STUDYING WITH STUDYING WITH SMILESSMILES

ST KAREN’S NURSERY SCHOOLST KAREN’S NURSERY SCHOOL, , PATNAPATNA

Our Journey to Our Journey to

Realise Dreams and Realise Dreams and Generate SmilesGenerate Smiles

by the Students ofby the Students of

““RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT WILL REALISE THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT WILL REALISE THE DREAMS OF MANY CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION”DREAMS OF MANY CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION”

FEELFEELWith so much focus on education for all ,our students With so much focus on education for all ,our students

complained that they saw many underprivileged complained that they saw many underprivileged children going to schools but they didn’t seem to be children going to schools but they didn’t seem to be getting a proper ‘education’getting a proper ‘education’

Dirty, not dressed properly, no bags or books, Dirty, not dressed properly, no bags or books, carrying a poly bag, these children seemed so very carrying a poly bag, these children seemed so very different from them—hardly ‘educated’ and very far different from them—hardly ‘educated’ and very far from being happy.from being happy.

It would be impossible to reach out to all the It would be impossible to reach out to all the underprivileged children they saw….. but if they underprivileged children they saw….. but if they could make a difference to some children’s lives it could make a difference to some children’s lives it would be worth it!would be worth it!

Dr. Man Mohan Singh, Prime Minister

OPERATION STUDYING WITH SMILESOPERATION STUDYING WITH SMILESWith help from an NGO, we visited a nearby village called

KUSHPUR. Children aged from 4-14 years simply stated they had never played with toys & had no games. No one had a school bag and none had copies or stationery. Poorly dressed, without shoes, our Joy of Giving Team saw the real face of poverty.

We wondered….. WHAT WERE THEIR DREAMS?How were we going to realise their dreams?Back in school, the children were so enthusiastic to do

everything they could for themCHANGE 1- Teaching them the importance of personal

hygiene and cleanliness. With a clean body and fresh mind --‘education’ would then make a difference.

CHANGE 2- Getting rid of the poly-bags - by gifting each child a school bag with stationery items and toiletries.

CHANGE 3- Not having toys were unthinkable - so a fundraiser was decided on to generate money to buy common toys and games for the school.

The students expressed the desire to visit some more areas where they could make a difference to some more lives

DOING OUR BIT TO REALISE THE DREAMS OF MANYDOING OUR BIT TO REALISE THE DREAMS OF MANY• The team personally visited all the classrooms The team personally visited all the classrooms

from Std 1-4 to encourage their friends to from Std 1-4 to encourage their friends to donate stationery items and toiletries donate stationery items and toiletries generously.generously.

• As a fundraiser they would have fun games-A As a fundraiser they would have fun games-A Rs5 coin per game, would definitely generate a Rs5 coin per game, would definitely generate a lot of money to buy toys (we hoped!)lot of money to buy toys (we hoped!)

• Nobody was prepared for the huge mountainous Nobody was prepared for the huge mountainous pile of Rs 5 coins—Rs14,000 in all!pile of Rs 5 coins—Rs14,000 in all!

• Big cartons of toiletries and stationery were Big cartons of toiletries and stationery were piling up too!piling up too!

• Each school bag had the Each school bag had the following-A toothbrush, following-A toothbrush, toothpaste, bathing soap, toothpaste, bathing soap, washing soap, shampoo, powder, washing soap, shampoo, powder, hair oil, a comb & hair bands (for hair oil, a comb & hair bands (for girls), a copy, a pencil box (with girls), a copy, a pencil box (with pencils, eraser, scale and pencils, eraser, scale and sharpener) & crayons.sharpener) & crayons.•Lots of toys in the form of Lots of toys in the form of cricket sets, skipping ropes, cricket sets, skipping ropes, Ludo/snakes and ladders, toy cars Ludo/snakes and ladders, toy cars & dolls (for the little ones) & balls & dolls (for the little ones) & balls were bought.were bought.

A TOTAL OF 250 PACKED SCHOOL BAGS READY FOR A TOTAL OF 250 PACKED SCHOOL BAGS READY FOR DISTRIBUTION AND LOTS AND LOTS OF TOYS WERE DISTRIBUTION AND LOTS AND LOTS OF TOYS WERE

DEFINITELY GOING TO PUT A SMILE ON MANY FACES!DEFINITELY GOING TO PUT A SMILE ON MANY FACES!• AT KUSHPUR- Filled with the AT KUSHPUR- Filled with the

‘Joy of Giving’ ‘Joy of Giving’ - the team - the team performed skits on performed skits on ‘Keeping clean’‘Keeping clean’, , ‘First ‘First Aid’Aid’ and Keeping their and Keeping their surroundings clean.surroundings clean.

• The students The students shared shared simple activity simple activity worksheets worksheets on on colouring, colouring, matching, join-the-dotsmatching, join-the-dots etc which the kids had never etc which the kids had never seen before and were so seen before and were so eager to receive.eager to receive.

