Reminiscing about a Memorable Journey

Riddhi Jain, Gold Award holder from Delhi Public School, Gurugram is sharing her Award Journey experience, especially the Residential Project.

I was first introduced to the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award programme when I was in the 9th grade. When I was introduced to the International Award for Young People (IAYP), I was quite curious about the programme and how it would help me in my life. Deciding to join the Bronze Award was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It has been an amazing experience ever since. I went on to complete the Silver and Gold Awards as well.

My journey with IAYP has been one with many challenges: from managing academics and extracurriculars to meeting deadlines. Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I think the most important skill I picked up from the IAYP is interpersonal and communication skills.

The Residential Project for the Gold Award was my personal favourite. It taught me how to work in a team. To step out of my comfort zone and go out in the open, meet new people, make new friends and most importantly, it taught me how to enjoy life outside home and away from my parents.

Living with strangers in a village, learning their lifestyle and language was a little scary, but at the same extremely thrilling. We visited the village head -- the Sarpanch, spoke to the Panchayat about the administration of the village, went to the village school and taught the students there, and danced with them. We interacted with them and told them about our school.

I learnt how to make round chapatis and had tea for the first time ever. The tractor ride was quite amusing. We also organised a cleanliness drive and took to the streets, after which we put up a street play on hygiene and sanitation and stressed on the importance of maintaining cleanliness.

On the third and fourth day, I went to the farm and saw a variety of vegetables that were grown. Later, we were taken to the brick kiln and made a few bricks there, which were, to be honest, quite distorted. The task was very tough and tiring, yet fun.

It is priceless memories like these that remind me of the joys of the Award. Completing the Award gives youth opportunities that one would not normally experience and moments that last a lifetime. Achieving the Awards was just as thrilling as completing the journey. Click here to see more pictures

Training Workshop for Trained Activity Service Providers for IAYP

The National Award Authority organized a two-day Training Workshop for Trained Activity Service Providers for IAYP & ITAP license and interested Award Leaders of YES Centres to operate Adventurous Journeys and Residential Projects. Eleven participants from nine institutions: The British Co-Ed High School, Patiala; The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad; Adventure Education Tours (Mumbai) Pvt.Ltd., Mumbai; Global Travellers Guild, Kolkata; Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon; Juniper Wings, Kolkata; Inside Passage, Dehra Dun and Holiday Moods Adventures Pvt Ltd., New Delhi participated in the workshop on 10th - 11th March 2017.

The workshop was a blend of field work, classroom lecture and demonstration, covering various aspects of the Adventurous Journey and the Residential Project, in which the participants gained knowledge of the need and requirements for the same. The evening session before the bonfire was on the Role of the Assessor and the Supervisor, a critical input for a successful Adventurous Journey.

Day two activities started with an Adventurous & Exploration Journey, where the participants took part in trekking and exploration. This session included the learning and demonstration of the Preliminary Training, Practice Journey and Qualifying Journey, followed by a drill on Recording and Management of the Diary. There were Q&A sessions where the participants shared their experience and the problems that they come across during the AJ, and the NAA Team helped them in finding solutions. The workshop was mentored by Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager). and Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) The workshop concluded with the presentation of certificates by the IAYP National Director. Click to view pictures

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.

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.

Explore Spiti, be a part of Solar Conservation Project 2016

Residential Project and Adventurous Journey for Gold Participants
10th - 25th June, 2016: Spiti, Northern Himalayas, India

Gold Award participants from around the globe are welcome to apply for the two-weeks Solar Conservation Project at Monastery, Spiti. Organised by Ecosphere in collaboration with IAYP India, the project is one of its kind, combining an Adventurous Journey and Gold Residential Project exclusively for Gold Award participants.  During this journey the Award participants will participate in the actual construction of the Solar Bath and the setup of a Solar Water Geyser (Evacuated Tube Condenser) or a Greenhouse and will be assisted by a dedicated team with a qualified mason and representative from Ecosphere. The construction period will be 7 to 8 days. The trip combines work and pleasure. During this trip the Award participants will also be visiting some of the highest villages in the world, going on a high-altitude trek, visiting some ancient monasteries dating back over 1000 years and taking a yak/horse safari and mountain bike. Traditional homestays further enrich the experience by giving an authentic understanding of the life and culture in a Spitian home. Detailed information and application form can be download from here or you can write tospiti_gold2016@iayp.in

Registrations Open till 15th April 2016

Residential Project at a Spiritual Retreat

Mridul Upadhyay, Open Award Participant attended SPIC MACAY International Convention for his Residential Project. Mridul is presenting here a report on his Residential Project.

