Power of paper

Akshar Day, an initiative to collect waste paper from around the city concluded recently

Bit by bit: Project Akshar provides educational tools to kids from the underprivileged section of the society.

Emphasising the need for everyone to do his or her bit is a student initiative Project Akshar, which provides educational tools like notebooks, stationery and uniforms to school students from the underprivileged sections of the society.

Recently an initiative undertaken by Project Akshar saved 5,44,037 litres of water, 547 trees and 29,479 litres of oil in the span of two years. To commemorate two years of its completion and celebrate the Earth Hour, the Akshar day was organised in the city recently. It was a combined initiative by students of Enactus S.S.C.B.S. and volunteers from different colleges of Delhi University. For this, old newspapers, magazines or any other waste paper collecting drive was organized throughout Delhi-NCR. This event saw a massive collection of 15670 kgs of paper. It covered 25 RWAs within Delhi-NCR.

Interestingly the amount of paper collected through the day was also acknowledged by The Limca Book of Records.

“For us newspapers and magazines are a waste after reading them. If they can be put into use and at the same time we can be part of a cause like Akshar Day, then we have no complaints,” said a resident of MK residency.

The collected paper would now be recycled and reused to develop environment friendly notebooks. These will be made by the financially backward, hearing impaired community and physically challenged individuals. It will also turn out to be a source of income for them. For every three notebooks sold, one is sent to a child in need. Two NGOs to collaborate with this initiative are Prabhat and Sahara.

“The organisation has also tied up with different schools and colleges for unused exam papers. Akshar Day is a momentous event and we are proud to be part of it. After all, when the last tree will be cut down and the last river poisoned, money will have no role to play,” commented Suhasini Bakliwal, a member of the organisation.

Project Akshar is a social outreach project by Enactus, that focuses on using oft-wasted resources to empower people in need. Enactus, formerly known as Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) was started in the year 2009 and is an international non-profit organisation. It works with business leaders and university students across the globe to develop outreach projects. It also aims at improving the quality of life for people in need.