National Director, IAYP Visits Jodhamal Public School, Jammu

Jodhamal Public School has become the first YES Centre of IAYP in Jammu & Kashmir.   Mr. Kapil Bhalla, National Director, IAYP visited the Jodhamal Public School on 4th August 2012  and handed over the National Operators License to Mr. Trilok Singh Bist, Principal, Jodhamal Public School during the Award Orientation Programme on 4 th August.

Mr. Kapil Bhalla, National Director, IAYP, India and Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty, Programme Manager  were the guests of honour at the Award Orientation programme in J&K, held at Jodhamal Public School and in Jammu and proved to be a thumping success. The IAYP programme – an offshoot of the Duke of Edinburg’s Awards for the promotion and provision of Skills and Confidence was the initiative of Mr. Trilok Singh Bist, Principal, Jodhamal Public School for its northernmost frontier in India. The award is based on the concept of individual challenge in which young adolescents take the responsibility for their own development through voluntary self help activities. The award will go a long way in developing the interpersonal skills and team spirit of participants in a non-competitive, balanced environment and will give an international dimension to the school curriculum. 

Ms Simran Singh and Ms. Shallu Sharma, the Award leaders from Jodhamal Public School welcomed the 15 schools of Jammu region along with Army school Akhnoor and Nagrota, G.D.Goenka School, Heritage School, J.P.World School, K.C. International School, K.V. Bantlab, M.V. International, Model Academy, SOS Hermann School, Sainik School Nagrota and an NGO students with Ms. Sophia. 

Jodhamal Public School will be the Youth Engaging Society (YES) centre for Jammu under the aegis of National Award Authority.  Mr. Nandan Kuthiala, Trustee Jodhamal Public School presided over the function. Mrs. Arti Kuthiala, Vice-Principal along with Ms. Rohini Aima, teachers from different schools of Jammu and the CCA Coordinators of Jodhamal Public School were also present during the occasion.

At the end Head Girl Sankasha Sharma presented the vote of thanks wherein she thanked The National Director IAYP for sparing his valuable time to be with Jodhamal Public School along with Mr. Bivujit Mukhoty.  She also thanked all staff & students of different schools for being an active part of the Award Orientation. She also extended her heartfelt gratitude to all Principals of different schools for their cooperation.

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International Youth Day 2012

An initiative by Dinesh Gajendran, Audacious Dreams Foundation, Tamilnadu

In continuation to the last 2 year International Youth Day celebrations organised by the Audacious Dream Foundation with support of International Award for Young People, India, Mr. Dinesh Gajendran, Gold Award holder has planned out some projects for International Youth Day 2012 with a hope that these initiatives will get good shape and get support/advice/

partnership from like minded people.

IYD 2011 photos

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IYD 2012

Event Name : Audacious Dreams: Youth for Development

Event organised by : Dinesh Gajendran, Gold Holder , Audacious Dreams Foundation,India

Projects

• Opening Women Self Help Group and improving habit of saving and small scale entrepreneurship.
• Founding Village Youth Club in Village Panchayat System
• 2nd year Annual Seminar on youth for Millennium Development Goals 
• Forming Team of Adolescent girls as "Community Ambassadors"
• Sports events for 20 different Village primary school kids
• Creative competitions like Dance,Drawing,speech and other events in village schools

Well done Dinesh!

Platinum Jubilee Expedition to Draupadi- Ka –Danda II (5716m)

An amazing experience for the Gold Award Participants (a report)

by Laxman Singh, Award Leader, Welham Boys' School

On the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee celebration, Welham Boys’ School sent an Expedition to Draupadi Ka Danda II (5716m),Uttarkashi. The team comprised 18 students and 3 staff members.

Draupadi Ka Danda is a holy peak. There is a story behind it. It is said that Draupadi,wife of the Pandava's left her soul on this peak while on the way to Swarga towards Swargarohini(22000 ft). To the east of this peak exist Gangotri-I, II, III & Kedarnath. On the north-west region Swargarohini can be seen from the top of Draupadi-ka-Danda.

The Expedition lead by Mr Laxman Singh and Rajat, who is the sports captain of the school was accomplished with the guidance of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), which is one of the finest Mountaineering Institutions in the country. The expedition started with the Flag Off ceremony on 25^th May, 2012 and culminated on 12^th June, 2012. Lt Gen Manvender Singh, Commandant IMA, flagged off the Expedition. In the Flag Off Ceremony Gen. Manvender gave a motivating and enriching speech, which motivated the Expedition team to successfully scale the peak.

The expedition lasted for 19 days. The first five days ie from 26^th May to 30^th May the Expedition team underwent an extensive training programme that included physical exercises, rock climbing, trekking, belaying, rappelling, jumaring, bouldering, artificial vertical wall climbing, snow craft, ice craft and tying of knots.

Having completed the training successfully on 30^th May, the team trekked to  Tela Camp which is situated at 8000ft.It was a steep and arduous climb for 4 hours. Each member of the team enjoyed this trek immensely.

After camping at Tela, we marched off to our next Camp at Gujjar Hut (1100ft) on 1^st Jun,2012. It was a wonderful experience because it turned out to be a Herculean task which the team achieved very confidently.

On 2^nd June, 2012 we moved to our next destination, the base camp at 13000ft. Not very far from Gujjar Hut, it took just an hour to reach the Base Camp. The main aim was for the expedition members to acclimatise, check equipment and practise walking with crampons on their shoes.