The 3rd International Convention of SPIC MACAY was held from 31 May to 6 June at IIT-Mumbai. SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth) is a voluntary movement that organizes events (over 5000 annually) of classical music and dance, folk arts, crafts etc. in educational institutions through the world. The annual conventions of SPIC MACAY, with more than 300 chapters in India and abroad and thousands of volunteers working selflessly, is a Mahakumbh or a spiritual retreat. The annual convention has acquired international status from the past three years, when delegates from other countries also joined hands. 

The International convention focusses on providing a unique atmosphere to delegates with an emphasis on the Guru-Shishya model. The convention aims to provide a holistic experience in line with classical Indian tradition and participants follows certain rules and regulations like consumption of holistic food, not using mobile/camera and early morning wakeup etc. The convention aims to bring the lesser known and often underappreciated art forms, and the associated artists back into the spotlight. Arts forms like Paper Mache, Puppetry, Kudiyattam and more are probably not as famous as others but they are without a doubt equally significant in the amount of skill and hard work that goes into them. The convention serves as a great stage for these artists to earn the respect and appreciation they deserve while attracting people towards these lost art forms. 

The unique experience of the week-long "Aashram-Vaas" for nearly 1,800 participants from home and abroad was unforgettable, where the normal day started at 4 am with Naad-Yoga, the practice of music; Hatha Yoga, the Yogic exercises; and Dhyaan Yoga, or practising meditation; followed by "Shram-Daan" or cleaning up the surroundings. After it the most unique feature of the convention: the 3 hour long intensive workshops every day by renowned Gurus of classical music and dance, folk theatre, painting, handicrafts and much more. Based on what we learnt during this period we got a chance to perform in front of everyone on the last day. 

On various days, the afternoon sessions and lecture demonstrations had Qawwali by Warsi brothers, Sattriya dance performance by Guru Ghanakant Bora and his talented disciple Anvesha Mahanta, Odissi by Sujata Mahapatra, Bharatanatyam by Praveen Kumar, Kathak by Prerana Shrimali, Mayurbhanj Chhau by Ileana Citaristi, classical Hindustani music by Pt Vinayak Torvi, screening of Malayalam film Kathapurushan followed by interaction with 16 times National Award winning film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan, an illustrated lecture with Puppet show by Dadi Padamji and an inspiring talk by the renowned painter Akbar Padamsi.

Another unique feature of this convention was the overnight music concert which started on the night of June 5, 2015 from 8 pm and go till 6 am in the morning of June 6, 2015. Renowned artistes like Balamurali Krishna, Aswani Bhide Deshpande, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Wasifuddin Dagar performed during the overnight concert. On the last day, the participants were taken on tours to different heritage sites in the city like the Kanheri Caves, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and many more.

All in all, the week-long convention facilitated hundreds of participants not only the awareness of our classical art and culture but also its ethos, the deeper and subtler meaning and values, inspiring them to become better human beings. Click her for pictures

Award Leaders training workshop

The NAA organised a two-day Award Leader training workshop at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi, attended by 23 participants from Mussoorie International School, Mussoorie; Manava Bharati Heritage School, Kaimur; Sir Padampat Singhania Education Centre, Kanpur; Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi; Unison World School, Dehra Dun; The Punjab Public School, Nabha; Him Academy Public School, Hamirpur; Ivy World School, Jalandhar; Vidya Sanskar International School, Faridabad and Uttam School for Girls, Ghaziabad. Kapil Bhalla (National Director) inaugurated the workshop with a brief history and introduction to the Award. Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) and Ranjana Roy (Member National Training Panel) lead the workshop, which was conducted on 18th and 19th September, 2015. Click here for pictures

The Award helped me realize my self-worth and importance

Trupti Panigrahi, Gold Award Holder from the Open Award Centre shares here life changing experience during her Award Journey.
"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement." - Golda Meir

Being honoured with the Gold Award by the IAYP (International Award for Young People), worldwide known as the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, was a dream that came true for me. I started my journey five years ago with the aim of serving society and working towards self-growth. This journey has given me much more than what I could ever imagine. It has instilled in me the thirst to learn more, explore more about life and evolve as a good human being. It has taught me to never give up and never look back.

