Karwaan-e-Justaju: Bringing Science Alive for Rawalpindi’s Children

Shazia Mehboob 

Rawalpindi: Why does a balloon inflate? How does water cause an arrow to appear inverted? Why does the Moon appear clearer when viewed through a telescope?

These were some of the intriguing questions that children explored at a recent event organized by the Karvaan-e-Justuju team, a non-development organization in Islamabad. Karvaan-e-Justujoo is an initiative run under the umbrella of the Pakistan Young Innovative Minds Society (PYIMS).

“Science must be a part of every child’s life because every child is unconsciously involved in numerous scientific phenomena from birth. We aim to help children realize that they practice many scientific phenomena and are already familiar with science before even reading a science textbook,” said Dr Farida Tahir, founder of PYIMS. 

“This realization will spark their curiosity to learn more about the science they experience every day, transforming them into science enthusiasts and dispelling the myth that science is a difficult subject,” she explained.

Karvaan-e-Justuju featured a series of engaging experiments set up by our demonstrators, said Dr Tahir, the leading organizer. “By engaging with science early, children develop a lifelong love for learning and exploration, which is essential in today’s rapidly advancing world,” he added. 

Talking about the event’s success, Dr Tahir said children’s enthusiasm was evident throughout the activity, as they eagerly absorbed knowledge and participated in the experiments. 

The Karvaan-e-Justuju activity was all about extending science beyond the traditional classroom setting and sparking curiosity in students through interactive and informal discussions.

• Flip the Drawing with Water (Refraction)
• Elephant Toothpaste
• Types of Fingerprints
• Observation of the Moon through a Telescope
• Bubble Shape (Why Water Bubbles Take Spherical Shapes)
• Inflating a Balloon with Science

These activities were part of the recent event held at Nawaz Sharif Park in Rawalpindi.

The Idea Behind

The idea behind Karvaan-e-Justuju is to promote free-of-cost, project-based learning by taking it directly to underprivileged communities in Pakistan. Another salient feature of the project is that it is open to citizens of all ages, whether they are in parks, public places, slums, or orphanages.

“We want to impart the realization among children that they practice many scientific phenomena and are already aware of science before reading any course science book. In this way, the curiosity of knowing more about practicing science will make children science lovers, and the myth of considering science a difficult subject will be erased from their minds,” explained Dr Tahir.

Exploration Unleashed

Devoid of the fact that the mind is shelled in a skull of rich or poor, our aim is to enrich this mind regardless of caste, creed, color, religion, language, or age, said Dr Farida Tahir.

The parents were equally engaged, expressing their happiness at seeing their children learn and explore, said Dr Farida while sharing her experiences during the event. 

“They inquired about the overall purpose and narrative of the activity, as well as the timings and locations of upcoming events.

Many parents also shared their contact details to stay informed about future episodes of this enriching activity. Their interest and support were a testament to the success and impact of the event,” she added. 

The hands-on activities were designed to captivate and educate participants of all ages. The event saw enthusiastic participation from both children and their parents. 

Kids eagerly asked questions about the ongoing processes in each experiment, such as why a balloon inflates, how water can invert an arrow, why the Moon looks clearer through a telescope, and how they could replicate these experiments at home.