HOPING TO CLIMB THE LADDER OF CHANGE- A Residential Project report by the first ever Gold Awardees from St. Mary's School-safdarjung Enclave

An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life. (Anonymous)

…we couldn’t have agreed to more. As part of the IAYP Gold Award residential project, five students of St. Mary’s School, along with Ms. Saryu Dahra (Social Worker, St. Mary’s School), went on to discover the unexplored village of Azadpura, in the remote area of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh. Our six-day research study (from 12 March 2012 to 17 March 2012) involved taking interviews and focused group discussions with the people of Azadpura. The main objective of our research study was to investigate the needs, challenges, hopes and attitudes of the people of Azadpura village, in the absence of basic facilities and appropriate conditions that are required to meet human rights.

The situation of people at Azadpura village is quite adverse. Where globalization has turned the world into one whole and created a borderless life, its benefits seem to have hardly reached the roots of this Indian village. Adam Smith rightly said – “No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.”

Today, the village of Azadpura lacks the basic amenities such as the accessibility to quality education, heath care, safe drinking water and sanitation. Where the majority of men and women in Azadpura village are employed as agricultural laborers and farmers, their adversities can be identified as they are still dependent on monsoons as the major form of irrigation…local irrigation facilities are not up to the mark. Most of the households still use the conventional cooking fuels like firewood, kerosene and cow dung. The village electricity system is more unauthorized than authorized, and within the system, around 90% of the people are found to be stealing electricity. The village doesn’t even have a proper drainage system. The drainage system introduced by the government was far too risky and dangerous for the people as it was 5 feet deep and ill-structured. Eventually the villagers themselves had to close it up. There is no evidence of a proper health care facility in the village as there isn’t any hospital or clinic in the village. The villagers have to travel to Orchha (4 kms) or better still, Jhansi (15 kms), in case of any injury or sickness, and in the absence of any significant mode of transport.

The education status of Azadpura village is far more disappointing. The village school is just like any other small building in the village, where hardly any teaching takes place.  Parents as well as children themselves are not satisfied with the education provided to them. Teachers are often found to be sleeping during the classes and ask students to clean the classrooms using broom sticks.

All, however, is not gloomy. The village does have an anganwadi, which seems to be nominally functioning. The village also consists of some facilities such as a kirana store (General Provision Shop), and has moved up to organizing women’s Self Help Groups  (SHGs). Some government schemes have also been implemented in Azadpura village, such as the Mid-Day Meal Programme and the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). A local NGO, TARAGRAM, also provides employment and development opportunities, specifically to the adivasis or the tribal population of Azadpura village. These facilities speak much, but at the same time make us question the quality of services, when we find the people grossly dissatisfied with their plight. A small example can be expressed through the quote of a 12-year-old school-going child about the Mid-Day Meal Programme of the school – “The food that they provide is not at all good. Once I asked my teacher to replace my bowl of pulse as a house fly was found dead in it, but the answer I received was that I should remove and throw the fly out of the bowl and then I should enjoy the meal.”

While we hope to next work towards change and development in this beautiful and heart-rending village of Azadpura, it has been a great first step towards understanding the life and situations of our rural friends. In the process, we have not only learnt about the village, but have also learnt many social work practices and methods like Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), and professional field research. At the end of our trip, we have identified and strongly held that there is an immediate need of a school or an institution that would tackle majority of problems that are being faced by the people of Azadpura village. Our school’s principal, Mrs. Annie Koshi, has been supportive of our cause and has decided to push it forward with initiating a project to build a school in Azadpura. It is proposed that the school will not only provide quality education to the children, but also employment opportunities to the needy. With constructive steps in line, we wait to see positive results, and many smiles in Azadpura village, in the year of 2012. As the Chilean poet, Gabrriella Mistral said – “For many things we need can wait, the child cannot. To him, we cannot say, ’tomorrow’. His name is today.”

Although the research study took most of the time during the trip, we still got some time to explore the beautiful cultural and historical heritage of Orchha. The Jehangir Mahal, Ram Raja Temple and the Chhatris at Orchha were spectacular sights that transported us back in time! Our trip would not have been complete without the exciting adventure sports that we indulged in. Crossing the Betwa River and hiking across barren tracks of dry Orchha made for the most wonderful experiences. We not only explored these, but further explored the exemplary model village, TARAGRAM, set up by the well-known organization – Development Alternatives. At TARAGRAM, we explored innovative rural programmes (such as the paper recycling unit, green building solutions etc.), and further managed to participate in them. Of specific excitement was the Bundelkhand Community Radio, on which we were featured for the special Women’s Day programme.

Our IAYP residential trip has sure been the most memorable one. While the highlight remains rigorous research work, the learnings and the adventures seemed to have made up for all the sweat!

