Showing posts with label #IAYP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #IAYP. Show all posts

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop at Podar International School, Aurangabad



An Award Leader Training Workshop was organised on 12th - 13th June, 2017 at Podar International School, Aurangabad. Twenty participants from Podar International School, Aurangabad and DSB International School, Mumbai attended the workshop. The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director) and Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager). NAA wish to thank Mr. Prashant Muley, Principal, Podar International School, Aurangabad (ICSE) and his team for their support in organising this workshop. Click here for workshop pictures


Wednesday, 17 May 2017

The Programme Creates Great Leaders

Pathways World School, Aravali organised a special IAYP assembly to honour and recognise the Bronze participants. Samanata Prashant and Mansi Agarwal, Bronze Award holders share the report with us.


The International Award for Young People, India (IAYP) delivering the The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was introduced to the students of Grade 9 in November 2016. Sixty-five students enrolled for the Bronze Level of the Award – which is also the entry level. The programme requires successful completion of the four components of Skills, Adventurous Journey, Service and Physical Recreation. The Bronze Award journey culminated in our achievements not only being carried out but also diligently recorded and meticulously validated by our adult mentors and then approved by the IAYP office. The manifestation of this elaborate exercise was in the form of the IAYP Assembly, which was a special occasion to recognise our skills/achievements.

The room was filled with bliss and excitement as all the awardees walked proudly onto the stage with their Certificates and Badges. After receiving the certificates, there were performances by the students of Grade 9. Displaying great talent, a few of the Award recipients enlightened the crowd with their experience of this journey. The enthralling musical performances, mesmerising dance and mind blowing beatboxing left the crowd spell bound. The proud Award holders will soon continue to take a step forward to achieve the Silver Level. We were congratulated by our Director and Principal motivating us to further take forward this journey and achieve Silver and Gold in the coming years ahead.

This programme brings up great leaders and teaches them to train themselves into independent and balanced individuals. At the Bronze level, we completed 4 components, which required a lot of persistence, effort and willingness. Here at Pathways World School, we get different opportunities to complete all these aspects by unleashing the Adventurous side in us by being a part of the Annual Adventure Camps. As we have Physical education lessons, the students worked on their sport for their physical activity component. For the Service component, the student chooses various ways through which they could help the community and do good for their society. Some students helped keep the school building clean during the breaks, some taught the underprivileged, while others helped in the library and most of us also worked at the Eye camp. Nonetheless, all of them learned something new and it was a good exposure. For Skills, students choose their hobbies and the field they are interested in and worked on them.

We feel really blessed to be offered the Award Programme which has an international recognition and has instilled in us great leadership skills. This was a great platform to showcase our talent in the best way forward.

Wednesday, 10 May 2017

Football Rani (Queen)


Kalyani Chakraborty, Award Leader Manav Vikash High School, Jharkhand (Special Project) sharing an inspiring story of Rani Ravidas - her journey to become the Football Queen.

Rani Ravidas is a well-known name for football lovers of Jharkhand. Rani represents the Jharkhand Women Football Team.

Rani comes from a small village, Nautandi, near Telco Town, Jamshedpur. Rani’s father Dal Gobinda Ravidas is a farmer and mother Reboti Ravidas is a housewife. Rani is the fourth daughter out of the seven children: five daughters, and two sons. Rani’s sisters married long ago, but Rani refused to marry so that she could complete her studies and fulfill her passion of playing football.

Rani’s love for football started when she was only 10 years old. She started playing football with the boys of her locality. The people of her village did not accept it and questioned how a girl could play football. Rani’s family also worried about her passion, but her mother knew that she is different than other girls and encouraged her to play the game. Her mother told her to “be a good player, be a big personality." Rani's only encouragement was her mother's inspiration. Her mother might not have heard the expression “Women empowerment” but she felt it and expressed it completely. This was a big support for Rani and she decided to do what she wants to do. She started practicing football’s cut and throw every day, and that has made all the difference. She says, “From the very beginning I was quite determined that if I chose a correct and a rational path the others around me would have to change, not I.”

She completed her Matric from Manav Vikas High School in 2012. Nautandi, her village is very far from the school and is not connected to the metallic road. Despite the many difficulties Rani faced, she was very regular at school, her motivation being to complete her studies and practice football.

