Ayma Village Unit : Last month

The volunteers of Ayma Village Unit (Unit 10) gives service to students of one Govt. High School for backward community. This has received lots of appreciation from school teachers and guardians. Each section of the school on every Saturday is addressed by NSS volunteers from 2nd period to the end of the school. There is cooperation from all concerned. Our IIT students focus mostly on English, Math, Science. 

Last month the unit organized a test to determine the proficiency of the students of the school, from class V to class XII in four components of English - reading, writing, listening and speaking. The analysis of the test results gave the group a very good idea about the way forward, and how they could best help the school children. The month also went into preparation for a cultural program cum academic  competition (elocution, quiz etc.) being arranged by the NSS volunteers in the school premise. The NSS volunteers rehearsed on a skit that they are going to present in the said function. 

On the occasion of Tulsi Jayanti celebration of this school, NSS family was invited. Students and teacher of the school came to meet us and to give the invitation card. It was very touching. The function was held on a Wednesday when NSS volunteers had academic engagement in IIT. The Program Officer of the unit and Program Coordinator participated in the function. They were given Sri Ramcharitmanas of Sant Tulsidas as present by the Headmaster of the school. It was found that the effort of the NSS volunteers have made deep impact and created a strong bonding with the community.  

This unit along with other units, enthusiastically participated in Independence Day function (Link). 

Ayodhyagarh, Rakhalgeria, Paschimpathri, Gholgharia Village Units : Last Month

Over the last month, Ayodhyagarh Village Unit (UNIT 2) arranged for and carried out the collection and distribution of books and cloth for the children of the village school. Responsibilities were divided between collecting the materials for distribution, calling the students from their homes, identifying them by class and finally issuing the books. Children from classes 1 to 4 were covered.

The volunteers of Rakhalgeria Village Unit (UNIT 3) took it upon themselves to try and impart some education to the school students beyond their mere school curriculum. They are trying to expose the children more and more to the world around them, and the kind of opportunities available if they pursue their education. They also introduced them to the concept of a computer and showed them some interesting things on the laptop screen, something most children there were seeing for the first time.

Paschimpathri Village unit (UNIT 4) took a wonderful initiative to organise a workshop and training session for making handicrafts for the purpose of sale, in Paschimpathri village. Around 25 women participated in it. Because of the positive feedback received, the unit plans to convert this into a weekly programme with a concurrent marketing drive.

Gholgharia village unit (Unit 6) spoke at length to the villagers to find out the major problems they were facing. Thereafter, a sub-group dealing with educational development was given the task of teaching students of the primary school. Students of the group take shifts and try to visit daily to teach for some hours. On a different note, a tree plantation programme was arranged for over the barren land of the school premises. Around 60 sapling were planted and a protective fence put around to keep out grazing animals.

All the units enthusiastically took part in Independence Day function (Link).

Ghagra, Sonamukhi, Soladahar Village Units : Last Month

The tree plantation program of Ghagra village unit (Unit 14) was special in the sense that the volunteers provided beautiful fence around the plants. The Sonamulhi village unit (Unit 1) involved school kids in a unique way. Plants were named after class and were dedicated to class teachers. The school students were given the responsibility to nurture them for five days and on the sixth day (Saturdays) NSS volunteers will take care of them - watering, clearing weeds etc. It would be interesting to see which methodology or a combination of them becomes most effective.

The Soladahar village unit (Unit 15) participated in well cleaning and also got engaged with teaching assistance in the Sarva Shikhsha Kendra situated in the village. In general, every village unit has such supplementary teaching activity. All three units participated enthusiastically in the Independence Day program of the institute.

Fencing of planted trees

Involving school students and teacher

Cleaning well water 

Teaching assistance in Sarva Shiksha Kendra (SSK)

In Independence Day function

Gangadharpur Village Unit : Last Month

NSS, IIT Kharagpur expanded its reach in this academic session. The team members of UNIT 7 decided to move beyond our neighbourhood Gopali Gram Panchayat. This was  village Gangadharpur, Khelar Gram Panchayat, PO. Benapur. Their service is also available to adjoining village named Shyamraipur. In the words of a young student volunteer, "We felt it very difficult to ride bicycle for 6.5 kms. But after knowing that children in that village go to school (higher) by travelling 5 kms on cycle / foot every day, we felt pity for that."

The team started the work very systematically. Since it was a new village to set foot in, a meeting with villagers were arranged in the village primary school on 29.7.2012. Panchayet Member and Panchayet Officer were very supportive, so were community leaders. Sixty four villagers attended this meeting. Activities were identified. The villagers welcomed IIT students whole-heartedly. 

Since then literacy program in village school is going on as a regular activity. Among special activities 100 trees were planted, water of 15 wells were purified. The unit along with other units participated in Independence Day function enthusiastically.

First Meeting 

Tree Plantation

Cleaning Wells

Regular Teaching Activity

Independence Day Function

Kashijora Village Unit : Last Month

Here is a glimpse of the month as it was for Kashijora Village Unit (Unit 13) since the academic session began in third week of July at IIT Kharagpur. Besides regular activity of engaging with village primary school students, the unit carried out a drawing competition to encourage talents among village kids, a special on games like Kho-Kho and Kabadi, a colourful awareness rally with posters and slogans where village school kids and young students of IIT Kharagpur walked together. The theme of the rally was health and hygiene. The posters and slogans depicted the importance of administering polio drops, the need for abstaining from intake of alcohol, smoking, consuming tobacco and the issue of prevention of spread of mosquito related diseases by the simple use of a mosquito net. The dengue fever and other diseases are prevalent during this monsoon time.

The Unit participated in enthusiastically in Independence Day function (Link) and had their representation in Institute Foundation Day function. Preparation of nukkad (street corner) to further the awareness campaign is going on. A survey is going on to look into quality of drinking water and possibility of rain water harvesting.

Drawing Competition:

Kho-Kho, Kabadi :

Awareness Rally :

At Independence Day Function:

Institute Foundation Day Function:

Village Survey: