NewsOutreach at Deoli, Bharatpur 01-02-2023
Outreach Project Undertaken by Welham Boys' School
Welham Boys' School organized an Outreach Project in Deoli, Bharatpur from February 1- 2, 2023. This event saw the participation of student delegates from prestigious Round Square
schools like Welham Boys' and Welham Girls' School, Dehradun, PPS, Nabha, Pathways, Delhi, RKK, Jodhpur, VDJS, Hisar, and Mayo College, Ajmer. The evening on Day 0 commenced with an ice-breaking session during which each participant introduced himself with a descriptive adjective. The literature on Bharatpur town was distributed to the students which included maps, bird books, and pamphlets on Deeg Palace and the Museum. The students were then addressed by Mr. Darshan Singh, Chairman, Welham Boys' School, and Ms. Sangeeta Kain, Principal, Welham Boys' School who talked about the importance of gratitude and service to society. This was followed by a puppet show where the delegates revisited some of their favourite childhood fables and songs through different forms of puppetry.
Day 1 commenced with a visit to Keoladeo National Park, the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary which is one of the best-known birdwatching destinations in the world. The students engaged with the local guides on bird habitats and also identified many migratory birds like Cranes, geese, eagles, wagtails, stints, etc. Thereafter, the participants left for the Read India Centre, Deoli for the service project. Alongside rural students from the village, the participating students got engaged in Tree plantation, Cleanliness drive, construction of a toilet, stool weaving, and wall painting in the Read India Centre, Deoli, Bharatpur. The students enjoyed a community lunch along with the villagers. The first day concluded with a walk around the village and a visit by Mr. Sawarmal Verma, the Commissioner, and Mr. Aloke Ranjan, District Magistrate, Bharatpur.
On Day 2 a community engagement meet was conducted at the Read India Centre, Deoli which included educational workshops for the participating delegates. The student delegates were educated about the sustainable development goals where climate change was one of the most critical focus areas. Different engaging and experiential activities were organized to make the learning sessions interactive and enriching for the students and the villagers. After the introductory session, two parallel workshops were conducted for the villagers and the student delegates of the participating schools. Session I was conducted by the Solar team. During this session, master trainers taught the fabrication and assembly of solar products and shared their journey of breaking stereotypes. Student delegates of the Round Square schools were not only made to understand the whole process and its relevance but also got the first-hand experience to make solar lamps. Session II was conducted by the Wellness team which dealt with community health and hygiene, with a special focus on women's wellness and menstrual hygiene. The team educated the students and engaged with them on this crucial aspect of women's health.
To break the taboo around it, health trainers and health champions shared their stories and created awareness of sustainable approaches through an experiential workshop on DIY sanitary pad kits. The reusable pads made by the participating students were then distributed amongst village women.
The two-day service project concluded with Street Theatre performances for the 250 villagers by the participating student delegates on topics of cleanliness, hygiene, body shaming, and the power of girl child. The students were then presented with certificates of participation by The Chairman, Welham Boys' School.
The student delegates left for their respective schools with a renewed sense of humility and gratitude.