I am Kalandika Bhati, a 12th-grade student studying at Sahyadri KFI School. I have had a keen interest in environmental studies and tackling environmental issues. I'm currently interning with Organo Et School (OES), an educational initiative by Organo.
The workshop with the 3rd grade students of Indus International School was held at the OES farm and took place over 2 days, April 5th and April 6th. The children arrived in high spirits, ready for the activities that OES had planned for them. Mr. Vijay gave the children an introduction to organic farming as well as the difference between normal farming and organic farming.
The farm tour was given by the experts, Mrs. Lakhsmi and Mrs. Prabha. This was a really fun experience for the children as well as myself. We were shown different vegetables that are grown on the farm and learned more about farming techniques.
I enjoyed the farm walk very much; it was educational as well as interactive. The children had a keen interest in the polyhouse and wanted to know more about the crops grown there.
This was a new activity for me. The soil test involves mixing a soil sample with water. The children were very fond of this activity.
They all participated and were eager to learn more. This activity taught us about the different layers that are present in the soil as well as the sediments present in the soil.
This activity is by far my favorite. Jeevamrutham is a biofertilizer made with cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, and besan. This biofertilizer contains rich nutrients and microorganisms that help soil fertility. The children actively participated in this activity. At first, of course, they were hesitant as they had to touch cow dung and cow urine, but as they saw a few of their batchmates enjoying mixing all the ingredients, they also took part. I took pleasure in watching these children do this activity; it reminded me of when I had first done it.
This workshop was for two days. All activities were the same on both days, but as an observer, the difference could be seen by me. On the first day, children were keener on knowing about the plants and vegetables and less interested in the activities. They wanted to know where each crop was used in their house. They loved answering the questions asked by the OES experts. This shows their interest in farming. On the second day, the children enjoyed both the activities as well as the farm tour. They had a lot of energy, which they channeled into making jeevamrutham and running around collecting plants.
The major difference seen on both days was that on the first day, the kids weren’t as interested in doing anything. It may have been due to the heat or how the event was conducted. But on the second day, farming tools were shown to the children, as well as different types of seeds. This kept the kids glued, and they were delighted to continue with the rest of the activities that were planned.
My part in this workshop was mainly taking photographs as well as helping the OES experts manage the activities and the children. The photographs captured the excitement and joy on the children's faces, making it a memorable experience for both the kids and their teachers. It was fulfilling to be part of such a successful event that left a positive impact on the children's learning and development. I hope to participate in similar events in the future. The event was well organized and provided a supportive environment for all participants.
I was pleased to see the effort put in by the OES team to educate young children about the importance of organic farming. It is crucial to educate children about the importance of environmental protection from a young age, as they will be the ones facing the consequences of our actions in the future. By fostering a love for nature in children, we can ensure that they grow up to be responsible and environmentally conscious adults. As they get older, the next environmentally conscious generation will be ready to carry on the environmental movement and implement measures that will help safeguard our world.
This event helped me realize that I need to learn how to speak up and be more involved in activities. As a shy person, this helped me communicate better with professionals and understand more about farming and the importance of it in our lives. I also learned about the challenges faced by farmers and how we can support them to ensure food security for our communities. This event has inspired me to take action and make a difference in my own small way. I also gained a better understanding of the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving common goals, which I plan to apply in my life moving forward. I believe that every individual has the power to create positive change, and I am now motivated to seek out opportunities to contribute to my community and beyond. I am excited to see where this newfound passion will take me and the impact I can make.
Organo Et School empowers people to embrace eco-living mindsets, behaviors, and habits. We recognize that for any positive impact to be sustainable, it must be long-term and inter-generational.
Organo Et School is a learning initiative set up by Organo in 2017 and has been facilitating field visits and workshops for Schools and Interest Groups. Organo Et School has had over 25+ schools, 6500+ students, and 3000+ adults participate over the last 5 years.
You can find our upcoming workshops here → https://www.organoetschool.co.in/registration
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