Rani enrolled in the Award programme in 2010 for the Bronze Level. She successfully achieved the Bronze and has now started her Gold Award journey. Currently, she is studying for her under-grad at Graduate College in Jamshedpur.

Rani looks like a very easy going village girl, but she has a spark. She did not compromise her passion to poverty, illiteracy, and superstitions. She has a very strong will power. Rani’s iron will and mental toughness characterise her. One day, during her under-grad course, she set off to Dibrugarh for the Inter-University Women Football Competition. During the competition she got the news that her mother had fallen seriously ill and was asking her to come back home to be with her during her last few hours. Rani knew that if she stayed back, her team would lose the match. She took her mother's permission and blessings and went for the match. As she reached Dibrugarh the next day, she got the news of her mother’s demise. This was the saddest moment in her life. But this brave girl gathered courage and played her best. The Jharkhand Women Team won the match. Rani says, “I played with only one thought, that I have promised my mother that we will win. I have to give my best to win the match and I did so.”

Rani is a very busy footballer. She has represented her university and state in different competitions. Everyone knows that if Rani is on the team, the Jharkhand’s Women Football team would be the winning side. Rani is now preparing herself for the upcoming Federation Cup.

Rani has become a role model for girls in her village Nautandi, and she is now called Football Rani (Queen).

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Award Leaders Training (YES) Workshop at Award Training Centre

An Award Leader Training Workshop was organised on 27th - 28th April 2017. Fourteen participants fromThe Doon School, Dehra Dun; The British Co-Ed School, Patiala; Mussoorie International School, Mussoorie; Indirapuram Public School Crossings Republik, Ghaziabad; Indirapuram Public School, Ghaziabad; The Mann School, Delhi; Globetrotters, Delhi; The Ardee School, Gurugram; Bal Bharti Public School, New Delhi and Pathways School, Noida attended the workshop.

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Gold Award Ceremony 2017 - July 20th

 
Achieving a Gold Award is one of the biggest milestones of your life. It shows that you have the ability, focus and determination to achieve your set goals and pursue them with passion and perseverance. It shows that you have done your share to achieve all-round development and at the same time are open to learn from what the future has to offer. Therefore, it is imperative that you celebrate this achievement with others and The Gold Award Ceremony is designed to celebrate this achievement of yours.

We are happy to announce that the Annual Gold Award Ceremony 2017 will be organised on July 20, 2017 at India International Centre, New Delhi.

We cordially invite you to join this celebration and you will soon receive an invite to GAC 2017. It goes without saying that your presence will make this event memorable and successful.

Please note that the last date for Record Book submission is 5th June, 2017.

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Camping Expedition

Tirthan Valley at the Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh, India



The beauty of this place will just mesmerise any trekking enthusiast and it is simply breathtaking.

Forty-five Bronze and Silver participants of Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala (Punjab) accompanied by five mentors trekked to the Great Himalayan National Park from 31st March to 6th April 2017.

The entire trek was really beautiful and serene. Close to the base Camp Himalayan, the participants experienced the natural beauty of the 'Jhoi' waterfall and trekked and manoeuvred through the crystal clear, flowing River Tirath. The camping experience helped the participants to introspect and develop a perspective to engage in more adventures in the times ahead. Besides trekking the participants also did the different Adventurous Journey related activities too. Splashing under the waterfall was a memorable experience for the entire team.

Thanks to the local guide at Camp Himalayan, who arranged a trek to the Jalori Pass through a small village, Banjar, inhabited by very friendly and courteous folks. This pass is situated at a height of 10,575 feet. Trekking on this beautiful trail led to the mesmerising places like Shoja, Serolsar lake, Sakiran Lambri and the Great Himalayan National Park! Click here for the pictures

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Award makes for a wholesome and holistic growth of the young people.

The IAYP Showcasing reflects the whole experience of the Award Programme during the year, which gives a great confidence to the participants, because of the skills they acquire, the emotion quotient that they get out of being with the group together and the community participation that plays a pivotal role. The young people do many activities and when they associated with the Award, they got a chance to do many more, as they are not stuck in only academics; they develop a well rounded character. I would say that, doing the Award programme individually and doing it as a group gives one a feeling of belonging. It gives a feeling of well-being and all that put together makes for a wholesome and holistic growth of the young people.
Dr. Annie Koshi, Principal, St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi

Showcasing IAYP at ST Mary’s School, Safdarjung Enclave

St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi organises biannual IAYP Showcasing. This year the event was organised on 23rd February 2017. Tanishakha Singh, Bronze Award, shares a report on this event.