                                                                                                                       

By Gold Awardees- Abhishek Gupta, Shivani Tokas, Mahima Chopra, Dharmendra Kumar and Charu Satija from St. Mary’s School, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. They will receive their Gold Awards at The Golden Jubilee Celebrations on 21st April 2012. 

Celebrate 50 years of The Award in India by Engaging in the 2nd Gold Solar Project with Ecosphere, Spiti from 9th to 25th June, 2012

The 1st Gold Solar Group after successful completion of the Bath Project with The King of Spiti and nuns of Morang 

Calling GOLD AWARD HOLDERS AND GOLD AWARD PARTICIPANTS to Celebrate the 50 years of The International Award in India through Active Engagement in a Sustainable Project in Northern Himalayas.

To highlight the need for sustainable development and engage young people in projects to witness first hand the positive outcomes of Societal Engagement, with focus on other valuable and crucial aspects/issues closely related like Environmental Consciousness, adaptation to a Multicultural Environment, and Social Networking.

The Spiti Gold Solar Project presented by the International Award for Young People, India; the Gold Award Holders' Society of India in collaboration with Award Social Partner- Ecosphere is a unique opportunity to Gold Level Participants and Gold Holders to undertake an international adventurous journey and engage in a residential project in Himalayas in June 2012. This project will provide an interesting insight into Spitian life, culture and Buddhist heritage and provide an opportunity to be a part of the environment preservation initiative taken by the community.

Through the Spiti Solar Project, Ecosphere aims to showcase the fragile environment in the highest mountain range of the world while encouraging young people to have a positive transformative experience through:   

Participants with monks during visit to Key Monastery, June 2011

• Exchange of cultures not only with the Buddhist locals in the area but also with the other participants in the Project coming from a different areas and cultural backgrounds, and thus boosting up Social Networking.
• Instilling Environmental Consciousness and emboldening the students/youth to engage in a sustainable development project that will ensure long-term significant Social Impact in the community through the construction of a solar facility in the area. 
• A chance to visit and enjoy the picturesque beauty of the highest mountain range in the world, and simultaneously become successful in making a positive change towards the community, as a Global Citizen.

ABOUT ECOSPHERE: Award Social Partner

Ishita in her office in Kaza, Spiti

Ecosphere founded by Ashoka Fellow, Gold Holder and Gold Award Holders’ Society of India President- Ms. Ishita Khanna; is a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable development through collaborations with the local community of Spiti and professionals from diverse backgrounds. 

There is a vast array of subtle complexities that bind together the various facets of the Himalayas. These are amply manifest in the ecology, people, culture, religion and geology of this extremely fragile and complex eco-system. Ecosphere Spiti are consciously striving towards ensuring that your visits to these pristine lands have minimum impact on the region and in turn directly contribute to conservation and development.

With focus to creating sustainable livelihoods that are linked to nature and culture conservation, Ecosphere addresses the triple bottom-line of conservation, development and economies. To know more about Spiti and Ecosphere, visit www.spitiecosphere.com.

At Key Monastery

ABOUT SPITI: The Spiti Valley is a desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Spiti - ‘a world within a world' as described by Rudyard Kipling (of ‘Kim' fame) - is a relatively unknown world, tucked away in the Trans-Himalayan belt of Himachal Pradesh.

Reaching for the skies at average (valley floor) altitudes of 3600 mts, this peculiar geo-climatic cold desert region borders Tibet in the east and Ladakh in the north. Spanning an area of approximately 8000 sq km Spiti is home to a purely homogenous Buddhist Society of just over 10,000, who bear stark cultural similarities with their neighbours in Tibet & Ladakh.

Lying in the rain shadow of the mighty Himalayas, Spiti receives scanty rainfall. A cold desert at an average altitude of 4000mts, the valley experiences extremes of climate and temperature variations ranging from -25 degree to +30 degrees centigrade. For more than 4 months of the year the Spiti valley remains obscured by harsh winters.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SOLAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS:

Greening Spiti Project  is of special significance in

Spiti since the region is devoid of green vegetables. 

Most of the supply comes from the neighbouring cities of Shimla and Manali which takes 2 days. This excessive transportation makes the vegetables both expensive as well as high in their carbon footprint. Moreover in the 6 month long winters there is no availability of green vegetables as access to the neighbouring regions is cut off. 

The greenhouses developed by Ecosphere enable locals to cultivate vegetables not only in the summers but also in the winters at temperatures as low as -25 degrees centigrade. These green houses contribute to better health for the locals, reduction in emissions and also in providing them with an additional source of income.

1st Gold Solar Bath project, Morang Nunnery, June 201

Climate Solution Project through the construction of a solar facilities is of great significance in this region as great amounts of fuel wood, coal and wood is burnt for heating water that contributes to CO2 and black carbon emissions. The latter having far more damaging affects on the melting of glaciers and snow on a local level. 

