A group of 30 youngsters from various degree colleges across the city along with a team of doctors boarded a mini-bus to head towards Reddipalle village in Padmanabham mandal. They are all set to spend quality time with the rural communities, getting a hang of their diverse needs.
The representatives of Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (AIESEC), Visakhapatnam chapter, a student-run global organisation, find their way to the village to execute their month-long project ‘Swadesh’.
Keeping the schedule concise, the project has been spread over a period of four weeks, covering various features by visiting the village twice a week. While free health check-up mark the first week of the programme, the second week will draw children of the region to foster their creative skills in the painting contest ‘balakalakaar’. The third week includes sessions on waste management, throwing insights into the importance of effective disposal process across the village by distributing free dustbins to every household. The initiative will draw its curtains down during the first week of April with ‘feed a day programme’, serving free meal to thousands of people in the neighbourhood.
“It’s just beginning”Events that help remove poverty and strengthen education excite K. Ramakanth, a student of Gayatri Vidya Parishad College and president of AIESEC, Vizag chapter. “The whole team is smitten by the idea of serving the needy. Events such as these not only add value to others’ lives but also enhance our employability skills. And it’s just the beginning. Subsequently, we want to reach out to larger sections and bring a smile to their faces,” the student says.
With ‘one village at a time’ as the focus, the project caters to diverse needs of the residents. “We try to bring change in their lives by raising awareness on various aspects and at the same time utilise our holidays in a constructive manner,” says Itishree Mishra, team leader of AIESEC who is pursuing her degree in St. Joseph’s College for Women (Autonomous).
