by Fr Godfrey D’sa and Khushboo Rijhwani for BIS Mumbai

The 10th-anniversary edition of Prafulta’s indigenous community outreach program ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham - Festival of Friendships’ was celebrated on February 8, 2025, at Micheal High School, Kurla. 

KKKG was initiated in the year 2015 by Fr Godfrey, the director of Prafulta, and Ms Shalu Mehrotra, a senior psychotherapist. It is supported by a group of 30 Counselors and around 40 Volunteers from St Xavier’s College and L&T. This event reaches out to a large number of students and parents from different schools and bastis in Mumbai. L&T Energy-Hydrocarbon has partnered with Prafulta in this beautiful journey for the last 6 years.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary, Father Godfrey proudly shared, "For more than 26 years, Prafulta has championed children's mental health through classroom programs. KKKG offers a joyful, outdoor setting where children learn to accept and manage their feelings through expressive arts in a fun manner using drawimg, music, song and dance, empowering them to embrace their emotions in a positive manner."

Shalu Mehrotra on this beautiful 10-year journey added "In 2015, recognizing a gap in mental health awareness, particularly in under-resourced schools, we initiated what began as Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.' Our goal was to de-stigmatize mental well-being through a fun, festive approach. Over the years, the program has evolved, incorporating music, dance, and engaging activities for children and their parents. On the occasion of KKKG’s 10 anniversary, we created a  'Festival of Friendships,' focusing on teaching crucial skills for navigating emotions, relationships, and the complexities of peer interaction, including conflict resolution. We're especially grateful to Michael High School for their partnership and our sponsors L&T, who enable us to deliver this vital program. We are thankful to the counselors, who generously volunteer their time to empower children and parents with the tools they need to thrive in today's world."

The 'Festival of Friendships' at Michael High School provided a memorable experience for over 1200 V and VI grade students and around 1000 parents. The students were engaged through a skit on friendship performed by St. Xavier's College volunteers, followed by group activities with counselors discussing the various qualities needed in a friendship. A fun activity included the students writing ingredients for a friendship soup. Each batch activity ended with a celebratory dance festival highlighting the value of friendship.

Parents also benefited from dedicated sessions with counselors, who offered practical advice and a listening ear to their challenges in raising children.  The sessions focused on understanding and managing children's emotions and provided strategies for effective parenting.

This amazing event was rightly captured by a student with a shayari: Ek nahi sab jalte hain, ek nahi sab galte hain, jab main aur mere yaar saath mein chalte hain”.