Drumming up Deepavali cheer for underprivileged youth

In an effort to uplift the spirits of underprivileged youth, the GoodKids Academy Programme organizes bucket drumming classes as part of their Deepavali celebration. The initiative, founded by Naaraayini Balasubramaniam, her father Balasubramaniam Somasundaram, and cousin Koggelavani Muniandy in 2016, aims to promote positive mental health among shelter home residents.

At a recent rehearsal in Batu Caves, a group of boys gathered to practice their drumming skills, striking plastic pails and paint buckets to create a lively rhythm. Naaraayini, who leads the program, emphasizes that the drumming serves as a means for the children to express themselves freely and learn essential life skills such as setting boundaries and integrating with others.

The performance is a culmination of the participants' year-long learning at the GoodKids Academy Programme, which is now active in four locations across Malaysia. Many of the program's graduates have successfully pursued higher education, a remarkable achievement given the educational challenges faced by children in shelter homes.

The program relies on funding to provide free counselling, drum classes, and other mental health activities. This year's batch consists of about 30 boys from various schools, mostly from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. They spend a significant portion of their time attending drumming sessions on Fridays, preparing for the Deepavali performance that follows the festival.

Through this program, Naaraayini hopes to instill a sense of hope and support in the lives of the children, many of whom have faced difficult circumstances.