It was through this journey I realized that in spite of being a small creation of the Almighty, I can bring about a remarkable difference in his world. It has made me realize my self-worth and importance. It has made me understand my responsibilities towards my own self and towards society at large. This Award has given me an opportunity to challenge my own beliefs and come out of my self-created boundaries.

I am extremely thankful to the Award India for providing such a platform where young people get engaged in developmental work. This not only benefits them but also the people surrounding them and creates a brand value for their respective countries.

I am sure I will see more and more people joining this endeavour and having such amazing experiences.

The Award made me a better person

Yuvraj Geet Singh Chopra, Gold Award holder from Delhi Public School, Gurgaon received his Gold Award on 16th July 2015 at the Annual Gold Award Presentation Ceremony.  Yuvraj shares his experience during the Award Journey.
The Gold Award ceremony organized by IAYP, India was held on 16th July 2015 and I was one of the Gold Award recipients.  The entire journey for the completion of the Award was an amazing experience for me. I learnt a lot from it and hope to incorporate the values learnt from it in daily life as well.
There were five parts to the Award, each of which was to be performed and recorded in order to achieve the Award. Those categories included Skill, Physical Recreation, Adventure, Community Service and a Residential Project.
My Skill was vocal music. I practiced every day, performed in a lot of events and competitions for my school and otherwise, and my vocal skill has developed a lot since Day 1. I am now a very good singer and will be pursuing music after school as a hobby too. Under Recreation, I used to go to the gym periodically, due to which I have become a healthier and fitter person. My 'Adventure' included taking a wonderful trip to some islands, where I practiced Para-Sailing, Snorkelling, and other activities. The sheer thought of doing the rides was exhilarating! I also taught the students of the DPS Shiksha Kendra as part of Community Service and I cannot describe how happy I felt teaching the challenged young minds of our society. In fact, I liked it so much that even after the completion of the Award, I still continue to teach at the Shiksha Kendra.
I, along with my friends also visited a village called Ghamroj in Sohna as part of the Residential Project. We visited the homes and farms of the villagers living there, analyzed the current facilities of the village and then had a conversation with the village Sarpanch regarding improving the facilities of the village so that the people could achieve better lives and livelihood.
In conclusion, I have had a wonderful experience and I will cherish the moments I had throughout my life.

"Experience is the teacher of all things.' -- Julius Caesar

Poorva Gupta, Gold Award holder, Delhi Public School, Gurgaon shares her experience about the Award journey.

The journey of IAYP to the Gold Award has indeed been an unforgettable experience.  I started my Award journey when I was in Grade 9, and today when I have entered college, I am a Gold Award holder. My involvement in the Award was a matter of mere chance - thanks to my Award Leader, Darshna ma'am who took the initiative to make us aware about the entire programme. There was so much I was doing and I wanted a platform where I could make use of it. The Duke of Edinburgh Award provided me with the same. Through the entire program I not only came to discover myself, but also made a bunch of great friends.

The Bronze Award journey began with an exciting and adventurous river rafting trip that provided a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the refreshing rapids of River Ganga in Rishikesh. The 50 km journey by bus with other Gold and Silver participants was filled with excitement and the anticipation of savouring nature's rich bounty. For my Service section, I taught at Shiksha Kendra, an initiative in our school to teach the underprivileged children. During that time, I had just picked up a new activity, dancing, which became my daily Physical Recreation. I adore art, and therefore took the opportunity to master painting, develop my Skill and gain confidence. From April to October, I gradually improved in all fields. And it was at the end of October that I received my Bronze Award. 

For the Silver and Gold Award, I continued with the same amount of vigour and enthusiasm. For the Service section I had the opportunity to be a part of Teach India - an initiative by the Times of India and the British Council. Under this, I taught the support staff of our school by staying back for two hours after school. The experience was enriching, one of the best I've ever had. I remember going back to my class after some work, and one of the members of the support staff greeted me with a 'Good Morning!'. Then and there I knew that my purpose at Teach India was fulfilled. I thought the Residential Project would be a tough and laborious task; however, it was absolutely thrilling and an eye-opener for me. We went to Ghamroj Village situated in Sohna Road, Gurgaon. Talking to the villagers we were made aware of the universal needs of food, shelter, clothing, being accepted by our near and dear ones and improvement of standards of living. We realized that all, whether rich or poor, have similar dreams and most of us would go all out to fulfill them. The Award gave me an opportunity to engage and acquire new skills first hand through participation in the four sections. I got the liberty to design my own programme and to set my own goals by challenging my boundaries. Thanks a bunch IAYP!

