ANUMEHA FATEHPURIA, EDUCATOR

Alfred Mercier rightly said, “What we learn with pleasure, we will never forget” and Anumeha Fatehpuria, Founder of The Arts in Education (TAiE), believes in enabling just that. She reaches out to children, parents and teachers, showing them exciting ways of addressing anything from academics, to life skills using the arts.

Anumeha was always a good student, but she found herself wanting to learn in ways that encouraged a deeper understanding of things and most importantly in a joyous and free manner. She agrees that schools are a great place to learn, but there are some who learn well outside of a school environment. So she wanted to create a space where learning is fun, exciting and adventurous. Where it’s OK to say “I’m bored “and go on to discovering intelligent, alternative ways of learning.

Being in the education industry comes with huge responsibilities. As an educator you have the power to mould, nurture and influence, especially, the impressionable minds of children. Anumeha, is aware of the importance of her role. Via TAiE she creates a space where all the people and their feelings and opinions, no matter how tiny, are heard, encouraged and respected. She values being able to be part of her students’ journeys into themselves and help them “to work fearlessly with their challenges, recognise and stoke the fire they have within to be the best version of themselves. “

Anumeha has found that being a freelancer and entrepreneur in this line of work is not easy, especially if one is planning to run the business in an ethical and honest manner. When she set up TAiE, there were many doubts, warnings and naysayers, but there were also many schools, hundreds of children and absolutely amazing parents who displayed tremendous faith in her concept and what she had to offer. There still are days that are tough, but she continues to work and move a tiny step closer to her vision of fantastic learning experiences for all. In her words, “Sometimes there is no option, but to power through situations. I don’t afford myself the luxury of giving up. “

So do people see the value in what she does? Anumeha explains that they do, but it takes time and a bit of convincing and she says, “People don’t see this as something they should be paying for“. But her experience has taught her that on most days, all creative fields of work can be rewarding in infinite ways if you believe it in and don’t give on the days you find it hard to do so!