Saba Khan
Festival Host, Bhopal
My name is Saba, I live in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. I like reading books very much. I also like writing true stories. I run Savitribai Phule Fatima Shaikh Open Library to generate interest in reading books among children and girls in different slums of Bhopal. We have 11 such libraries. My dream is to have peace and equality of rights in the world. When I hear the voices of the deprived and marginalised people, I feel that their voices should be heard everywhere. I want to know the ground culture of various communities throughout my life.
Human Library Mela
Hosted by Saba, Mentored by Neha Singh
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
I envisioned a Human Library, where stories breathe through people—spoken, not inked, offering voices of resilience and strength. I wanted to create a space where conversations bloom between strangers, dissolving preconceptions. This festival is a reflection of the belief that storytelling can build bridges across divides. It humanises experiences and inspires empathy, creating understanding where silence once stood.
Through the richness of these personal stories, we create a community that listens, learns, and grows together. The participants from nearby low-income communities of Bhopal shared their rich stories.
75
participants gathered, sharing their unique stories to foster, connection, and empathy within the community
Girls & Women
of 16 to 40 years of age came together from the nearby basti's of Bhopal to be a part of this festival
Festival Keywords
community, storytelling, empathy, connection, intersectionality
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Featured Story
Showing the digital stories acted as a great conversation starter for the audience because a lot of the content was extremely relatable. It provided a platform for women and girls to share their own experience of say- being harassed for not wearing dupattas by family members and by people in the community. The conversation built on this basic premise soon went on to the issue of women being told what to wear and what not to wear and how this whole thing is connected with “Izzat”. The audience found this connection between clothes and izzat totally patriarchal and a tool to occupy women’s minds and bodies with clothes and some of the women spoke about how they rebelled against their families and wore what they like, rather than what their families would like them to wear. The mothers also expressed their solidarity with their daughters who want to wear whatever their hearts desire.
- Neha Singh, Mentor