IAYP Exploration and Cultural Exchange Camp at Sri Lanka: A report by Shivani Bagaria and Ayushi Saraogi (Gold Awardees)

On the 3rd of June 2015, with a unit consisting of 55 participants (12 Gold participants, 23 Silver participants and 20 Bronze participants) and four Award Leaders (S. Banerjee, C. Sood, S. Mitra and T. Haldar) of  Modern High School for Girls went for an exploration and cultural exchange camp to Srilanka. Guided by the IAYP motto of exploring and bettering ourselves as we stay "away from home, and close to nature", we were thrilled at the prospect of representing not just our school, but also our country, in the most welcoming of our neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka.

Our reward for two consecutive flights in the wee hours of the morning was the breathtaking  bird's- eye view of the Sri Lankan coast that greeted us as we flew into Colombo. Our first day in the 'Gem of the Indian Ocean' saw us whizzing down the quaint lanes and bylanes of the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy. The second day proved to be highly rewarding. Our visit to the Sigiriya Rock was a personal favourite. As we climbed up the 1500 stairs that separated us from the top of the 8th wonder of the world, we saw stunning fresco paintings along the cave walls and learnt about the history of the rock. The panoramic view of the lush green Sri Lankan forests and hills at the end of the 1500 steps made us feel like we were on top of the world, metaphorically, if not literally.  In the sweltering heat, a sudden downpour proved to be our messiah as we made our way to the Dambula Golden Temple, where we marveled at the 200 ft. tall statue of the Buddha which was made of pure gold.

We spent a day with the adorable baby elephants of Sri Lanka with the typical teenage sighs of "aww" when we spent the third day of our journey at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. After watching the elephants splash around in the Kubukaya river, we fed them milk and set our hearts on adopting a couple (yes, we hadn't  exactly thought our idea through). What followed was a visit to the Hemachandra Gems Museum where we were told about the process of gem mining and jewellery making through an engaging presentation. The mood set by the rains was considerably enhanced by the steaming hot cups of Ceylon tea that we sipped as we saw the process of making tea leaves at the Embilmeega Tea Factory. We ended the day by delving deeper into the fabric of Sri Lankan culture with the help of a special treat that had been planned for us. We watched a performance of the energetic Kandyan harvest festival dance and a spectacular fireworks demonstration. 

On our fourth and last day in Kandy,  we traced the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in  the Kandy Tooth Temple, which was built atop the relic of Buddha's tooth. We indulged in an entertaining round of the game "Ibex", a long standing IAYP favourite after a picture perfect picnic at the Peradiniya botanical garden that afternoon. We then bade goodbye to Kandy and made our way  to the hills of Nuwara Eliya. 

Our day in the Little England of Sri Lanka was rather eventful. We revisited the tales of Sita's abduction at the Sita Amman temple and then enjoyed the cool breeze at Gregory Lake. On returning to our campsite that afternoon, we partook in a range of adventurous activities like climbing the monkey rope and  crossing the distance between two trees with the help of three kinds of rope bridges. We watched the sunset from the Bumrialla Dam and then assembled around a bonfire to excitedly sing camp songs.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the capital city of Colombo, we participated in a cultural exchange with the students of the President's College, Maharagama, Colombo.  The students of the President's college put up a Kandyan dance performance for us and went out of their way to make us feel more welcome in their city by sharing with us their rendition of a song by Rabindranath Tagore.

In an attempt to give our Sri Lankan counterparts a peek into Indian culture, we staged folk dances from Punjab and Gujarat , performances of Kathak and Odissi, and a popular Bengali folk song .  We presented our new-found friends with hand- made mementos , and they organized an interesting game to get to know us better. The exchange was truly enriching for us. Not only did we make new friends from across the border, but we also forged memories that we will cherish for a long time to come. The sun, sea and sand greeted us at the Galle Beach that afternoon.  Gorging on stick after stick of ice cream, we walked down the beach and made the best of our last moments in Sri Lanka. The evening was spent in preparations for camp night, which proved to be the perfect way to bring the camp to an end. 