• Teaching the kids simple Teaching the kids simple songs were next - songs were next - TU HI TU HI RAM HAI RAM HAI and and HUM HONGE HUM HONGE KAMYABKAMYAB left all feeling the left all feeling the true happiness of being true happiness of being ONEONE and the and the Joy of giving!Joy of giving!

Singing “Hum Honge Kaamyab” Click to PlaySinging “Hum Honge Kaamyab” Click to Play

Listening attentivelyListening attentivelyPerforming – “Saaf Safai Rakho Bhai”Performing – “Saaf Safai Rakho Bhai”

WHERE TO WHERE TO NEXT…?NEXT…? We visited an all-girls evening We visited an all-girls evening

school for underprivileged school for underprivileged domestic workers. The team domestic workers. The team repeated their same acts of repeated their same acts of giving-this time including giving-this time including stickers and bracelets for all the stickers and bracelets for all the girls. The well-behaved, above girls. The well-behaved, above 10 yr old girls were quiet with 10 yr old girls were quiet with awe as they listened and took in awe as they listened and took in all that was being offered to all that was being offered to them in the form of teaching and them in the form of teaching and material offerings. material offerings.

Common DIY kits of painting, Common DIY kits of painting, jewellery making, molding, and jewellery making, molding, and printing etc assured they would printing etc assured they would be occupied with new learning be occupied with new learning activities too.activities too.

It was hard for them to hide the It was hard for them to hide the quiet curiosity and their smiles quiet curiosity and their smiles as they sneaked quick looks to as they sneaked quick looks to see what was inside their bags.see what was inside their bags.

The Girls listening carefullyThe Girls listening carefully

Performing – “Mera Naam Hai Sonu” Click to PlayPerforming – “Mera Naam Hai Sonu” Click to Play

The next visit was to an The next visit was to an

evening school for evening school for underprivileged children from underprivileged children from a slum area in Patna. They a slum area in Patna. They too sitting on the floor with no too sitting on the floor with no books and bags were awe- books and bags were awe- struck to see the colourful struck to see the colourful bags and toys being handed bags and toys being handed out to them.out to them.

With a few bags and items With a few bags and items left over, the team decided to left over, the team decided to gift the children of their ‘Ayah gift the children of their ‘Ayah Didis, Darwan Bhaiyas and Didis, Darwan Bhaiyas and Driver Bhaiyas’ in their Driver Bhaiyas’ in their school. An evening of fun and school. An evening of fun and games for the little under-10 games for the little under-10 school going kids ended with school going kids ended with smiles and gifts for everyone!smiles and gifts for everyone!

THE NEXT DAY……THE NEXT DAY……

How Do We Think We Changed Lives?How Do We Think We Changed Lives?

We taught them to change their We taught them to change their existence by giving them simple existence by giving them simple

things of their ownthings of their own

We made them responsible We made them responsible for keeping themselves cleanfor keeping themselves clean

We gave them a new reason to We gave them a new reason to attend school-games and attend school-games and

activities were now part of activities were now part of school too!school too!

WERE WE CHANGED?WERE WE CHANGED?

Seeing how easy it was to co-ordinate our Seeing how easy it was to co-ordinate our efforts, we realised what team work and efforts, we realised what team work and

just WANTING to do good, could do.just WANTING to do good, could do.

Giving even simple gifts made such an Giving even simple gifts made such an impact on those receiving them, we impact on those receiving them, we

realised how much we had, and never realised how much we had, and never really appreciated!really appreciated!

School and Education is not only about School and Education is not only about studies but also sharing with others who studies but also sharing with others who

sometimes have no reason to smile!sometimes have no reason to smile!

Mentors : Mentors : Ms. Ajaya Prasad, Ms. Rosalyn Manju, Ms. Ajaya Prasad, Ms. Rosalyn Manju, Ms. Poonam Chakravarty, Mr. S. Kumar Ms. Poonam Chakravarty, Mr. S. Kumar

& Mrs. & Mrs. S. Galstaun S. GalstaunStudents: Students: Anuj, Anand, Alok, Saatvika, Sanket, Anuj, Anand, Alok, Saatvika, Sanket,

Uddeshya, Uddeshya, Hritik, Prathit, Aman, Rishi, Hritik, Prathit, Aman, Rishi, Anushka, Harshini, Anushka, Harshini, Divya Jyoti, Anmol, Divya Jyoti, Anmol, Harsh, Astha, Aniket, Harsh, Astha, Aniket, Yuvraj, Vikram, Yuvraj, Vikram, Aditya, Aashi, Nandini, Devesu, Aditya, Aashi, Nandini, Devesu, Utkarsh & Utkarsh & Atul. Atul.

The joy of giving teamThe joy of giving team