Ujjayinee – India Project Manager

For Ujjayinee, community work has never been something separate from her career, it has always been a way of life. Whether supporting vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic or leading theatre workshops for children, she has consistently believed that creativity, compassion, and community can bring about meaningful change in society.

With a background in medical anthropology, Ujjayinee has long been interested in understanding people, cultures, and the social challenges communities face. Alongside her academic work, she developed a passion for community theatre, using the performing arts as a tool to educate, empower, and create dialogue surrounding contemporary social issues in disadvantaged communities

Before moving to Switzerland, she worked with theatre groups in India, bringing performances and workshops to marginalised communities. Through theatre, they explored issues such as gender equality, women's health, child rights, and child marriage, topics that are otherwise often difficult to discuss openly in these communities. "Many of these issues are deeply rooted in society," Ujjayinee explains. "Theatre creates a space where people can engage with them differently. Instead of feeling confronted, they become part of the conversation." For her, theatre was never simply about performance. It was about giving communities a voice, encouraging participation, and creating opportunities for learning through creativity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, her work took on a different form. As communities across India faced unprecedented hardship, she volunteered countless hours helping families access ambulances, oxygen cylinders, and essential supplies. Supporting people through one of the country's most difficult periods reinforced her belief that community action should always accompany professional life. When Ujjayinee relocated to Switzerland, she wanted to continue that commitment to community engagement. This led her to Colour of Tomorrow, where she found an organisation whose values closely matched her own. As Colour of Tomorrow had not yet established activities in India, Ujjayinee helped organise theorganisation's first workshops there.

Colour of Tomorrow & Sikshasatra Foundation
6 Day Performance Art Workshop in Kolkata, India (May, 2026)

Dr. Ujjayinee Aich - India Project Manager for CoT

One of the first events brought ten children, whose parents worked on construction sites, to a local park for a day of dance, movement, games, and creative activities. For many of the children, it was their first opportunity to spend time in a playground or enjoy open green spaces. "It was incredible to watch them come alive," she says. "They were running, dancing, laughing, and simply enjoying the freedom to play. Sometimes we forget how important those experiences are."

The organisation's second workshop in India expanded into a six-day theatre and dance programme involving sixteen children. Managed remotely from Switzerland with the support of trusted collaborators in India, While the workshops may appear simple on the surface, organising it required months of planning. Finding local artists and volunteers who shared Colour of Tomorrow's vision was just as important as arranging venues, materials, and logistics.

The children arrived quiet and hesitant, unsure of themselves and reluctant to speak. By the final day, they had written and performed their own ten-minute play together. The confidence they developed in less than a week was remarkable. "Children already have incredible imagination and sensitivity, " Ujjayinee says. "They simply don't always have the chance to express it. When they're given a safe space, when they know people are listening, they begin to open up. " For Ujjayinee, that transformation is what Colour of Tomorrow is all about.

Looking ahead, she hopes to see these workshops continue to grow, not only in India, but in other countries where children can benefit from safe, creative spaces. Whether through theatre, dance, painting, or other forms of artistic expression, her vision is to create regular

opportunities where children can explore their creativity, build confidence, and discover their

own voices.

The goal isn't simply to teach art. It's to help children realise that their stories matter, that

their ideas have value, and that they deserve to be heard.

Written by Dara McMahon