A small community of Kalbeliya Gypsies have lived just outside the holy city of Pushkar in Rajasthan (India) for more than a decade. Leaving the nomadic life, they have created a permanent place to live on government-owned land with no electricity or running water. From years trying to find ways to be accepted and participate more fully in the wider culture, they came up with a vision: to establish a school of their own as a healthy first step on the road to inclusion. The resulting Kalbeliya Arts Academy (KAA) is a unique learning center that focuses on the essentials of academics, folk art, village wellness and self-employment. Using a ‘for-us, by-us’ approach where community members are active participants in the creation of each program, KAA supports first generation education and promotes cultural heritage and community growth.
