The Podar Trust of schools feel proud to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti every year as ‘The Joy of Giving Week’ to inculcate the value of giving back to the society. The students are engaged in different activities throughout the week. This week is specially designed to help the underprivileged section of the society. Each of these activities have something related to the life of our Mahatma and his principles .Though we believe that charity begins at home, we also believe ourselves to be a part of the global family. So, the joy derived from giving will be experienced by the students by extending their support not only to the ground staff of the school but also to the society too.
Podar World School rightly exemplified the quote that ‘Charity begins at home but should not end there’ by John Fuller. Beginning from 3rd October to 5th October, the school celebrated the ‘Joy of giving’ week in its true spirit and essence.
As instructed prior through circular and portals, on 3rd October, students of class I to XII brought old newspapers, clothes ,toys and other accessories (artificial ornaments)to be given away generously to the under privileged in the society .The money collected from the sale of newspapers was used to buy 35 to 40 kg of sugar into packets of 1 kg each . On 4th October, students of grade VI to XII were involved in cleaning their classrooms wearing aprons and hand gloves. The collected clothes and accessories and toys will be made into packets and distributed to orphanages. Students cleaned their benches and desks, the class cupboards, window panes, soft boards, computer, CPU, and other accessories to the best their ability at close supervision of their teachers. The senior class students even cleaned the grilled coverings of their AC, their fans etc. Having done with cleaning, they were shown a video on ‘Dignity of Labour’in their respective classes and there ensued a discussion on the same topic. The students were instructed to make ‘ Thank you’ cards to be given to the supporting staff. Class VI & IX made posters and sticky notes exemplifying the idea of ‘Dignity of Labour’ while class VII & VIII made collage on the same theme. Class X were involved in essay writing on the theme,’Dignity of Labour’. Thereafter the charts and sticky notes were put up on the class soft board. On 5th October, the whole school gathered on the ground for a common assembly. Soon after the regular assembly, a speech on the significance of ‘Dignity of Labour’ was delivered by Kumari Meesha Sharma, the ex-headgirl. She even particularly remarked that the idea was not new to students of Podar World School, Sherkhi, as the students had been trained to be self-reliant in every manner especially in keeping their classrooms clean by introducing broom and dust pans in the class rooms. So our learners have been sub-consciously involved in the evergreen principle of ‘Dignity of Labour’ and it was not just brought to their notice as a part of celebration of ‘Joy of Giving Week’.
To add colour to the Programme, the Principal, Ms Preeta Pillai played a poem written by a student of a school on an occasion when the superstar Amitabh Bachchan, an alumni of the school, attended a function. Through his rendition, he tried to enlighten the fact that one should formerly think of keeping one’s country cleansed of all evils before they could boast of guarding the frontiers round the clock from invasions. The poet through his verses has admitted that had’ Bapuji’ been alive, he would have grieved to see the pathetic and deteriorating condition of his country. After the power packed recital, Big ‘B’ applauded him and even asked him to send the poem to him. Our good and noble deeds need to start from home(our country) before we venture out to its periphery and talk about defending it.
Then as the last segment the celebration, the Prefects of class I to XII were called upon by the coordinators of each section to do the honors of giving away the sugar packets to each of the didis, bus drivers and security staff. The Principal stood with the usual endearing smile on her face nodding and acknowledging the greetings of those who came forward to receive the gifts.
Thus the ‘Joy of Week’ celebrations was an eventful one and for making it memorable the credit goes to all the students, teaching and non-teaching staffs and above all the Head of the Institution, Ms. Preeta Pillai who never leaves any stone unturned to make an initiative a memorable and successful one.
