A fun donation drive
In and out of the busy streets of Crawford Market, Mumbai, Shazmeen Khan, Insiya Chittorwala, and Rishik Singh, members of RAC Churchgate, RID 3141, were searching for notebooks, stationery items, chocolates and sports equipment. “We wanted good quality products at reasonable prices,” explained Khan, the club secretary. This search was part of Project Shiksha, an initiative by the club to provide essential educational items to students at a zilla parishad school in Dahanu, a suburban area of Mumbai.
The inspiration for Project Shiksha came from Rtrs Madhav Solanki and Insiya Chittorwala. During an earlier visit to the school, where the club conducted educational activities, “We identified the school’s needs. To gain a clear understanding, Insiya reached out to the school and began planning the initiative. Club member Shirley Singh presented the project passionately to our parent club, RC Bombay North, who agreed to fund the project.”
The Rotaractors received ₹28,220 from RC Bombay North, covering the cost of the stationery items requested by the school.
“Instead of just delivering the supplies and leaving, we conducted some fun activities for the students across all grades and divided the day into three segments: Education, Extracurricular Activities and Sports.
In the Education segment, interactive sessions on basic English, math and general knowledge sparked curiosity among the students. “They asked us so many questions, and we illustrated our answers on the blackboard. These sessions helped strengthen the students’ foundational skills,” he said.
Next, extracurricular arts and crafts, music, and dance activities created a joyful atmosphere. “The joy on the faces of the children was priceless,” added Solanki. After a refreshing lunch provided by the school, the Rotaractors conducted sports activities, where students enjoyed playing football and volleyball.
At the end of the day, educational kits were handed out to “the eager students. Their reactions left our hearts full of gratitude and fulfillment,” recalled Solanki. The school authorities were very pleased and requested the Rotaractors to conduct more such sessions in the future.
