Aeromodelling lessons for children
I built a plane and I am going to become a pilot,” gushes young Rajan excitedly. It was undoubtedly a memorable day for him and the 50 boys residing at the TISSO Home, an orphanage in Tirupur. Not everyday do these children get to learn something as exciting as aeromodelling and the nuances of flying an aircraft, all thanks to the Rotaractors of RAC Tirupur Young Generation, RID 3203.
Five Rotaractors, along with the NCC Airwing cadets of the K S Rangaswamy College of Technology in Thirumuruganpoondi, Tamil Nadu, visited the orphanage and taught the children all about aeroplanes under the club project, Rocketry.
“The children were amazing and eager to learn. It was indeed a big day for them. Their enthusiasm was infectious,” says club president Shabareesh.
The orphanage is close to the heart of this 45-member club sponsored by RC Tirupur Thirumuruganpoondi. “We visit the children almost every month and spend time with them. We try to fulfil their wishes through our project — Chinna chinna aasai (Little wishes),” he says. Stationery material, reference guides, footwear and dresses are some of the items the club members have gifted the children at the home. “Sometimes they would request us to take them to the movies, or on a picnic. Recently we took the children to the movie, Rocketry: the Nambi effect, and that piqued their interest in aircraft,” smiles Shabareesh.
Through Project Aram, the club secretary Sathiswaran, a national-level taekwondo expert, is teaching the skill to the children since last year. “Two months ago, three children won awards at the state-level taekwondo championship held in Kanyakumari, and 13 children won awards at the district-level championship held six months ago,” he says.
The club plans to continue its focus on the development of the children at the TISSO Home.
Under its Project Saki, the club has been organising awareness sessions for cervical and breast cancer, and menstrual hygiene in the women’s colleges in the city and its surrounding villages. n
