The Pre-Eminence of Hands that Serve

The Award participants of Mody School, Lakshmangarh visited Bal Seva Sadan and worked with the school as part of the Residential Project of the Gold Level. Recounting their experience of engaging in a host of activities at the school, these participants redefine the power of lending a hand.

Under the banner of IAYP, the Award participants of Mody School and seven other renowned schools of the country gathered to participate in a five-day Residential Project as a part of their Gold Award Programme. Mody School, Lakshmangarh has adopted a school, “Bal Seva Sadan”, through which it provides free education to underprivileged children of the area. Aligning with its aim to fulfil some material and service requirements of Bal Seva Sadan, Mody School sought to improve the basic infrastructure there for this Residential Project. 19 participants of Mody School aspiring for the Gold Award, 26 participants for the Silver and Bronze Awards along with 60 others from visiting schools, actively participated in this project. They raised substantial funds to meet the expenses of the project.

Ms Nishi Rana, the Principal of Mody School inaugurated the project by planting a sapling, marking a new beginning. In the same spirit, all the participants and teachers also did the same. Following this, the participants, together with the students of Bal Seva Sadan, were divided into 8 groups. The groups cleaned the ground and prepared a cemented path. They even distempered the wall, preparing them for further work. On the second day, a water cooler with RO was installed, the existing tin shed was extended by fixing another one and a learning session comprising dance, poetry, painting and drama was conducted by all the groups for the students of Bal Seva Sadan. The students also began tiling the floor with vitrified tiles.

The third day saw the volunteers painting the walls and marking the sports ground. The groups first sketched on the walls and then painted them with myriad colours. Two groups engaged in marking the badminton court and a grid for stapu. The learning sessions, too, continued with great conviction. On the fourth day, the groups finished the wall paintings and fixed baskets on the walls for practising basketball. The students were provided with sports equipment for playing badminton, basketball, karate and gymnastics.

On the fifth and final day, a counselling session for the students of Bal Seva Sadan was conducted where they were taught the importance of education and the benefits of attending school regularly. The most awaited moment for the participants as well as the younger students was their final performances. The groups performed whatever they had learnt during their sessions and felt elated on being able to perform well. They were given school bags, water bottles and sweatshirts, among other things.

The participants testify that the hands that serve are supreme. They are prime examples of what sensitivity towards the needy means, in the real sense. Click here for more pictures

We gained insights on cultural and perceptual differences between rural and city life

The following report has been submitted by the students of Delhi Public School, Gurugram who iterate their experience of visiting Ghamroj, Sohna Road as part of their residential project. They narrate how the project has been a life changing experience for them while acknowledging the important role that the Award Programme has played in their journey.

Undertaking the Award Programme is a learning experience that enables participants to not only expand their interests by transcending classroom boundaries but also to develop new skills and gain recognition for performing extra/co-curricular activities. Moreover, a sense of responsibility and leadership quality is also developed due to the different aspects of the Programme.

As part of the residential project for the Award Programme, we visited Ghamroj, Sohna Road. This project, to begin with, helped us understand the fundamental difference between city life and rural life. Understanding these basic cultural differences is what made this project one of the most interesting opportunities for experiential learning that we’ve come across. Of the myriad activities that we engaged in, a major one was teaching the students of the village school. We taught them subjects like Social Science, Science, Mathematics, Hindi and English and our experience was enriched by their patience and discipline. Messages about hygiene and cleanliness were also spread during this project. We highlighted how lack of hygiene could unleash various diseases and how those could be prevented via proper and effective measures.

We were taken to a brick kiln to witness the making of bricks, after which we attempted the activity of brick making with the help of local people of the village. We also visited a vegetable farm where we enhanced our motor skills by plucking vegetables by their roots. We learnt what lies beyond the domains of theory by gaining practical knowledge of technical skills for agricultural development. We were then taken to the poultry farm where we understood how domestic birds such as hens, ducks and turkeys are raised. Gaining insights on the profits earned through poultry farming was another advantage associated with the visit to the poultry farm. We also interacted with members of the village council, analysing various possible issues of the village such as water supply, electricity supply, provision of education and women-centric issues. The insights that we gained through the discussions helped us scrutinize the perceptual differences between rural and urban setups.

The residential project helped us foster new skills such as time management, team work, problem-solving and building our confidence through novelty. The experience that we gained in this project will always be cherished by us. However, we acknowledge the efforts of our teachers who have been pillars of support, encouragement and guidance and those of IAYP of making our journey a truly memorable one.

Greening the Desert – Build a Greenhouse

Eighth Gold Level Adventurous Journey and Residential Project for Gold Participants: 8th - 23rd June, 2018, Spiti, Northern Himalayas, India

Gold Award participants from around the globe are welcome to apply for the two-weeks Solar Conservation Project at Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, 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 be travelling through Spiti and will spend 5 days assisting the local community in the construction of a Greenhouse enabling a local farmer or a Monastery/Nunnery to have access to green vegetables throughout the year. You will participate in the actual construction of a greenhouse and will be assisted by a dedicated team comprising a qualified mason and trained person from Ecosphere. The activity will entail physical work. The trip is a mix of work and pleasure. During this trip participants will be visiting some of the highest villages in the world, going on a high-altitude trek, visiting some ancient monasteries dating back to over a 1000 years, and taking a yak/horse safari and mountain bike -- if interested. Traditional homestays further enrich the experience by giving one an authentic understanding of the life and culture in a Spitian home.

Detailed information and application form can be obtained from here. The last date for registration is 20th May 2018.