Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp for Gold and Silver Level

Vani Dugar, Gold participant from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata, attended an Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp at Dharamshala and Khajjiar from 24th to 29th May 2016. Vani is sharing her experience here with us.

The journey started with the arrival of 69 Award participants (Gold and Silver) and 3 mentors of Modern High School for Girls, accompanied by six ICNL instructors on 23rd May. After a long overnight journey from Delhi, the group reached Amritsar in the afternoon. The whole group visited the Wagha Border to witness the glorious Beating the Retreat Ceremony in the evening.

The next day began on a high note, with a visit to the famed Sri Harmandir Sahib of Amritsar, more commonly known as the Golden Temple. As we walked through the main entrance, we were left speechless at the sheer beauty of the architecture, the exquisite workmanship and the beautiful mix of colours surrounding us. We left the temple with a lingering sense of serenity and a memory that shall never fade. From there, we made our way to the Jallianwala Bagh. Our History textbooks could not have prepared us for the emotions that welled up inside us at the sight of bullet marks on the walls. The plaque beside the Martyrs’ Well informed visitors of the 120 bodies that had been recovered, a reminder of the desperation of our ancestors as they tried to escape the shower of bullets.

IAYP journeys are about being ‘away from home, close to nature’ and this could not have been truer in Dharamshala. Staying in tents, with the stars and the open sky and the mountains just an open flap away, is something we always look forward to. We spent three days i.e. 24th - 26th at Dharamshala and perfumed different activities such as Multi Chain Rope Walking and sessions on tent pitching, first aid, leadership and planning and the chance to construct the Burma Bridge. It was certainly a learning experience for all of us. The 12 km trek to the tea garden left us exhausted but with a sense of achievement. We also saw the cricket grounds, officially the highest in India, and the Dalai Lama Temple from afar.

On 27th, after a seven hours bus journey from Dhramshala we reached Dalhousie from where we left for Khajjiar. It is a fact that Khajjiar is considered to be mini Switzerland of India for its breathtaking scenery. During the next three days of our camp at Khajjiar, we did trekking and hiking. We trekked through sunlit meadows to the village of Pukri in the Chamba district. We did get a chance to interact with the locals and do a village survey. We had sessions on orientation and navigation, knots and ways of overcoming hazards with the ICNL instructors. The Camp Night, as usual, was a fun-filled and touching event.

We bid adieu to Khajjiar on the 30th of May and left for Delhi. As always, it had been an experience which was challenging yet satisfying and educational and fun-filled. Click here for pictures

Showcasing the IAYP Programme

St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi showcased the IAYP programme for the parents/guardians and the students of the school.  Jyoti Fotedar, Award Leader reports on the event.

IAYP showcasing happens twice a year. It is a time of great enthusiasm. Our IAYP is divided into many clubs and all the clubs gear up to showcase in front of an audience which comprises of parents and fellow batch mates.

Showcasing also brings out the best in us. For many aspirants it is a platform to tap the hidden skills and make themselves proud and gain self confidence. For many it is to enhance their leadership quality and their organizing skills.

Each level of Bronze, Silver and Gold have different levels of skill building program that takes place in these clubs. Parents are awestruck as they have never seen their children ever perform in these areas. Some of the views from the Award Aspirants are

"Being a part of organizing team, the experience I got was one like no other. It taught me time management, co-ordination, humility and gratitude in welcoming the guests.

"Showcasing has always brought out the best in me. First time I did showcasing I was part of the Physical Recreation and I learnt rock climbing. Next I was in western music and I learnt to play base guitar. It was a wonderful experience.

"The IAYP has always been a platform to learn, enhance and show the hidden skills that we generally have no courage to tap.

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A visit to the Aiyur Forest

Award participants from The Ashok Leyland School, Hosur, Tamil Nadu visited the Aiyur Forest during their Award Journey.

The 27th of March 2015 will forever be etched in our minds as the day we visited Aiyur Forest, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu. We were excited to see the forest full of bamboo trees, some of them 50 years old. Mr. Murugasen, one of the experienced forest guards, accompanied us and he helped us in navigating the forest tracks. Some tracks were steep and filled with dried bamboo leaves. At one place in the forest we stood still to drink in the sights and sounds of nature. We could hear the bamboo swaying in the breeze. We were scared to see bamboo trees bending so close to the ground under the strong wind.  We heard the endless chirping of birds and inhaled the exotic fragrance of the trees. The tranquility of the forest was soothing to the mind. The part we enjoyed the most was climbing on rocks and trees to view the valley.

