Spreading Love and Warmth

Sneha Singhal, an Award participant from Uttam School for Girls, narrates her experience of visiting Sewa Samarpan, a school for underprivileged children. Recounting this visit, she highlights how ‘happiness’ has been redefined for her and her fellow participants.

'You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay'.

Donation is an act of charity; it symbolises kindness and generosity on the part of the donor. Every year on Christmas and New Year’s, Uttam School for Girls hands out clothes and toys to students of Sewa Samarpan, a school for underprivileged children. Besides that, it organises workshops and programmes for these children while also supporting them financially.

This year as well, IAYP participants collected old toys and woollens from the students of all classes and then packed them neatly. Some participants, accompanied by a teacher, visited Sewa Samarpan and were elated on receiving positive responses from the students there. It was an immense pleasure seeing them feeling jubilant on receiving gifts. Contrasting our privilege with theirs, we felt our urge to do something for the underprivileged growing stronger. We concluded our visit by singing Christmas carols and getting photographs clicked with our new friends. Keeping up with the spirit of sharing, we also donated huge amounts of warm clothes to Eazy Hug, an initiative by Godrej to spread love and warmth this winter.

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving”, says Albert Einstein. Real happiness is attained through sharing. We take this opportunity to thank IAYP for inculcating in us the true value of community service through the Service section of its programme. We’re proud that Uttam School for Girls has taken this initiative and we really hope that others, too, make efforts to better the lives of marginalised individuals and communities.

The Potential of Little Efforts to Create Huge Changes

Ajay Singh, the Award Leader from Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, shares insights about eleven Award participants who visited a government school as a part of the Service section of the Award Programme. Mr Singh provides a new perspective on rural education.

The Award Leaders of Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, staunchly believe in giving back to society and attempt to plant the same thought in the minds of the Award participants. As a part of the Service section of the Award Programme, participants visit different orphanages and government schools time and again to gain insights about the lives of children there. Aiming for the same, a group of eleven Award participants along with two Award Leaders visited a government school situated in a suburban area of the town.

The government school that we visited had five classes, each with tables, chairs and a blackboard, at the least. There were six teachers and the students comprised children from rural areas and other backward areas surrounding the location. Though hesitant initially, many of them gradually expressed their delight when the Award participants interacted with them. The participants interviewed the teachers, who expressed their views on how a lot of parents of the students are not receptive to the idea of schooling. The teachers also highlighted their struggle of getting children, especially from poverty-stricken backgrounds, to study. As reported by them, some of the students did not even have any footwear when they first came to school and had to be bathed in the school itself on more than one occasion. The participants distributed snacks and sweets among the students and teachers and spent time playing games with them while also educating them about personal hygiene.

It was an eye-opening experience for us, confronted by the zeal of rural students to interact with us. Their presence in classes despite being faced with formidable situations on the domestic, economic and social front was an overwhelming aspect of our experience; one that helped us to inculcate sensitivity towards the extreme conditions that those rural children survive in. Our visit was marked by a moment of pride – learning that in rural areas too, people care about their children being educated and make efforts towards the same. Primarily, it made us introspect and question our own selves about the use of the resources provided to us. We acknowledge and are grateful to the Director Major General of Yadavindra Public School, TPS Waraich (Retd.) for allowing some spare chairs and tables from our school to be donated to the government school, which is a prime instance of how little, seemingly insignificant efforts can make a humongous difference. Click here for pictures

We learnt to share our joys

The following report has been submitted by the Award participants of The Ardee School. They relate their experience of engaging in community service as part of the service section of the Award Programme. They narrate how their participation doubled their joy of ‘Christmas’.

As young people on our way to becoming ‘young leaders’, we could feel the spirit of community service in the task that we undertook. Keeping up with the spirit of Christmas of ‘caring and sharing’, we welcomed the members of Ardee Creche and other NGOs as part of our community service for bronze and silver level. We had the opportunity of exploring new techno-savvy lessons through our assignments. New friendships were made as we sang carols together and enjoyed the nativity play. After a veritable feast served by Ardeeians which was relished by the guests, we bade them goodbye with goodie bags and warm wishes.

