Fundraising Campaign: Theatre for children in Kathmandu

About

Bansri Pandey

Bansri is a theater enthusiast, the mother of a 6-year-old daughter, a project manager, and a storyteller. She first completed her bachelor's degree in architecture in India, followed by a diploma in Freelance and Feature Writing in London, and then a master's degree in International Project Management in Stuttgart. Currently, she is pursuing a Diploma in Applied Theatre. Bansri worked in communications and marketing at Shilpee Theatre in Kathmandu since 2019 and is now fully dedicated to her beloved initiative, The Joy House Collective, which produces theater projects for children.

Payal Singh Chaudhary

Payal is a child psychologist, storyteller by passion, doll maker, mother, and one of the founding members of The Joy House Collective in Kathmandu. She completed her post-graduate diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology from India and has about 11 years of experience working with both neurodivergent and neurotypical children. Payal is now focusing on her dream project, The Joy House Collective, with the vision of creating a platform that helps children express their emotions and develop various skills through theater.

Philipp Neuweiler

Philipp lost his heart in Kathmandu. The author and director of the radio play group Mienenspiel has traveled to Nepal twice since 2023 and made friends with many artists at Shilpee Theatre in Kathmandu. He has documented all his experiences in his travel diary, through Instagram story highlights and audiobook short stories

Our Story

Roaring laughter fills the room—some children can barely hold onto their cardboard seats as Prem dances by, wild-haired, in flip-flops, clutching the rainbow fish puppet tightly in his left hand.

Prem Chand Pandey plays the rainbow fish. | @BansriPandey Oct 2024

It is October 10, 2024, in Kathmandu. The Dasain festival—a major Nepalese holiday—is underway. But this year, for some, there is little cause for celebration. Just a few days earlier, unprecedented rainfall led to a disastrous flood in Kathmandu. Many children in the slums of Balkhu (a city district) have lost everything. Around them, rubble remains: bent sheets of corrugated metal, debris, toys, clothes, books, and all their belongings buried under dried mud.

» We want to give them a reason to smile and bring some joy with our performance. «

says Bansri Pandey, the founder and director of the project. “Unfortunately, there are very few theater performances created specifically for children in Nepal. There aren’t many places where they can go to see professional artists performing just for them. The performing arts have yet to reach those who cannot afford to pay for it. We want to change that.” One of her theater productions tells the story of a rainbow fish that meets the white fish of the Himalayas. They accept each other’s differences and exchange colors, blending vibrant hues with white. It’s about the joy of sharing, overcoming boundaries, and solidarity. The show is playfully packaged with lots of hands-on activities: music, dance, puppetry, ‘and magic, of course—but that has to remain a secret,’ Bansri says with a wink.

Bansri Pandey plays a white fish of the Himalayas. | @BansriPandey Oct 2024

The theater enthusiast is also the mother of a 6-year-old daughter. 'She is my first critic,' she says. 'Whenever we develop a new play concept, she is the first to review it. She was the one who suggested that the white fish should also give their color to the rainbow fish, saying, "White is as beautiful as the rainbow." She told me, "It’s quite logical, Mum," and she was absolutely right.'" Child psychologist and storyteller Payal Singh Chaudhary is also a founding member of The Joy House Collective. Bansri and Payal have already performed at numerous kindergartens, schools for children with special needs and children in slums affected by floods.

Storytelling workshop for children with special needs. | @BansriPandey Sept 2024

"We now also offer workshops for children to teach them about art, language, and science through our stories. At the core is always the joy of storytelling and the experience of being creative together.” What this really means in concrete terms can be experienced in the slums of Balkhu. Bansri and Prem, her theater friend, play with the kids using their puppets. The rainbow fish has captured the hearts of all the children. They are completely immersed in the act, and joy shines in all colors, making them forget the gray mud.

The rainbow fish and the white fish of the Himalayas share their colours. | @BansriPandey Oct 2024

“Our next goal is to bring this art form to as many children as possible and demonstrate that art can change perspectives, bring joy, and build connections that are so lacking in today’s digital world." With donations, the group could reach places that cannot afford to organize storytelling sessions or workshops. For example, schools for children with learning disabilities, underprivileged children living in the slums of Nepal, and hospitals for children suffering from cancer. If you want to support the work of Bansri and Payal, please take part in our Christmas fundraising campaign, which runs until January 2, 2025.