Our time in Sri Lanka led us to discover unexpected things about ourselves and the things around us. We spent the eight days marveling at the ability of  man's attempts to connect with another to cross oceans and transcend borders as we found the innumerable similarities in Sri Lankan and Indian culture. On behalf of the entire unit, we thank our Award Leaders, Field Officers and our Principal for giving us the opportunity to explore Sri Lanka in a way that could have been possible only with their help.  It is our adventure camps that make us realize the true objective of IAYP: discovering our strengths and refusing to let our weaknesses come in the way of our drive for excellence. Click for pictures 

Life After Gold

Arunish Singh, Gold Award Holder from Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun sharing his experience during his Award Journey for all three levels.

Don't live life as it is meant to be lived.  Change its course to the harsh and the mildest of conditions and you will see the wonders of life! I have always been actively involved in all spheres of my school life. IAYP was one of them and I must say the experience has been very enriching. Even on having achieved the Gold Award of the International Award for Young People I do not feel content. I say so because during the past three years I have worked to achieve these three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards; I have been from the harshest climatic conditions during my Adventurous Journey trek to the harshest human conditions during my Service. The Skill and Physical Recreations were not something I was compelled to do. I was blessed to be in one of the nation's finest schools, Welham Boys' where all the criteria to be an Award holder of the IAYP did not make us take a harsh route.

The school trained us from the very beginning to be involved in all spheres of life primarily because it's a boarding school. Day boarders and people who are not a part of such institutes might have found it very difficult to achieve the IAYP standards. This Award gave me an objective to work upon. And still there is so much to learn and so much to conquer.

IAYP helps us embark on a journey of learning and discovery which takes us beyond the classroom. And indeed teaches us all the values and qualities of a gentleman and a good human being that we are meant to learn in a class. Our mentor Mr. Laxman Singh who introduced the IAYP to our school motivated us immensely. With his support we always worked beyond the time limit because he taught us on our journey to accomplish the Awards that the Award should not be our main objective; the learning will eventually help us shape our future and guide us through the storms of life. In the words of Mark Twain he taught us that "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover."

India - Sri Lanka Youth Exchange (ISYE) Programme

The Audacious Dreams Foundation, India in association with National Youth Services Council (NYSC), Ministry of Youth Affairs, Govt. of Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) are jointly hosting the India-Sri Lanka Youth Exchange (ISYE) Programme which is to be held in Sri Lanka from 5th to 12th July 2015.
The ISPG award aspirants are participating in this Global Understanding and Sustainable Development (GUSD) programme. Audacious Dream Foundation extends an opportunity to invite IAYP students all around India to participate in the ISYE programme. During this exchange programme the participants will have the opportunity to interact with the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Youth Affairs Minister and other dignitaries.
The GUSD programme India-Sri Lanka Youth Exchange 2015 will give an opportunity to unleash the potential of our India-Sri Lanka youth to empower themselves and the community around them. This GUSD visit will help the fellow youth to foster peace talks, civic responsibility, cultural understanding, and policy exchange through communication, rich diverse experience, field visits etc.  This is an opportunity for youth to develop and engage with societal issues and be new generation change agents.

Participants doing the Award Programme anywhere in India are encouraged to apply with their updated profile and a one-page motivation letter on why they wish to apply for the GUSD programme. Selected participants will be provided with partial scholarship to participate in this event.  For more information, please get in touch with Dinesh Gajendran

A journey towards self- transformation

Gold Award aspirants from St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi took part into Residential Project in March 2015.  They called it A Journey towards self-transformation.  Read their experience about this project.

A path towards change may have obstacles and difficult situations but the path leads to the creation of life changing experiences. Eight Award aspirants and four mentors went for a Residential Project on 24th March, 2015. The aim was to familiarize our selves with the lives of the children, women and men of Azadpura, near Orcha, Bundelkhand and to raise awareness about education and health.  The area is largely neglected by the government in the areas of education and health.

Some words spoken by our mentors helped the bonding and communication with the twenty students of the Azadpura School and the community. Children with eager glittering eyes were hopeful that a beautiful future was round the corner.  Classrooms filled with small children with big dreams colored our thoughts of them. The first thing that came to our minds was connectivity and so we started with circle time and some music, which made the environment comfortable for all of us. The only obstacle we felt at that moment was the reticence on their part to participate freely. Through this particular obstacle or block in our first step we understood that there was something lacking on our side. We realized that we hadn't devoted enough time to get to know each other. That particular time to think and grasp other's problem and issues was missing. The space which defined the time to think was missing.  

The lack of understanding and bonding with the community propelled us to conduct a transit walk to discuss various issues with the community. The discussion raised issues of their present condition and the problems that they were facing as well as their limitations. 