Through the set up of a solar bath that includes both a passive solar structure as well as a solar water heating system, we enable the people to cut down on emissions (especially reducing black carbon) as well as enable them to have better hygiene through regular availability of hot water.

1st GOLD SOLAR PROJECT, JUNE 2011: BUILDING A SOLAR BATH

2011 Participants with Chomo Choden-Head, Morang Nunnery

In June 2011,a group of Award Participants spent two weeks successfully building a Solar Passive Bath in the remote Buddhist nunnery of Morang Village, Spiti. This project will allow the nuns to save over 3.5 tons of fuel wood per annum and provide ready access to hot water in the winters when temperatures dip to minus 35 degrees centigrade.

 “Our project will enable the local people to cut down on emissions and also to have better hygiene through regular availability of hot water.” – stated Arnav Saxena, a Gold Award participant of he 2011 Project. “Moreover, getting dirty in the mud and having fun working amidst the beautiful Himalayas- the highest mountain range in the world, the calm and pure winds at an average altitude of 4000metres above sea level, the simple yet sumptuous meals with the local Spitians in their cozy mud homes… all of these would just have been a mere desire if I had not applied for the Gold Spiti Project.” – he added enthusiastically. Hear more about the Trip

See the photos on our Facebook page.

2012 GOLDEN JUBILEE SOLAR PROJECT

Dates: 9^th to 25^th June 2012

Open to all Gold Holders and Gold Award participants worldwide

Qualifies for Gold Level Residential Project and Adventurous Journey (Exploration)

Cost (Excluding Taxes): Indian Rupees 31,000.00 (Thirty One Thousand) per participant from New Delhi to Spiti and back. Does not include travel fare of transit from/to participant’s country and back.


You can pay through The Award Store at http://iayp.in/awardshop.htm

LAST DATE OF APPLICATION is 31st MARCH 2012

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM today!

For more details, contact Nivedita at nivedita@dofe.in

Gold completion in Welham Girls' School the largest in India: a peek into their Residential Project with HESCO

Welham Girls' School (WGS), among the Top 5 best schools for Girls in India, makes headlines for the committed, talented, energetic and driven young women that graduate every year. WGS has a very robust, extensive and rigorous Award Programme and 20 Gold Level completions have happened in the last three years, making it the largest number of Gold Award completions in one Award Operating Unit in India. 

Gold Award participants engage in exciting and innovative activities that range from learning traditional India dance forms from Gurus such as Birju Maharaj, to learning digital media, exploring different art forms, foreign language, sport including leading in basketball, athletics, badminton, karate, etc, to making their presence felt in the communities in Dehradun with their Service. 

The 'sulabh shauchalay’ project, with partnership with Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation or  HESCO (http://www.hesco.in/) at Donkwala village is a recent Residential Project completed by the Gold Awardees at Welham this year. The HESCO-Welham partnership, operational since over five years has transformed lives of villagers in the Uttarkhand region and of the young Gold Award participants. 

The school students and teachers undertook construction work from 21 September at the village. While Welham Girls provided the financial input for raw material and the labour to complete the project, HESCO empowered the girls with their technical input. Toilets are built with bathrooms- an essential hygiene empowerment tool. Identified beneficaries say that through this initiative by HESCO and WGS, Welhamites learn about the need for and the importance of sanitation in villages, and the local people are encouraged to work for better living conditions. 

The 5 day project was attended by Kunwar Singh Rana and Jaipal Singh Chauhan from HESCO, WGS teachers Sonia Bawa, Sapna Sharma, Sudhir Kailthola, Vishal Rawat and 20 Gold Award participants from WGS.  At the concluding ceremony, the founder of HESCO, Dr Anil Joshi, praised the work done by the students. He pointed out that the poor faced a range of difficulties in obtaining a better life, which is why it was important to work in the rural environment. One needed to use one’s resources for the good of others.


It is important to note that Alumni and Award Holders from WGS have been active in Volunteering and Exploring Opportunities with The International Award Programme in India. Since the set up of the National Office in Delhi, Gold Holders and Welhamites have spearheaded the Open Awards Centre campaign, provided invaluable support in Digital and Print media for the Communications team and in operations and monitoring of the Award Programme in India. 

- Excerpts from The Garhwal Post (26/09/2011) and from National Office Archives and NAA team feedback

‘A mesmerizing fortnight’- Arnav Saxena shares his experiences from the First Spiti Gold Solar Project held in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh from June 11th to 25th, 2011

 Award Partner Ecosphere presented a unique opportunity to Award participants to complete their adventurous journey and their residential project (Gold Level) in Spiti this summer. Ecosphere founded by Gold Holder and Gold Award Holders’ Society of India President- Ms. Ishita Khanna is a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable development in the fragile cold desert of Spiti. In June 2011, a group of nine Award Participants from spent two weeks successfully building a Solar Passive Bath (as in the banner) in the remote Buddhist nunnery of Morang Village, Spiti. This project will allow the nuns to save over 3.5 tons of fuel wood/annum and provide ready access to hot water in the winters when temperatures dip to – 35 degrees centigrade. Arnav Saxena, one of the Project participants from The Scindia School, Gwalior shares his experiences!