We saw elephant dung here and there. Elephants had also uprooted a signboard. We were excited to know from the guard that elephants would visit the water source. The forest guard described to us elephants' behaviour, his encounters with elephants, poachers etc. All this added to our mounting curiosity to see the elephants and we waited calmly near the waterside for the pachyderms.

We interacted with local women who were collecting and winnowing bamboo seeds and they said that they prepare rotis with these seeds. They offered us some to taste.  We also interacted with another guard Mr. Rahmed Abdulla, who had once rescued a bear that had fallen into a well.

We pitched tents using staves and ropes and we enjoyed the activity thoroughly.  The trip to the Aiyur Forest was the most adventurous trip of our life. We departed from the forest carrying unforgettable memories to cherish.

One Step that Changed My Life

A life changing experience shared by Monalisa Paul, Gold Awardee from Sri Sarada Math Rasik Bhita
 

I was not particularly aware of society and the world around me other than my family. I used to stay at home most of the time. When I was in the 12th standard one of my school teachers told me about an organization named Sri Sarada Math Rasik Bhita. I took admission to learn spoken English and computers. This is where I came to know about another organization - the  IAYP (International Award For Young People). I enrolled myself with IAYP and my life took a new turn. I still remember the date, the 5th of December 2012, when I took the first step to go somewhere without my family, to make myself a strong and self reliant individual. The adventure tours made me a totally different person. IAYP gave me self confidence and the strength to become a person who could stand up for herself in this big world.

In 2014 I graduated in Geography Honours. In this year I also got a job In Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., and the thanks goes to the IAYP programme for giving me the confidence to hold my own in the interview. The other quality I developed is decision making skills.

From that very first time when I enrolled myself in the IAYP programme, right till the present, I have never looked back. It helped me to build my career and a strong character. Now I find myself a new person, not the old, shy one. I have discovered my self as a person who is full of confidence, enthusiastic and daring, ready to take on any challenge. I think this should be the attitude a woman should carry. I am very grateful to Sri Sarada Math Rasik Bhita and IAYP for changing my life.

Bronze Level Adventurous Journey to Camp Wild, Dhauj - A Report

We were truly excited about the adventure journey that we were about to begin. We started from our school in Sahibabad at 7 am and reached Camp Wild at 10:00 am. After a light breakfast we went up the hills and started two major adventure activities - Rock Climbing and Rappelling, both of which we thoroughly enjoyed. At 2:00 pm we came down for lunch, filled up our water bottles, and went up the hill again for 'flying fox'. We learnt about the different types of knots involved in flying fox such as Colwich, thumb knot and figure of 8, also known as universal knot. Having learnt about the safety measures, we started enjoying the adventure activity. At 8:30 pm we went for a short night survival walk, which was followed by a lively conversation about the uses of these activities in wars, environmental degradation and carbon footprints. After this intense physical and mental work out, we came back to our cottages for a good night's sleep.

The next day started with the morning exercises. We completed a fun-filled obstacle course including activities such as Tarzan swing, Monkey crawl, Burma Bridge, Cat walk etc. Later we hiked, climbed a hill and participated in team building activities. With that, our adventure trip came to an end. We packed our bags and left for school with many sweet memories. The best part of this trip was that we not just enjoyed several adventure activities but also got to learn a lot about the safety hardware involved in all these activities. We really appreciate the able guidance of our mentors and teachers who made the IAYP journey memorable for us. We have not just developed our skills further but have also learnt time management, setting smart goals and the importance of involving oneself in community service. This programme has certainly helped us to recognize our strengths and our social responsibilities. No wonder each one of us has now grown into a skilled person because of the holistic approach of this programme.  Click for picture 

A report from DLF Public School, Sahibabad

Isha serves with affection

The work of Isha Bubna at an NGO in Kolkata known as Sneh Seva managed to find space in the prestigious newspaper The Telegraph. Isha Bubna is from La Martiniere for Girls and has completed her Bronze, Silver and Gold Award levels. Sneh Seva is an NGO that provides care for under privileged children and hence goes by it's moto 'serve with affection.'