On the second day we conducted a drawing session with the children to allow for some creativity. The children made some awesome drawings reflecting their individual feelings, likes and dislikes. Creativity was further enhanced when we played some music. Eventually every inch of the class was filled with happiness and creativity and the children were active stakeholders in creating this little change. Our aim to create bonds with the community was not limited to the students/children. We indulged in a cooking session with the women of the community. The group was divided into two and along with the community women we cooked a healthy and a love-filled meal.  To make every one more comfortable, we played some folk and Bolloywood tunes. Such is the power of music that the women soon started singing and dancing alongwith us. Over lunch the conversations covered a wide array of topics such as lifestyle and family structure to gossip and Bollywood. 

To impress the importance of formal education and to invite the community for the sports day that we had planned, the medium of street play (nukkad natak) was used. The theme of our play "shiksha humara huk hai" made it easier to redefine the word education. They received the message that we wanted them to join in the fun and expressed their willingness to participate. This was our third step in creating awareness for a more involved and participative future through school and education not only for children but also for older men and women. In the evening we introspected on the day's activities and how to work better in the coming days.

The sports day was a huge success. The day started with a Volleyball match that brought us closer and strengthened our bonds with the community. This was followed by a 50m race, 100m race, banana race and the obstacle race. There was a surge of excitement and enthusiasm from the participants and the audience. We also organized the special berry (ber) race for women. We replaced the lemon with the berries as we wanted to use the available resources which would bring them closer to us.  The main thing which could be spotted was that all resources used on the sports day and other activities were the resources of the community which was another way of empowering them. Handling the sports day was a huge activity, but we felt extremely rejuvenated and happy on seeing the brimming smiles on the faces of those who won and those who participated. While the winners were acknowledged with medals and certificates others were given a participation certificate for their exemplary efforts. 

The sports day was followed by the construction of a sand pit. From tilling the ground in hard sunlight, to finally leveling the land and painting the boundary, we were able to relate closely to the working conditions of men and women who work in the field. 

The task required hard work and vigor to strive and complete it. On completion of the sand pit we were filled with joy & the cherished sense of finally being able to give back profitably to the society. It also gave us a sense of satisfaction as we had succeeded in not only creating bonds with the community but initiating this faith in them, that they could be active catalysts in society. 

Developing bonds, conducting dialogues, understanding problems and providing incentives were our reflections from the residential trip. Even though the journey to achieve the trust of the community was a difficult process, we learnt how perseverance eventually brings victory.

When we are sensitive and considerate about the needs and emotions of people, we are able to accept them as our own and create a difference. The IAYP Residential Program taught us that success consists of creating bonds in the most adverse situations & moving from failure to success without loss of enthusiasm.  Click for pictures

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

The International Award for Young People India organized a two-day Award Leader training workshop on 26th -27th March 2015 at the Award Training Centre, New Delhi for 80 participants from various Institutions including Sunrise University, Alwar, Kasiga School, Dehra Dun; The Naz Foundation (I) Trust, New Delhi; Pt. Uma Dutt Public School, Dholpur and participants from the Open Award Centre.

In this experience sharing workshop, over the span of two days, the participants were given in-depth knowledge regarding the four domains of the programme i.e. Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey and also the Residential Project for the Gold Award Programme. The participants were also introduced to the technical aspects of the programme, which included Risk Management and Online Record Book (ORB).

The workshop was delivered by National Award Authority (NAA) India National Director Kapil Bhalla, Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT & ORB) and Madhubala Sharma (Member National Training Panel). The programme concluded with the presentation of participation certificates to the participants by Kapil Bhalla.  Click for pictures

Giving back to Society

GSIS has taken up the initiative to sustainably serve (through the IAYP Residential Project of the Gold Award aspirants) the Kolikarai village under the aegis of the Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association. Fourteen of us (8 boys and 6 girls) from Grade 12 embarked on this mission from November 14 to 18, 2014 at Kolikarai, a tribal village of the Irula community in the Kotagiri taluk of the Nilgiris district. This tribal hamlet is located 28 km east of Ooty. We started by organizing and storing our provisions, kitchen utensils, tools, and bedding and once this was over, we were eager to get into action. It was a thrilling experience to cook our own food. Washing our own used plates and kitchen utensils, laundering our clothes were quite an eye opener that these mundane chores are possible and great to be engaged in. We learnt what it is to manage our living space for the next five days.

