Last year, when Swetha Madhusudana’s neighbour sought her help in giving a government school in Tiruverkadu a facelift, she readily agreed. The dean of architecture department at Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, Maduravoyal, Swetha formed a team consisting of faculty members and students of her department.
And under MGaRCHIENS, a social and environmental development initiative, the team led 80 second-year students of Bachelor of Architecture degree programme to the Corporation school.
The students painted the walls of the kindergarten and primary sections with inspiring messages and artwork. The college management and students chipped in, making contributions towards purchase of paint and paint brushes.
“While some students renovated the premises of the school, others interacted with the students, teaching them how to dance and also offering lessons in communication and computers. Our students also played some traditional games with these school students,” says Mohana Priya, an architect and teacher at MGR Educational and Research Institute.
Before leaving, the architecture students gave saplings to the school students.
“The students will take care of their respective saplings till they pass out and will hand over the responsibility of caring for these to their successors,” she says, adding, “We used the remaining amount from the project to purchase sports goods for the school.”
The team will take this initiative to other Corporation schools and government institutions. For upcoming projects, the faculty will expand the existing team of students to include first-year and final-year students.
“We are willing to take up projects wherever the role of an architecture-student is required and wherever students can learn social responsibility and link it to their lessons,” says Mohana Priya.
For more details about the project, call 9840660631.