Getting dirty in the mud and having fun working amidst the beautiful Himalayas- the highest mountain range in the world, the calm and pure winds at an average altitude of 4000metres above sea level, the simple yet sumptuous meals with the local Spitians in their cozy mud homes… all of these would just have been a mere desire if I had not applied for the Gold Spiti Project.

The much-awaited day arrived on 11th June, and we met the entire Spiti Group in Delhi. We met Daniel- an Award Participant from Hebron School Ooty, Olga- Volleyball coach and Award Holder from Russia, Tanushree- Award Participant from Open Awards Centre in Delhi and Nivedita- Communications Manager and Award Leader from National Office. We boarded the overnight bus to Shimla, where Angdui-Ecosphere Guide and our escort to take us to Kaza- the capital of Spiti, met us. Our arrival in Kaza was delayed by five hours due to a landslide! I faced high altitude sickness and could not go with the group to Key Monastery the next morning. Luckily, I overcame the sickness by taking Diamox and resting.

That afternoon, we were briefed about the Solar Passive Bath Project in the nunnery of Morang. The construction of a solar bath is of great significance in this region as burning great amounts of fuel wood contribute to black carbon emissions and rapid snowmelts of glaciers at a local level to CO2 and. Our project would enable the local people to cut down on emissions and also to have better hygiene through regular availability of hot water.

We left for Morang the next day, assembled all the tents and toilets and played volleyball. Our target was to build an 8 feet high room from just wet mud and rocks, a true challenge! After spending 4 days working really hard, getting really dirty and having a lot of fun with, we left the newly constructed walls to dry and left for our Exploration to the Langza, Komic (the highest village in Asia) and Demul-remote villages where we did home stays to experience the Spitian culture. We even hiked up Balari Top located at 5200 metres from Demul. This was the most challenging but scenic hike.

We returned to Moraang to complete the roof and install the solar heater with massive water capacity of 200 litres.  As we finished the project, we realized how far we had come from struggling to lift a spade in the high altitude, being shy to interact to becoming a strong, confident and well knit team. We watched the King of Spiti inaugurate the Structure with the nuns chanting prayers proudly! We were delighted to have completed the Project in record time. We realized that this was the end of a challenging yet amazing experience, the memories and friendships will last us our lifetimes! Thank you Ishita, Ecosphere and Award India teams. 

Represent India at the International Youth Conference "Take the Leadership" this November 2011 in Jerusalem, Israel

The Youth and Society Administration at the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel is pleased to invite you to participate in the forthcoming International Youth Conference "Take the Leadership" to be held on 20-23 November 2011 in Jerusalem, Israel, as part of the 2011 UNESCO International Year of Youth.

The theme of the conference is based on Janusz Korczak's quote: "Children are not the people of tomorrow, but people today. They are entitled to be taken seriously. They have a right to be treated by adults with tenderness and respect, as equals. They should be allowed to grow into whoever they were meant to be - The unknown person inside each of them is the hope for the future."

We would be pleased to host a delegation of 3-4 persons aged 17-22, representing your country in the conference. Every delegation should be accompanied by an adult.

The focus of the conference will be on: promoting youth leadership and volunteer activities;

establishing of the platform for dialogue between youth as the potential future leaders and

preparing them to act as good will ambassadors of their countries, providing a meeting point for

youth from culturally diverse communities, living in harmony and peaceful coexistence.

The conference will be held in English, and the organizers will cover the accommodation expenses of the participants during their stay in Israel. Travel expenses are to be provided by the participants themselves. The conference will include key-note speakers, round-table discussions, a poster exhibition of each participant country's youth programs, and study tours. Participants are invited to bring their national costumes, national flag and other national and folklore items.

Send your Resume today and ask for a registration form at nivedita@dofe.in

Apply to attend 'The International Family Meeting of Friendliness' in Russia from 03-09 August, 2011 Republic of Karelia

Award Russia welcomes all young people, Award Leaders and their friends to the Republic of Karelia, Russia for the third consecutive year. With 150 participants and friends of the Award Programme scheduled to attend, the six day event will showcase cultural exchanges, workshops, sport and adventurous activities for Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of the Award Programme.

The costs for the basic programme is € 100 plus travel expenses (to Petrozavodsk via St. Petersburg, Moscow). Last date to apply is 18th June 2011. Ask for more details now!