At St. Mary’s Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi, IAYP is equivalent to celebrating a variety of skill sets, and the biannual showcasing is the time when all IAYP Participants come together to showcase their spirit and valour. On 23rd February, 2017, we came together and co-created this space to collaborate and represent our newly learned skills sets, our immersion with the community, and our physical fitness through various creative means.

To celebrate this occasion with us we had Prof Sumangala Damodaran, Dean of the School of Development Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi and Mr. Kapil Bhalla, National Director, IAYP. The different clubs used a designated space within the school campus, and they used this creatively to depict their learning. To boost our motivation, our parents were also present.

The presentations were all done by the students and so was the coordination, ushering and compering, therefore, this gave us an idea the idea that not only helped to hone our leadership skills but also student participation and teamwork. The ushers Devanshi Sharma and Deepti Ghosh led the gathering of guests to various locations to display the work.

The photography club had displayed various pictures clicked by the students and Silver level Participant Chirag Wadhwa led the group in explaining the meaning of various photographs; we received wide acclaim from the guests. The physical recreation group presented a rare display of kinaesthetic and psychomotor abilities clubbed with complex coordination.

The crafts clubs had used simple media to depict illustrations in the works of Devdutt Patnaik, it was interesting to see the works displayed through folders that were very handy for usage. The painting group had presented some interesting creations on one of the school walls and the young artists explained its importance to all. The sculpture skills group presented their creations, which were amazingly carved out faces. The faces were presented in a very interesting manner by the group.

The western music group, Hindustani vocals and instrumental and dance clubs made their presentation in the auditorium. Bronze Awards and Silver Award Participants Retika, Nitiksha and Juveriya were instrumental in binding together the various club performances and presentations.  The Hindustani vocals and instrumentals presented a very motivating song by Indian People’s Theatre Association.

The community service group had presented a very impacting and strong play on the farmers’ issue, which is highly relevant to the current context; the most hard hitting lines were, “we all aspire to become, doctors etc, but we do not realise that it is farmers that we need the most for our sustainability.” This way they stressed on the need for dealing with the farmer suicides and debates. The ecology club had set up an assortment of techniques to spread organic lifestyle, for instance, there was a demonstration of extracting rose syrup and using the same for flavouring rassgulla. These techniques are highly useful for arresting climate change and environmental degradation.

Later our guest of honour Prof. Damodaran, who is a prominent figure in the performance arts circle led the group to sing “jhoom jhoom ke nacho gao” which was highly motivating for us. At the end we were served some wonderful dishes made by the cooking club.

The showcasing gave a great impetus to our energy and more and motivated us to continue to aspire for larger and more challenging goals. Click here for pictures....

Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Md Irfan, Gold Award holder 
“The Award has really taught us to utilize our leisure time in a constructive way in order to have a productive outcome at the end of the day. I personally liked the Skills section the most; I took up Embroidery and by the time I completed the 3 levels, Embroidery had transformed from my Hobby to my Skill, and now it is my Profession, and for that, I am really thankful to the Award.”

Md Imran, Gold Award holder 
“I really know how encouraging it is to be praised and recognized for something I’ve done, be it a little pat on the back after a long trek or an Award after the completion of a level. And of course, receiving my Gold Award from the Vice-President of India is one of the greatest moments of my life. When I realize that a lot of well-established people don’t get the honour of meeting Dr. Hamid Ansari, I feel it has been a miracle for me; that’s precisely what the Award has taught me, that miracles are achievable.”

The Award transformed me

Juzer A Shaikhally


Looking Looking back to year 1976…. the first time my class ever heard of the name DEAS, when Cdr T. Almedia came to our school to present the Award Programme. Even though I was in the Scouts and member of the School Mountaineering Club, the reason I joined was the aspect of self-motivation of the Programme and Adventurous Journey. My Award Journey was from 1976 to 1979 where I made new friends and completed my Bronze, Silver and Gold. Undertaking the various sections during my Award journey helped me in many ways in looking at the same problem with different angles. The Social Service section helped me to give my spare time to others in society and even today, when time permits, I do help out with the programme Teach India. The Adventurous Journey section got me out from my inner self. This section, during my time, was the most sought after section. It did make one realise their true motivation and the limits one can go to. At all three levels we had to cook all meals and I have had the pleasure of moving around Maharashtra in the interior regions too.