As part of a community, we feel accomplished when we share with and care for the people who actually need assistance. Until this experience, we hadn’t realised that the joy of sharing something and bringing smiles on people’s faces could be amazingly blissful. It was a learning experience for us; one that made us realise the significance of being a responsible constituent of society and that made us more sensitive towards the needs of others. Click here for more pictures

Service is done out of empathy, not sympathy

The following piece is a narration of the experience of the Award participants from Mody School, Lakshmangarh, who visited Kasturba Seva Sadan in Rajasthan, as part of their Service project.

As part of its endeavour to proliferate the idea of responding to the needs of others, IAYP ensures that its Award participants plant the seeds of a better world in their stride. As part of their Service for the Award, 50 participants from Mody School visited

Kasturba Seva Sadan, a local orphanage situated in Sikar, Rajasthan, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. With the funds that they managed to collect as ‘pocket money’ and collection from the community, the participants distributed sweets in the orphanage. To mark the essence of the colourful occasion of Raksha Bandhan, they also tied handmade ‘rakhis’ to the children. Additionally, they gifted them items of stationery and clothes and danced with them. This was an overwhelming experience for the participants, who returned with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

The objective of IAYP’s Service projects is to propagate the idea that service is done out of empathy and not sympathy. By motivating Award participants to transgress their comfort zones and contemplate the greater good of the world around them, IAYP’s Award participants become not just receptive but also sensitive to the needs of others.

Bettering the Lives of Young Rural People

Award participants of Bawa Lalvani Public School are doing their Service at a government elementary school in Phulewal, Kapurthala. The report has been submitted by Ms Ekta Dhawan, Principal, Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

The aim of the ongoing programme is to bring about small but significant changes in the lives of rural people, such as helping them to develop skills, to realize and cherish the joy of learning and to broaden their horizons by making contacts, thereby motivating them to improve the quality of life of others.

As part of the IAYP Programme, the Award participants engaged in community service at a government elementary school in Phulewal village, Kartar Road, Kapurthala. The participants delivered a ‘Three Aspect’ routine, i.e., teaching a morning prayer, a group song titled 'Jaha Dal Par Sone Ki Chidya Karti Hai Basera' and mathematics. These were in the form of a classroom addressal to an audience comprising 39 rural students within the age group of 5 to 14 years. The participants also enacted a demonstration that involved explaining the importance of proper hand wash post the use of washrooms and prior to consuming food. Students were advised and encouraged to refrain from defecating in open spaces. The rural student audience responded actively and participated keenly in what was being discussed, making the hygiene awareness programme a success.

Although government schools in villages are making efforts to bring young rural people at par with their urban counterparts, there still persists a long gap that needs to be bridged. However, the Award participants have pledged to commit themselves fully to such community service activities to contribute their bit in bettering the lives of young rural people. Click here for more pictures

‘Say No to Drugs’

Award participants from Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala, performed street plays on drug abuse, highlighting the need to vanquish it. Following is a report from Ms Ekta Dhawan, Principal, Bawa Lalvani Public School, Kapurthala.

“What is an addiction, really? It is a sign, a signal, a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood.” - Alice Miller

The drama has been used as an effective measure to evoke emotions in response to the informational content being delivered. The combination of emotion and information works to promote individuals to become more involved in family and community-based prevention activities. This study demonstrates the efficacy of drama as a mechanism to inform, educate and motivate.

The Bronze Award participants have been engaged in an effective social service programme titled ‘Say No to Drugs’. Through this programme, they have been reaching out to those members of the general public who are victims of drug abuse or have succumbed to use of drugs as addicts. The students performed street plays for audiences at Jallowkhana Railway Station, Bus Stand and Shalimar Bagh, exploring the grave issue of prescription drug and heroin abuse which is deeply affecting the town.

There are countless intense stories about how drugs have ruined families and lives, causing innumerable injuries and even deaths. The plays showed how easily teens can be pressured by their peers and lured into taking drugs. Educators believe that for most students, it is easier to act out the issues than to talk about them with their parents. The plays’ goal, therefore, was to enlighten teens and adults, providing them with tools to protect young people from venturing into the extremely dangerous path of drug abuse.

In the coming months, the Award participants will offer customized performances of the play to different schools and community groups. “If anybody, unfortunately, happens to be in one of these situations, it will help them know what to do,” said the Award participants. 

Watching the plays increased the knowledge base of participants regarding substance abuse as a potential disease. They voiced their opinion that parental involvement in teen life was important. The plays seemingly increased their inclination to participate in substance abuse prevention activities at home and in the community.  Click for more pictures