SauraMandala Foundation here.

Find can out more about the The Forgotten Folklore Project here.

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