This document summarizes a project undertaken by mentors and kids at the YMCA Boys Home in Cochin, India to renovate an unused playground using Design for Change methodology. The overgrown and uneven ground where the kids used to play had been left unused. Through DFC workshops, the kids came up with a plan to clear and level the field themselves. On the appointed day, the kids worked with 11 volunteers to transform the area into a usable playground, erecting goal posts to create a space for football. The successful renovation resulted in happy kids who could now play outdoors instead of spending evenings inside.

1. Back to the playground!
An undertaking to Design for Change

2. The Centre:
YMCA Boys Home, Thrikakkara
Cochin 2

3. The Mentors
• Sanjay Thomas Alanoly (Mob:
9633977657)
• Aswin Menon (Mob: 9746811700)
• Sanjana Jose (Mob: 9037598414)

4. The Kids
• Naveen M • Thomson
• Yadhu Krishnan • Manu T. M
• Akhil Balan • Rahul Gireesh
• Vishnu V A • Anandhu K
• Dennis Vincent • Karuppusami S
• Vigneshwaran • Prakash Joseph
• Abhijith J • Sabin Babu
• Johnson Joseph • Bijith A.J
• Shins Shaji • Biju K. V
• Sanoop Das • Sooraj D M
• Arunjith J

5. The Problem
The ground behind YMCA where the kids once used to
play had been left unused for a long time as it was
overgrown and had become uneven after some
construction activity nearby.
As a result the kids in the orphanage no longer had a
place to play and had to spend their evenings indoor.
They tried complaining to the centre authorities but with
no effect.
And that’s when DFC comes along.

6. Introducing DFC to kids and volunteers

7. Discussing with the kids

8. Kids working on the Posters

9. The Solution and Implementation
As the mentors talked and brainstormed with the kids
they realized that they didn’t have to depend on
others all the time to fix their problems. That they
were powerful and they could create the change
they wanted to see.
So that’s what we did when 11 MAD volunteers and
the kids got together as per their plan in the centre
early morning on the 8th of October.
We got them the tools and they created the change as
we spend the whole day clearing and levelling the
field.
And yeah they erected two goal posts at the ends of
the field so that they had the perfect field to play
the game they loved.

10. Working on the playground

11. Putting up the goal posts

12. The Result
The kids no longer had to spend their
evenings indoors watching TV or lazing
around as now they had an awesome
playground all thanks to themselves.
And before we called it a day we didn’t
forget to inaugrate the field by playing
football with the kids and the MAD
volunteers from other centres who
joined us in the evening.
Happy Kids, Happy Volunteers, Happy
DFC!

13. Football Time!

14. Thank you DFC! 