Unlocking potential in children
Come Saturday morning, 40 boys and girls around the slums in Paschim Vihar in Delhi are excited to assemble at the local park, all set to attend classes on various topics. The Rotaract Club of Genesis Midwest, RID 3011, runs a ‘Weekend School’ at the park as part of their project Shiksha ki Seedhi: Empowerment Academy.
This is a comprehensive, two-tiered programme designed to equip children with the skills they need to succeed, says club president Vansh Saini (2024–25). The children are in various age groups; while some attend the neighbouring schools, many are school dropouts or have not been to school. “So we counsel the parents to enrol the children in school. Some parents are receptive, while few others say that they cannot afford the school fee and other related expenses. We are trying to find a solution to help these families,” he says.
At the Weekend School which functions every weekend as the name suggests, Rotaractors and other interested volunteers teach children various topics, making it all interesting through games and interactive sessions. Under the first tier, English, math, science, public speaking, digital literacy and other vocational skills are taught. These classes equip students with essential knowledge and skills, preparing them for further education that will open new opportunities, explains Saini.
The second tier focuses on communication skills, problem-solving abilities, teamwork and collaboration and financial literacy — skills required to navigate life’s challenges and build a bright future. The Rotaractors also provide students with essential needs such as stationery items, lunch boxes, footwear and uniforms. “We distribute recycled notebooks prepared at a facility adopted by our club,” he says.
The project is popular and transformation in the children is so visible that the Rotaractors are enthused to expand the weekend school concept to three more areas in Bahadurgarh (Haryana), Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Paschim Puri (New Delhi). “This year we are also planning to include adult literacy in our programme, and rope in more volunteers from the neighbourhood,” says Saini.
Menstrual hygiene
Under Project Break the Taboo the club members, along with the Rotaractors of RAC USME, RID 3012, distributed around 700 eco-friendly sanitary napkins made from bamboo fibre to girls and women in the slums of Kirti Nagar and Azadpur in Delhi. The Rotaractors educated them about menstrual hygiene and encouraged them to break the taboos surrounding menstruation. An awareness seminar on cervical cancer and its prevention was conducted for the slum residents and another online programme on the same topic was provided for the club members.
A week-long initiative, Nayi Roshni, Nayi Sapne, Nayi Raah, Ek Badlaav! trained youth from BPL families in various vocational skills. Children and teenage girls were taught mehendi designing, block printing, bracelet making and jewellery designing in the first phase which lasted for three days. In the second phase, young adults were shortlisted and taught skills such as gardening and tailoring. “We even taught video editing for those children exhibiting some digital knowledge. We identified resource persons from our Rotaract circle and hired experts for some activities. The programme transcended skill development; it could ignite the entrepreneurial spark in some, encouraging them to translate their new-found skill into income-generating business,” smiles the president.
Under Project Operation Joyride, the Rotaractors, along with Interactors, visited the Hari Nagar slum in the Delhi NCR region and over 11 days, distributed goodies to the children there. The Rotaractors joined the parent club, RC Delhi Midwest, and the Beti Foundation of IIT Gate, Hauz Khas, to celebrate Kanya Pujan, an endeavour to rejoice the girl child. Around 350 girls from less privileged families were served a sumptuous feast on the occasion. Around 100 pre-cooked food boxes were distributed to street dwellers, in association with the Brijwasi Foundation.
RAC Genesis Midwest hosted a one-day programme, titled The Harmony Within, at the Maharaja Agarsain Public School to address mental well-being and self-care. Rotaractors and Interactors of Delhi attended the programme which included guided meditation and art therapy sessions. A mental health expert addressed a webinar exclusively for men. Abhinav Singh Katyar provided insightful perspectives on the unique challenges men face regarding mental well-being and introduced practical mindfulness techniques to manage stress and promote calmness.