Housed in the space provided at the village hospital and crèche, we helped clear off the weeds and trash from the nearby play ground which was also used as a volleyball court by the villagers. We were engaged in digging and setting up a compost pit for garbage disposal. Along with these, we had set up a fence around the play ground.

In the following days, we presented an awareness skit on sanitation and healthy living. This was performed by students of the IGCSE Global Perspectives. We spent our evenings visiting homes and interacting with the village folk to understand their lifestyle. We found the people of Kolikarai very warm and supportive of our efforts to render service as well as to learn from them the true spirit of living.

The NAWA ofce in Kolikarai encourages traditional herbal medicine. The herbal garden was a wealth of knowledge about the importance of varied herbs in providing immunity and important nutrients to our body. As a part of our project, we cleared the garden a8nd the pathways of all the weeds there. We then helped clean the Kolikarai village hospital.

The Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association runs a primary school in the vicinity for the children of the Kolikarai village. We spent time with the children. We engaged in classes, distributed snacks. This project has truly made us experience another aspect of life. We learnt to survive with basic resources.

The IAYP Residential Project challenged our outlook and expanded our horizons. It has inspired us to undertake our duties and responsibilities faithfully, excel in all that we do and to contribute valuably to society. There is no substitute to education as relief from unwanted pain and difficulties in life.

Knowledgeable interaction with people is of primary importance to alleviate avoidable hardships and to foster greater understanding and appreciation of life.  Click for more pictures

Special Project Adventurous Journey Camp at Susunia Hills

Rupanjan Goswami, Award Leader, Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys Academy, Narendrapur shared a report on Special Project Adventurous Journey from 16th - 21st February 2015

A group comprising 31 visually challenged students of R.K.M. Blind Boys' Academy, Narendrapur, including IAYP awardees, took part in an Adventurous Journey held on 16th to 20th February 2015, at Susunia Hills in Bankura, West Bengal. The team left Kolkata by train on 16th February for Susunia and joined the camp inside the Koley Bungalow campus at the foot of the Susunia hills with other students from different organizations. A number of colourful tents were erected for the participants. The camp activities started after a brief inaugural ceremony under the guidance of camp commandant Amitava Datta (ICNL). The campers took part in different types of activities during the four days. The instructors of ICNL took theoretical and practical classes on Mountain ethics, Camp manners, Mountain Hazards and its solutions, Rock climbing, Rappelling, Chimney climbing, Shelter making, Survival, River crossing, Knot making and use of different mountain gear and equipment. The students attended the theoretical as well as practical classes with their indomitable curiosity. They joined in different interactions with the ICNL instructors and their sighted counterparts.

Under the able guidance of ICNL instructors, the boys completed all the practical sessions successfully. They took part in a jungle trek to reach Shilalipi (a sermon of emperor Ashoka inscribed on a stone in the Pali language). The trek was very enjoyable for all. Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty, Prog. Manager IAYP took an enriching class on nature study and camping in the vicinity of Shilalipi.

A gala camp-fire was organized on 19th February evening. The campers entertaned the audience with a cultural performance. The camp-fire ended with a grand feast. The team returned to Kolkata early morning on 21st February 2015.

Being an Award Leader I have noticed that this Adventurous Journey incorporated so many Life Skills into our visually challenged Awardees. During these days participants enhanced their self-reliance, self-confidence, leadership skills, and working ability as part of a team. They gained the appropriate knowledge and skills to make an Adventurous Journey successful and improved their investigating, reviewing, planning and presentational skills.

I convey my heartfelt thanks to IAYP -- INDIA and ICNL instructors for their path-finding efforts to empower our visually challenged participants for their future life.

My Residential Project Experience

Monalisa Paul, Gold participant from Sri Sarada Math - Rasik Bhita sharing her Residential Project experience

It was a wonderful experience to have an expedition with the Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys Academy at Susunia Hills in Bankura District from 16th February to 21st February, 2015. We were four awardees from Sri Sarada Math, Rasik Bhita. It was my Residential Project to qualify for the Gold Award. My responsibility was to escort one of the visually challenged participants during the expedition and it was a big opportunity for me to work the entire day with him and escort and guide him properly. I had heard about the activities of the visually challenged people but had not interacted with them personally. So it was a wonderful opportunity to know them closely. I learnt how to handle and deal with differently abled persons in different manners. I realized that we should have some knowledge while dealing with differently abled participants and I gained this from the expedition. We did all the activities like rappelling, trekking, climbing and it was wonderful to see how amazingly the visually challenged participants did all the activities with us correctly. Those of us who have sight can easily see and find out the ways to trek and climb the rocks. But those who don't have sight did the same activities while following instructions and using their other senses. We enjoyed the entire trip with our wonderful companions, learning compassion from them. We also learnt the Braille system from them. They easily came to know all of our names by listening to our voices and touching hands.  Now after spending such golden moments with them I have started to believe that nothing is impossible in life.

