Special Project -- Adventurous Journey Camp

A report on the Silver level Special Projects Adventurous Journey camp, organised at Inside Passage campsite situated in the lower Himalayas, from 29th March to 1st April 2015.

A group comprising 43 Award aspirants from NAZ foundation (33 girls + 7 boys) and Open Award Centre (2 boys + 1 girl) along with five escorts and mentors, took part in an Adventurous Journey held on 29th March to 1st April 2015, at Inside Passage Camp at Maldevta Village, Dehra Dun. The team left Delhi by bus on 28th March for Dehra Dun and reached the campsite on 29th morning.  The camp activities started after breakfast with a session by Bivujit Mukhtoy, Programme Manager, IAYP. The campers took part in different types of activities during the four days. The instructors of ICNL and Inside passage took theoretical and practical classes on mountain ethics, camp manners, mountain hazards and their solutions, rock climbing, rappelling, shelter-making, survival, jungle walk, cave exploration, river crossing, trekking, fire making, Spider Web, knot-making and the use of different mountain gear and equipment. Under the guidance of instructors, the participants completed all the practical sessions successfully. The participants also received training on Bird Watching with the Award Participants of Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun, who were participating in the State Bird Watching Camp for their Residential Project.  A campfire was organized on 31st March evening. The camp experience helped the Special Project Adventurous Journey participants enhance their self-confidence,  self-reliance, leadership skills, and ability to work 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.  Click for pictures

Taking Netball to Bangladesh

While on Sunday in Australia, Melbourne Vixens beat Queensland Firebirds in ANZ championship title at Hisense Arena, Nayana Pardeshi from Naz India Goal was teaching the same sport to 70 girls in Bangladesh. Most of us are unfamiliar with Melbourne Vixens and Queensland Firebirds, they are the netball teams from Australian Netball league, as for Naz India Goal represents a programme under NGO Naz India that uses netball and life skills education to transform the lives of young underprivileged girls in India, on and off the court.

Nayana Pardeshi who along with being a Gold Award participant also holds the post of Programme Assistant and Coach for Naz India Goal in partnership with BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) travelled to Bangladesh to teach girls from a village near Sylhet and thereby providing them with a platform to transform their own lives like Nayana herself has done in past 4-5 years. Below is the description of her Residential Project in her own words:

First day of the project was spent introducing the sport to the participants; this was followed by teaching them the technique of chest pass. This was done through a training drill known as ‘5 point play skill of Netball.’

Before we started the second day, a quick revision of the previous day was done by asking questions related to the basics of Netball and chest passing. Later the girls were taught the techniques of two foot landing & pivot and were given enough practice time to enhance their skills. Next the girls along with cones and chalk powder made their own netball court and were then positioned at their respective position. After which they were suppose to practice the skills they had learnt till now in a real time situation and were also introduced to shoulder pass.

Day three involved shooting practice, this practice was done using newly fitted bamboo poles. After an hour of shooting practice the participants were introduced to two new forms of passes i.e. high pass and lob pass. These two passes are considered extremely important skills when it comes to winning netball matches. The day ended with a demonstration match played by the trainers from BRAC and I also captained one of the sides.

Day four was there just to revise everything we learnt in past three days and this was done by playing Kaun Banega Crorepati based on Netball rules. 

For me it was an experience that I will never forget and I am happy to say I not only brought about a change in their community but also made new friends.