CHIRANTHANA- DAY 1

The community living camp of the academic year 2023-2024 began on February 12, 2024. The first session of our camp “Chiranthana” was held at the general hall 2 of GCTE, Thycaud. Al the students, teachers and the camp coordinators Ms. Asha Krishnan, Ms. Sreeja and Ms. Anju assembled for the first session titled “Earn while you Learn : Socially Useful Productive Work”. Under the leadership of the resource persons Sri. Ummer and Sri. Sukumaran, students prepared lotion and hand wash. We collected bottles for filling the lotion and by this act we tried to reuse the plastic bottles found in our surroundings, thus resonating the theme of sustainable development. We also made handmade labels for hand wash. Thus, the preparation of the socially useful productive activities in the community and to acquire the knowledge of the source of various raw materials and different tools and equipment used in the production of goods and services. It also helped the student teachers to think critically about the rapidly advancing technological world and developed skills for the selection, arrangement and use of tools and materials for different forms of productive work. The preparation of lotion and hand wash also gave hands-on-experience for student teachers. After the preparation of both the products, they were properly and neatly filled in appropriate bottles. The student teachers were very excited to fix the labels given by the resource persons. These socially useful products were intended to be sold in the area Karakulam. The expected outcome of this activity is to develop self esteem through achievements in productive work and service to promote self-reliance among students which would be helpful in accelerating the economic development of the country through social service.

After the session, we went to the venue of our camp, Grameena Patana Kendram, Karakulam. We reached there around 2 pm and we made some small pending preparations of the inaugural ceremony. It began with a beautiful prayer by Paravathy S. this was followed by the welcome speech by Dr. Anju. I, Assistant professor, GCTE, Thycaud and the presidential address was done by Dr. A.V. Sujith, theprincipal of GCTE, Thycaud. The official inauguration of the camp “Chiranthana” was done by Sri. Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan, the famous social activist and master trainer. He lighted the lamp which led to the opening of a new world before us. A camp song was prepared and presented by Ms. Gowri Venu and Ms. Keerthana Anil which was really meaningful and was in tune with the theme of the camp.

The second session of the first day started at 3:30 pm and it was titled “Puthiya Lokam Puthiya Kaazcha” and was handled by the social activist and master trainer Sri. Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan. He is a teacher of special education having a good experience in teaching differently abled children. He was full of positive energy and with his innovative ideas and thoughts he tamed all the students. He transacted the idea of the session through so many engaging activities. He shared his life story and his numerous other teaching experiences with all of us. After each and every activity, the words of Ms. Devika who welcomed the resource person became more evident and clearer. Starting from rows and columns, forming groups of 7 and finally ending as a group of 2, the various activities helped the student teachers cross the boundaries and perceptions they held about others. The sessions helped us to know our friends better and more deeply. Thus, he made us mingle beyond our safe zone and the session can really be called an ice-breaking one. He made us call him ‘changathichettan’ and he made us feel relaxed and cool. After the session many students gave their reflections, and the official vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Arsha of social science optional.

After the session, teachers briefed us about the camp and repeated the rules and regulations and duty allocation. After that we got ourselves fresh, had our dinner and then we again assembled in the hall to prepare the camp news. The preparation of camp news was done as a group activity and by 10:30 pm, we completed our works and went back to our allotted rooms. Thus, we came to the end of the first day of the community living camp “Chiranthana”.

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