Marksmanship as my Skill taught me to be cool, calm, patient… I was really happy that finally I could make it to the All India Shooting Competition level. The Physical Recreation session under the Physical Efficiency Test would bring all boys in the Award Pogramme every Friday evening, which we looked forward to. Residential Qualification was really the turning point where I met different people from Maharashtra staying together for a period of 5 days and undertaking the cleaning  of our Award Campsite at Matheran.

Even though I did follow in my Dad’s footsteps by joining him in business, my lust for the outdoor, which I had developed through the Award Programme, made me start an Adventure Company with my friend as partner; this later became a proprietary concern and at present, for the past two years, I am affiliated with Adventure Tours firm in Mumbai as an Adventure Programme Manager handling more than 750 schools in India. Having gone through the Award programme in many stages as a Volunteer, Asst. Regional Officer, Award Leader, on the Committee of the GAHS, West Zone Award Authority, it has given me great satisfaction that I have helped many young people going through the Award Programme and helped change their lives. Many still do call me up and even come to meet me whenever they are in town. Our Gold Batch of 1979 does still meet at least twice a year and we look back to our golden years that we all spent together while participating in the Award Programme.

Yes it has given me the bread and butter in my life, maybe I am a changed person and I do wonder if I had not undergone the Award Programme, would I still be out in the Nature, Wild... always making new friends every week… or… sitting behind a desk doing a normal 9 to 5 job… Yes I do have a lot to pen down… it did bring back memories and tears… even the first International Walsall UK Exchange in the year 1980/1981…. I am in touch with my friends from Walsall…..

Yes the Award has transformed me from the quiet, shy boy I was in school, to who I am in the present.

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Biswajit Ghosh, Principal of Rama Krishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy, Kolkata
The most striking feature of the Award is that it is non-competitive, which infuses a sense of togetherness and selflessness among the youngsters, who generally face competition in every juncture of life. This not only helps the young adults bring out their best but also instills a sense of belonging to the society at large.

Adrija Chatterjee, Gold Award holder, IAYP Youth Representative 
“The Award lets us know ourselves and our latent potentials. It develops a desire in the young Awardee to push one’s own self a bit further to achieve something in life. Most of the girls in our institution have to endure a lot of external challenges and pressures to continue with the Award, but in the end, the achievement really pays for it. And as for myself, I think the Gold Award, or rather the Award Journey itself has been one of the most important achievements in my life.”

Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Prabhnoor Khurana, Confluence World School, Rudrapur 
"My experience so far has been full of learning in these two days of training. To say that I was in need of such a programme that would enhance my skills and provide a better understanding of youth empowerment, would not be incorrect. While attending the workshop there have been some queries and doubts, however, with the passage of time and working in the field, they would be resolved. I feel that this youth development programme provides a wonderful platform to hone skills, confidence level, team spirit, and leadership qualities of young ones. For me, in simple terms, IAYP represents leaving our comfort zone to get the best out of us."

Aasheesh Rawat, Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon 
"This is one of the best experiences of my life. I learned a lot from this two-day workshop. I feel this is a very useful programme for youth and their bright future. It enhances their level of service to the community, skills set, the level of confidence, and teamwork."

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Prabhudatta Lenka, Hopetown Girls' School, Dehradun 
"The two-day YES workshop based on practical hands-on experience and visually memorable training material given to the Award Leaders proved to be a complete learning experience for me. I think with the effective way in which the training was imparted and all the sections explained, this becomes one of the best sessions that I have ever attended. I feel grateful."

Samrat Chakrabarty, Sports Coordinator, Oakridge International School, Visakhapatnam 
"The Award brings in diverse experiences for the most vulnerable and able generation, which gives them stability and proper direction. It connects them with all spheres unexplored to give them a first-hand experience. Also, the Award equally helps in building character and shaping the personality of young people."

