A cultural hall at Belgaum school

For the first time in Rotaract District 3170, a CSR-funded project, a cultural hall at a
government-aided school, was inaugurated in Belgaum, thanks to the efforts of Rotaractors at RAC Belgaum South.

It was a milestone event for the club as “we built an auditorium at the Shri Kalmeshwar High School, part of VBSS group of institutions, at Savgaon village, near Belgaum, at a cost of ₹18 lakh, mostly funded by Shanti Foumach, our CSR partner. The hall will be used for both academic and cultural activities of the school,” said Mahesh Shinde, immediate past president of the club. The entire first floor of the school building housing the cultural hall (over 2,500 sqft) was built by the Rotaractors with the help of CSR fund and other donors.

While the company has put in ₹8 lakh, the school mobilised ₹2 lakh, and the balance amount was made up by a mix of member contributions and private donors. Speaking at the inaugural of the building, DRR Harsh Shinde pointed out that “Rotaract clubs are expanding fast at the level of Rotary clubs in RID 3170 in terms of membership growth and service projects.”

He complimented the club “which is known for doing mega projects and events. The club members can take pride in doing the first-ever CSR-funded project in the Rotaract district, and I am sure that more such corporate funded projects are being lined up by
the club.”

Shantilal Porwal, MD, Shanti Foumach recalled that they came forward to “sponsor for a worthy cause, a school cultural hall, as we were attracted by the enthusiasm of the Rotaractors.” He assured that his company is ready to fund similar long-term, permanent projects of the club in the near future. IPDRR Nikhil Chindak and builder Ram Jamnani were the other main sponsors of the building. “Community gatherings and non-school events can also be held at the hall on a regular basis after permission from the school authorities,” said Shinde. Two gender-segregated washrooms were attached to the cultural hall. Project chair Shweta Ghategasti ensured that the hall was constructed in time, and coordinated for the smooth conduct of the inaugural event at the school.

School libraries

In another initiative for government schools, over 10 libraries were set up in the last two years, each reading hub filled with over 1,000 books of various genres and titles. “DRRN Ketan Shinde is the project chair for school libraries, each costing ₹1.5 lakh. He is also one of the main donors for the project.”

A smart board (₹80,000) was installed at the Kalmesh High School to provide a digital learning experience for students under Project Utsava. Under this project, “we pool in money on birthdays and personal anniversaries of our members, instead of a cake-cutting ceremony, to donate stationery items, books and install learning facilities at government schools,” says the IPP. Till now, school bags and stationery kits were distributed to 400 children at the primary section of 10 government and aided schools in Belgaum.

We pool in money on birthdays and personal anniversariaes, instead of a cake-cutting ceremony, to donate stationery items, books and install learning facilities
at government schools.
– Mahesh Shinde, IPP, RAC Belgaum South

The 33-year-old community-based Rotaract club has 40 members drawn from various professions, and their general body meets weekly to “review our past work and chart out the future schedule of programmes.” According to club president Manvendra Jadeja, “we have raised the bar of academic standards at the Kalmesh High School with the setting up of a cultural hall which will be useful for students to display their academic, cultural and other extracurricular skills.”

For IPP Shinde, who has become a dual member by joining RC Belgaum Royals in March, “now I have a great opportunity to extend by social outreach having become a Rotarian too.” He looks after his family business of fuel retailing, and has been a Rotaractor for three years.