With an aim to inculcate environmental stewardship in students by fostering a sense of responsibility, sustainability and ecological awareness, Aaranyak has initiated a new vertical of environment education programme named “Prakriti Parichay” to inculcate the concepts of environment, wildlife and nature conservation as well as environmental challenges and potential solutions through joyful learning.
The first version of the programme was conducted in Help Aid Academy, Chandrapur wherein 42 students of Kurkuria village took part. During the programme the cognitive ability of the students were assessed through fun filled quizzical based on their attention during the presentation and discussion.
This form of assessment encourages critical thinking and allows students to demonstrate their knowledge in creative ways. Aaranyak’s environmental expert and educator, Tanvi Hussain and Wasima Begum emphasised to the students that, “like we safeguard our home, we should also secure wild habitats and natural resources”.
The students took part in an ecological game, “Web of Life”, curated for the programme to understand the link between the different components of the environment and different organisms through the food web. Also, the pressure created on the ecological balance in absence of one organism or species was also demonstrated through the game.
Aaranyak’s Coordinator in K9 Sniffer Dog Unit, Anil Das briefed the students about the importance of different species in the ecosystem through the example of the services provided by the K9 Squad in wildlife conservation and surveillance.
Aaranyak conducted the programme in collaboration with Help Aid Academy, a remedial evening school which guides the marginalized students of the tea garden communities in Kurkuria village after their usual school hours. The academy has adopted the village and implementing Pandit Hemchandra Goswami Literacy Mission with an aim to make Kurkuria village 100% literate as well as working on community nursery program for capacity building. The academy accepts plastic wastes from the students in exchange of the evening classes.
During the program the annual calendar of Aaranyak themed on Wetlands designed by Media Publication & Communication Division was presented in the Academy.