Akka Project: a journey of connection and kindness

During the school holidays, I joined a group of nine Australian teenage girls and seven mothers who travelled to India as part of the Akka Project. The Akka Project is an initiative led by my family to create opportunities for mothers and teens to volunteer and engage in project work at the Parikrma Humanity Foundation. Our connection with Parikrma goes way back to when my mum volunteered there as a teenager.

The word ‘Akka’ means ‘big sister’ in Kannada (the local language). At Parikrma, teachers are called Akka or Anna ‘big bother’ because they are seen as family and that sense of family was something we felt from the moment we arrived. Parikrma Humanity Foundation was founded 20 years ago by Shukla Bose, inspired by her time working with Mother Teresa. Today, Parikrma supports over 2,000 children from slums and orphanages, providing them with high-quality English education, healthcare and nutrition across four schools and a junior college.

The aim of our trip was to build a celebration of play, creativity and connection. Aussie and Parikrma teens came together as global citizens, learning from one another and forming relationships rooted in empathy and fun. Through hands-on collaboration across two Parikrma schools, we fostered inclusive learning, sparked curiosity and deepened intercultural understanding. From storybook lessons and sports to art, science, and shared laughter over boardgames, every moment was about building bridges and stepping into each other’s worlds through the universal language of play.

Through community engagement and fundraising, the Akka Project team raised $10,000 and filled our suitcases with board games, books and teaching resources. One of our main focus areas was raising awareness of menstrual health. We provided menstrual underwear to Parikrma students and ran health education sessions, sharing our own experiences. Altogether, we collected 1,200 pairs of menstrual underwear, supporting over 500 Parikrma girls with two pairs each. A huge thank you to the Santa Sabina community for your generous donation to this drive!

Another major project was to revamp and restock the library at one of the Parikrma schools. The shelves had been empty for 20 years. As a team, we rebuilt the library and filled it with hundreds of donated novels and books. Seeing the space burst into colour and knowledge was incredibly rewarding; it lit up the room and brought excitement to learning. It made us reflect on how lucky we are here in Sydney to have access to books, and reminded us that a simple shelf of stories can ignite a love of reading and spark imagination.

It’s hard to summarise this experience as I walked away learning so much about myself and also the world around me. Some of my personal highlights included playing with donated volleyballs and handballs, doing 1:1 reading with students who needed extra support, making friendship bracelets, and introducing Parikrma students to fairy bread (which they thought was hilarious!). Even something as simple as making playdough with Year 10 students, then watching the kindergarteners play with it for the first time, are memories I’ll never forget.

This trip has created lasting bonds and genuine friendships with students at Parikrma, friends I’ll keep forever. We learnt so much from them. Every day, no matter what’s happening at home, they walk into school with huge smiles and a hunger to learn. I came away feeling like they were my biggest teachers. They showed me resilience, compassion and how connection can be built through something as simple and beautiful as play.

So what’s next? Akka Project is preparing for the next group trip in 2026. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, check out the website: www.akkaproject.org. We’re also seeking support from the Santa Sabina community to collect chapter books, storybooks, and early readers for Parikrma students aged 5–18 years to build the library of another Parikrma school. In addition, we hope to empower the mothers of Parikrma students with menstrual underwear and are collecting sizes 8, 10, 12 and 14. We are also hoping to offer teacher exchange programs. The Akka project is only just starting but we hope to be a pathway forward for more students and family. 

Xylah Bamji
Year 9