Sarnima (Runny) Kayastha is a Play for Peace mentor located in Nepal. She works with the youth of GPYC Nepal and we are thrilled to have her story on our blog this week:
"My career started as a teacher. I loved teaching, but after teaching for two and half years, I wanted a break to explore. I got an opportunity to work with youth in GPYC. I was apprehensive, but I grabbed the opportunity. Working with these youth was different for me as I was working with younger children as a teacher. But, I was ready. Youths have vast knowledge, creative ideas, and huge possibilities. Working with them would help me to understand the thinking of today’s youth and to know what needed to be done. I got to know so many different stories of different people, which changed my perspective. The enthusiasm, intelligence, and opinions encouraged me to do something more in my life. They are helping me get to know myself more. Through GPYC, I was exposed to Play for Peace. In the beginning when Neelam did PFP games, I could not connect with it. I couldn't understand the purpose of these games. For me, they were just energizers. But, I started observing the difference in students - how they cooperated with each other; they became comfortable with everyone and were eager to play more. I had training with Sam and Sarah and began doing the PFP games myself in various schools and in GPYC. Facilitating these games made me realize how, through games, people open up, have connections with other group members, take initiative, and realize important aspects of life. Then, I got to know importance of play in one’s life and what PFP sets out to do. I really appreciate the activities of PFP and always want to do it wholeheartedly. The realization that I got from those games is so valuable for me. These games are not just games; they can teach you so many things that are useful for your whole life."
Thank you for your dedication, Runny! We are thrilled to have you on our team.