IAYP EXPEDITION TO SPITI VALLEY

On the 28th of September 2014, 55 students of the Modern High School IAYP unit started a ten-day journey around Himachal Pradesh. The group, comprising two gold awardees (Residential Project and Adventurous Journey) , 15 silver awardees, 38 bronze awardees and three Award Leaders, was in for an experience of a lifetime.

An overnight bus ride from Delhi to Manali made up the very first leg of our trip.  We reached Manali, greatly enthused by the idea of what lay waiting for us. A 7 km acclimatization walk to the Manali market area that very evening introduced us to the beauty of Himachal Pradesh. On our second day in Manali, we trekked up to the Maharshi Jagdamba Mandir, where we played an enjoyable round of Ibex, an IAYP favourite.

The fourth day of the trip was devoted to travelling to our base camp, a village called Shego in the Spiti Valley. It was a 10 hour drive from Manali. For most of us, this was to be the first time we would stay in tents. These tents would be our home for the next four nights. Our first night in Shego was spent in the exchanging of horror stories which ironically caused peals of laughter.

Early the next morning, we embarked upon a particularly strenuous trek to the Kaumik village, which, at 14,500 ft above sea level, is the world's highest village. We visited the Kaumik monastery, one of the country's oldest monasteries. Here, some fascinating facts about the Buddhist way of life were shared with us. We completed another trek, this one on extremely treacherous terrain, to the Dhankar Lake the next day. As we trekked up to the lake, we couldn't stop marveling at the mighty Himalayan mountains and the sparkling blue rivers gushing through between them. We had a tent pitching session with the teachers and IAYP Field Officers on returning to our base camp. We continued our rendezvous with the Buddhist heritage of Himachal Pradesh when we visited the enchanting Tabo monastery on our fourth day in Spiti valley.  We were given the opportunity to participate in a cultural exchange with a llama at the monastery. This proved to be one of the highlights of the expedition for most of us. On the same day, we visited the Pinn valley and Pinn River.

We began the ten-hour bus journey back to Manali in the wee hours of the next morning, each of us desperately trying to taking in as much of the beauty of the Himalayan ranges as we possibly could. We reached Manali that afternoon. The remainder of the day was spent in excited preparations for camp night.  With the added charm of a bonfire, camp night proved to be a memorable affair.

Through this camp, we got the opportunity to explore what IAYP is all about. We spent ten days on a trail of self-discovery; exploring our limits, pushing them and consequently formulating new opinions of our own strength. The camp was a crash course in the virtues and benefits of efficient team work. We returned with a deep appreciation for the values of disciplines and punctuality, grateful for having adopted the IAYP  motto "Away from home, close to nature".

We headed back to Delhi the next afternoon, longing for more. We landed back in Kolkata on the 7th of October. Of all the things we had done in ten days, returning home was the undoubtedly the most difficult.  Click for pictures

Ayushi Saraogi   (XI-B)

Explore Spiti, be a part of Solar Conservation Project 2015 - Registrations Open till 15th April 2015

Residential Project and Adventurous Journey for Gold Participants
5th - 21st June 2015: Spiti, Northern Himalayas, India 

Gold Award Participants from around the globe are welcome to apply for the two-weeks Solar Conservation Project at Monastery, Spiti. Organised by Ecosphere in collaboration with IAYP India, the project is one of its kind, combining an Adventurous Journey and Gold Residential Project exclusively for Gold Award Participants.  During this journey the Award Participants will participate in the actual construction of the Solar Bath and the setup of a Solar Water Geyser (Evacuated Tube Condenser) or a Greenhouse and will be assisted by a dedicated team with a qualified mason and representative from Ecosphere. The construction period will be 7 to 8 days. The trip combines work and pleasure. During this trip the Award Participants will also be visiting some of the highest villages in the world, going on a high-altitude trek, visiting some ancient monasteries dating back over 1000 years and taking a yak/horse safari and mountain bike. Traditional homestays further enrich the experience by giving an authentic understanding of the life and culture in a Spitian home. More information can be download from here or you can write to spiti_gold2015@iayp.in