On 3^rd June we set out on our trek to the Advanced Base Camp (14000ft) and returned back to the base camp. It was an exercise of acclimatisation. 

On 4^th June we proceeded for Advanced Base Camp. At ABC, we were trained to pitch tents on the Glacier, Glacier walk, Snow craft, Ice Craft etc. We were also briefed about the dangers in the Glaciers and the necessary precautions to be taken. At the camp the weather became bad and there was heavy snow fall for 24 hours. Disappointed, the expedition team decided to stay at the ABC till the weather was clear. We lost one day due to bad weather condition. On 6^th June we headed for  ice craft, which we enjoyed immensely.

On 7^th June, after a very difficult and challenging climb full of danger, the team reached Camp-1.On the way they overcame crevasses, avalanches and steep slopes. To add to their predicament, the oxygen level went low, but the confidence level and the teams’ spirit was high.  This helped to overcome the challenges and reach Camp-1 safely and successfully. 

 The anticipation was over. D-day arrived. On 8^th of June, equipped with all the technical paraphernalia, the team began its final climb at 4:30 am. The climb was steep full of challenges and the weather conditions worsened. Visibility was almost zero. It was snowing heavily and the wind was blowing at a very high speed. It was a tough call to take, should we continue or cancel the attempt. We decided to move on and with the grace of god, despite deteriorating weather conditions, 14 members of the Expedition were able to accomplish the honourable task of completing the expedition.

Watching the boys bracing the challenges, including the icy winds and embracing all hardships with a smile was a feat by itself.

Youth Empowerment - Purkul Youth Development Society - YES Centre

When the going get tough the tough get going

Detailed report on Special Project Camp by Emmanuel Ministries Calcutta 

July 6 to the 9th  of July was a day of reckoning for all the aspiring awardees of Emmanuel Ministries Calcutta, Since the inception of the award programme at Emmanuel Ministries in 2001, we have witnessed 12 young adults who have successfully completed the Gold standard and have taken a prominent stand in their community. Sixteen boys and fourteen girls from two projects of Emmanuel Ministries, namely the Pavement Club and the New Market community development project with the Harijan or the Dalit class comprising of municipal sweepers, local fruit vendors and basket weaver were eligible for the expedition to Panchilingeshwar. In order to complete the criteria required for all three section.

The excitement began very much prior to the date of departure. Many of them had heard about trains and yet had not been on one , so this was a dream come true. Some of them heard horrible stories of train accidents which remained as a nightmare to them. Yet nothing could rob them of the excitement of travelling together as a group on a crowded packed train It was a big leap of faith!

We all assembled at the Emmanuel Ministries premises and bid farewell to the parents as we headed towards the Howrah Station to board the Dueli Express that departed at 6:10 am. As the train signaled it way down the track, the students burst out into laughter and merry making. They sang bollywood tunes, played memory games and even shared refreshments together.

On reaching the campsite the students were captivated by the natural surroundings. As quoted by Sangeeta Ram – although I am miles away from home, yet I do not feel home sick as I am surrounded with such lovely people who cares for us and make us feel at home- it is a home away from home.

Our first practice session was on the boulders and I said this to myself says Md. Akbar “ Oh its easy stuff” later on I was amazed that there was so much important instruction that needed to be followed. The evening session on the mountain manners was very encapsulating as it made us more aware of our environment and the importance of people in our lives.

Our 2nd day trek to the Nilgiri mountains at a height of 2,500 ft was an exhilarating experience. Many of the awardees experienced the adrenaline rush as they scaled the rock surface. Rakhi Mullick, a bronze awardees, almost gave up at one point. She persevered and pressed on till she was on the summit. She stated “Today I have learnt not to give up but to keep pressing on.”

A Rope Knots session intrigued almost all the students. There was a lot of interest developed to know more about it. Easy to tie and easy to open was the key to this session. Md Zeeshan mastered the technique and continues to practice these knots even at home. Rappelling down the mountains was what everybody sought after. Practically everybody wanted to have a second go with it, but due to lack of time it wasn’t possible.

On third day the students trekked to the nearly villages for almost an hour and half. Aarti a gold awardee was moved by the plight and the condition they lived in. She discovered that she although coming from a poor family was far better well off than them. She also witnessed great joy which lit up on their faces on seeing the group. Most important equipment was the rope or the life line on which every student depended upon. Other mountaineering classes like Tent pitching, Jummering and mountain sickness was of valuable importance.

Md Manzoor a gold awardee describes camping expedition not in terms of achievement but in terms of what I have become as result of it. He personally feels that these camps are all about exploring into all possibilities and discovering more about yourself in an unfamiliar terrain. According to him camping is fun and adventurous only when the value imparted to us are practiced.

Gold award holders Rohit Mallick and Jyoti mallick volunteered to accompany the awardees on their expedition. Rohit explains that the award programme is not about competing with others but competing with self. After being felicitated the gold standard at the prestigious presidential award ceremony hosted in the capital. These four gold award holders namely Rohit Mallick, Jyoti Mallick, Rupa Mallick and Rekha Mallick took up the challenge of promoting the award to 12 youngsters in their community under the leadership of the Award leader Mrs. Suchandra Roy Chowdhury and the response was phenomenal.