FIN reaches a milestone in making academic institutions the motor of Green India! FIN celebrates Children’s Day in Kameswaram in a unique way!
November 14th the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and advocate of Children’s rights – is celebrated across India as Children’s Day.
In Kameswaram, there are both private schools (where you have to pay fees) and the Panchayat or village council schools (which are almost free). The poorest go to the latter. The well-off in the village send their children to English Medium Private Schools in the nearby town of Nagapattinam – these kids don’t study in the village.
Under this context, Friend In Need India or FIN, is working with the Panchayat Schools. Often these schools are viewed in a poor light by all. But, our team Mrs. Nagalaxmi, Mrs. Meena have been playing games once a week at the school. And now with our new member Mrs. Amutha – along with Mr. Paranjothi, our field manager – a new event was organised. To mark a milestone in our Green Academy Project – the school grounds were cleared on one side and a garden to be maintained by students, parents and staff was inaugurated today!
We were told again and again – how these government schools catered only to the poorest – whose households are racked with problems of alcoholism and domestic abuse. We were warned that the parents of these poor children were most uncaring and would never engage in school improvement.
Well – THAT HAS BEEN PROVED WRONG!!! Thanks to the efforts of the FIN ladies, who went talking to the parents again and again – the parents came out today – each with a plant from their own garden. PARENTS AND CHILDREN and FIN staff (who had cleared the ground earlier and cleaned it) planted a garden with shrubs (curry leaves for seasoning), bananas (as food complement) and flowers (for decoration)
Please join me in giving the FIN Kameswaram team, a big hand 🙏🙏🚮🚮 for having implemented this project so well. Special thanks goes to Mr. Manibharathi, FIN Kameswaram team coach and our Advisory Board Member for having thought of this idea and accompanied our staff.
Please see Mr. Paranjothi’s speech here – https://youtu.be/rcT4XV2gOvc
And the dance of the school children is here https://youtu.be/dG4fVK-MVic 🤗