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Saiyed Moallim, French Teacher at Templeton Academy International, Naukuchiatal 
"IAYP in my view is an excellent software required to develop the present youth into the well managed and independent global citizen. Through this Programme, I feel we can help each and every young person regardless of their upbringing or surrounding. There is a lot of hope and possibility for better opportunities to be explored through this Platform."

Umed Singh, Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon 
"I have heard for the very first time about the IAYP Programme. I feel that that the Award provides immense opportunities for growth and development of Young people and makes them ready for their aspiring career and bright future. I am all eager to know more about the Award."

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Award Leader Reflections on the Award

Jai Vir Singh, Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon 
"This Award Programme is very good for students since it helps in their overall development. I think the four sections of the Award: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey, help students experience things and also try things out of their comfort zone, which is important for their growth and development. These sections provide them a choice to select the best option giving them a competitive advantage. The Award challenges them and teaches them how to set realistic goals and then achieve them."

Krushna Oh Behra, Templeton Academy International, Naukuchiatal 
"This Award Programme provides opportunities to youth where through experiential learning they learn what is good and what is bad for them. They learn what is important and unimportant for them. They understand what path to choose and how to move with confidence on the set path by setting the right goals. This programme is instrumental in their growth and leading them on the path of progress."

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

A great experience, etched in our memories forever!

Sixteen Gold Award participants accompanied by two mentors went for a 5-day Residential Project to Shuklapur from 26th to 30th September 2016. The project involved constructing of two bio gas plants and exposure to the farm life of the villagers in Shuklapur village. Vinayak Agarwal, a Gold Award participant sharing his experience with us.

“Over the next five days, you will undergo pressure and not the laid-back physical attitude which a layman can withstand, but one which will strain you and engross your minds to an unimaginable extent.” This was our seemingly peculiar introduction to the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO). The following five days, our two mentor teachers Mr. R. Srikanth and Mr. P. Chaturvedi and we, experienced the substantiation of the aforementioned statements.
The first day we had an introduction to the Padma Shri Awardee Mr. Anil Prakash Joshi, in which he expressed his dissatisfaction about the way developed or developing countries were striving for economic prowess, notwithstanding the fact that the very foundation on which all of their economics lies, is agriculture. India, despite being an agrarian society, had turned oblivious to its invaluable backbone, he said, and with this, we strive to do much more than any other could have, in the given time frame.
On our tour of the Isotope Hydrology Centre and HESCO, we came across a multitude of attention-grabbing things but all of them seem to diminish compared to what lay ahead. The task at hand was to construct two bio gas tanks. All we had was some basic tools and two experienced guides. On arrival at the village, which we had reached scurrying past lush meadows, we were greeted by the warmhearted residents. The task unpredictably turned out to be a very meticulous one, for it required the holes, drills, and cuts to be made at precise locations, which if dealt carelessly, could result in the wastage of two precious resources -- time and money. This tank would be utilized by the villages for household work, such as using the gas in stoves instead of LPG. The tank puts to use the otherwise wasted organic material and slurry and, over a period of days, turns it into bio gas. Through means of anaerobic fermentation, in a sealed enclosure, the methane gas is produced. What’s more is that the remnants in the tank can be used as organic manure. Two of these particular constructions were done within two days, discounting the request of our guides to ‘go slow’. The remaining task now was basic manual work related to agriculture. However, on ground, the work was physically excruciating, to say the least. Nonetheless, with the division of work among 16 Award participants, four pastures were converted into garden farms, which were to be utilized by the villages to grow subsistence for their daily needs.
All through this, we had lively interactions with the villagers through which we got to know a lot about life in a village. The ever so welcome attitude of theirs, not to mention the food back at the camp, had made us feel at home. Moreover, the team at HESCO with their heart-warming approach and far reaching outlook gave us a sense of satisfaction, for it was because of such people that one could have an experience so great that it is worth being etched in our memories forever.

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Adventure Trip to Prashar Lake


Trilok Singh, Award Leader from Harvest International School, Ludhiana is sharing his report on the Bronze Level Adventurous Journey.

The nine-hour-long haul to Himachal started on 15th October 2016 at around 9.30 pm. Nine hours later journeying in two tempo travellers we reached our destination and base camp, Baggi, which is roughly 10 km from Prashar Lake. This group comprised two Award Leaders, two mentors and eighteen Bronze level aspirants.

The trekking adventure started immediately after breakfast, when the participants climbed the challenging track into a beautiful new world. The arduous climb presented many difficulties but operating as a team they made light work of it. The group took a well-earned break at the half-way point, stopping at a couple of houses where they were allowed to use the facilities. The participants made food for everyone with the limited available resources.

At 7.00 pm, as we dragged our weary limbs onto the shores of Prashar, its stunning beauty erased all our aches and pains. The participants set about pitching the tents immediately, before the sun could go down. The participants worked in three groups with one leader. With the help of the mentors and Award Leaders, the participants built fires and set about preparing the evening meal. This self cooked meal by the participants was enjoyed together, sitting on the ground around the campfire. After dinner the participants spent some time together discussing and planning the next day's activities.

The early morning sun heralded a fabulous day and spurred the participants to accomplish all the necessary camp tasks with alacrity. Soon the fire was lit for a breakfast, prepared as a group. The day was passed in many adventurous activities like practicing the tent pitching, rope activities, and understanding of camp craft and equipment. The mentors explained the navigation techniques to the participants.

In the evening the participants packed their tents and returned to base camp ’Baggi’. After reaching the base camp site, the participants pitched camp, lit a fire and enjoyed a small dance party; food was then prepared and eaten by firelight and then straight to sleep as an early start was required the next morning.

Next morning everyone was up at 6.00 am, ready to pack tents and load equipment into the tempo travellers again. It was challenging work for us since nobody wanted to break the spell the beautiful location cast upon us. It was a wonderful experience that gave us a new way to look and explore mother nature.

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

Beauty Away from the Metropolis

Aakashi Kotoky, Gold Award holder from Maria’s Public School, Guwahati is sharing her Residential Project experience.

For my Residential Project I went to Sakunabari, a village that is located near Sonapur on the way to Nagaon, Assam, for 5 days and 6 nights. During this period I stayed in a small household consisting of four family members who welcomed me with open arms.

During the period of my stay, I visited different households and asked various questions relating to the daily lives of the family members. The daily life in a village is very tough; it starts very early in the morning as the full advantage has to be taken of daylight before darkness descends. While I was there, the heads of the families were preoccupied with different agricultural activities for the next agricultural year and hence they could not give me the time to the extent I desired. Nevertheless, I managed to collect valuable information on the pros and cons of life in a village.

Their current problems include lack of medical facilities, a school quite far away, irregular supply of electricity, and the absence of clean drinking water, besides the lack of suitable transport facilities. While living with the family I learnt many new things and tried to adapt myself to the village life. It was my first time to visit an unknown place and live with unknown people for a few days. The experience that I got can never be completed while living in the cities. At first, I thought that it would be quite difficult to live among strangers, but it proved to be wrong. The experience that I gathered and the knowledge that I could receive from the members of the family will help me go a long way throughout my life.

While interacting with the village folk I was pleasantly surprised to observe that even in the absence of basic amenities the residents appeared to be quite happy compared to their urban counterparts. To my mind, this may be attributed to the absence of any form of pollution, a constant touch with nature, a uniform standard of living and a spontaneous desire to be involved in community welfare.

During my visit to this village, the female members of the house gave me valuable tips on the art of making pithas, laroos and other traditional Assamese delicacies. Being farmers predominantly, they had access to vast areas of land on which they raised various crops as well as domestic animals such as cows, goats, pigs and birds. The most interesting aspect of my visit was the greenhouse, where various ornamental plants and flowers were grown, most of which was sold in the nearby market at nominal prices. I gave them some advice on marketing methods such as growing hybrid plants, the use of manure for healthier growth and the arrangement of flowers to make attractive bouquets with a view to obtaining a higher price for their labour. I must confess that my brief visit was an eye opener to the horizons of rural life and my interactions with these simple people and my experiences will remain etched forever in my memory.

I sincerely thank IAYP for giving me this opportunity to explore myself better, as through this Residential Project I have learned to adapt to unknown conditions and find out new ways of survival while being away from the comforts of my regular life .This programme also opened new horizons for me to polish my skills with confidence.

Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Anti-Addiction awareness campaign & celebrating World Heart Day




‘Youth are the future torch bearers’. These words resonate that the kind of impact the youth put on the masses can not be done by anyone else. Keeping this in mind, The Aditya Birla Public School, Kotputli, organised a campaign on ‘Addiction Free World’ in Mohanpura village on 10th September 2016. All the Bronze Award participants took part in this campaign. The participants were accompanied by the Award Leader and three other teachers. The rally was organised to make the people aware of the adverse impact of drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol. The participants ran the slogans and also discussed the impact of the different types of addiction. After returning to school, the participants addressed the school staff, including the drivers, conductors and sweepers about the negative effect of smoking, drinking liquor and taking drugs. A small skit was also prepared by these participants on creating an Addiction Free World. All members of the support service staff were greatly inspired by it. Participants were also guided and mentored by the Principal, who gave suggestions on how to overcome these addictions.
Another rally on ‘World Heart Day’ was organised in nearby Mohanpura village on 1st October 2016. Forty Bronze participants took part in this rally and five mentors accompanied them. This rally was organised to make people aware of healthy food habits, the causes of heart problems and how to overcome them. During the rally the participants gave different slogans on the theme of healthy habits, causes of different heart diseases and also addressed the local inhabitants. The participants also had a discussion with elderly people of the village and gave them suggestions on how to take care of their families and protect them from different heart related problems. The villagers seemed inspired and promised to take care of their health in the future.

Wednesday, 12 October 2016

We truly discovered ourselves during this Adventurous Journey

Yashvi Agarwal, Bronze level participant from Modern High School for Girls’, Kolkata sharing her Adventurous Journey experiences with us.

With hearts full of enthusiasm and curiosity, forty nine girls from the IAYP Unit boarded the buses to set out for ‘Panchalingeshwar’ in the afternoon of 29th September, 2016. Panchalingeshwar happens to be located on the Eastern Ghats, Nilagiris to be precise. Located at a distance of 30km from Balasore in Orissa, its main claim to fame is the temple atop a hill that enshrines five Shivalingas.

Our training began early. Our very first session with Mr Mukhoty, the IAYP Programme Manager was a briefing on ‘Understanding Adventure’ and ‘Route Planning’. We learnt that self-discovery and acclimatization were the two most important aspects of adventure. This was followed by ‘The 6 km Trek’. It was quite an experience because the previous night, a herd of wild elephants had traversed the same path, leaving behind large footprints which were converted into small puddles due to the rain. The outskirts of the Singhbhum District was the end point of out trek. It was a place which had a small lake with a 20ft submerged temple built by Raja Singhavarma. This was located in the Buffer Zone of the forest of Simplipal- one of the seven tiger reserves in India. Mr Mukhoty also told us about the three most important things required for survival on a camp- food, shelter and fire. We acquired essential information about the varying types of shelters, tents and other requirements. After this each of us took active part in pitching tents which brought a feel of self satisfaction. We were then briefed on the different kinds of ropes and knots, and about the various equipments mainly throwing light on carabiners, zummers, descendeurs and pulleys. We ended our day with a session on First Aid, where we were taught that first aid was providing scientific aid to a medical victim.

The next day, we had to abstain from our daily morning activities due to heavy rain. We started our day with an interesting session on the Camping Code which included mountain manners, hut manners, etc. We learnt how important it was to respect the culture and customs of the local people of a place. This was followed by another session on the demonstration of all the important knots we had learnt about. Then we were engaged in an exciting activity- Zummering. It was an interesting experience as it was something new for most of us. Right after lunch we set out for another activity- Rappelling, some distance away from our guest house. A short session on maps and orientation was conducted before our thrilling experience of rappelling. This was followed by the camp night. We danced, we sang, we laughed, to sum up we had a gala time.

On the final morning of this very short expedition, we trekked some distance to visit the Panchalingeshwar Temple. We were told all about the beauty of the Simlipal Forest which was right next to the temple. Very soon, we headed back to the camp and having had our lunch we were ready to leave for Kolkata. Just as all good things come to an end, our camp was no exception, but I can very confidently say that we left Panchalingeshwar with memories and valuable lessons that would stay with us for a lifetime and a half. We learnt things that would help us in the future for situations we might unexpectedly encounter. We truly discovered ourselves on this journey. Thanks to all the teachers and Award Leaders who accompanied us. This trip was one of the most memorable experiences that we ever had. Click here for more pictures