Leo clubs hold Project Umang for over 1,800 schoolchildren in Wada
Over 200 Leo club members ran hands-on activities and career sessions for students of Classes 5 to 12 at Swami Vivekanand Vidya Mandir in Wada.
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'Project Umang' was held at Swami Vivekanand Vidya Mandir and Junior College in Wada. It was organised by Leo District 3231-A2 (Central Mumbai). The aim was to give children a chance to be creative and to build awareness about careers and self-confidence.
More than 200 Leo club members took part. With their help, over 1,800 students from Class 5 to Class 12 got to join a range of activities that teach through experience.
The programme was the idea of Leo Ishika Shah, district president of Leo District 3231-A2, the youth wing of Lions International. Its main aim was that children could learn by doing alongside their daily classroom studies, grow in creativity and gain an understanding of the opportunities ahead. There was special emphasis on guiding students of Class 9 to 12 on higher education and choosing a career.
The programme was held with a service grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and help from partner organisations under corporate social responsibility (CSR). Art and tissue painting workshops were arranged for the children. Activities also included making artworks with 3D pens, a dome planetarium, drone making, an escape room and building various models.
Competitions in essay writing, peace posters and speech were also held. Sessions on career counselling, career awareness and financial literacy were held as well, and the children benefited from them. To add fun and joy to learning, participating children were served cheese pav bhaji.
More than 200 Leo members took an active part from planning to execution. They handled interaction with the children, coordination of the various activities and arrangements for the whole event.
Project Director Leo Lion Sachin Telwane said Umang was never meant to be just a one-day event. According to him, the wish was that every child would go home with a new idea, a new experience and a little more faith in themselves. Telwane said that if even one child was inspired by Umang to dream big, think differently and believe they have the ability to build a better future, the purpose was served.
The organisers hope 'Project Umang' will show the way for similar educational programmes for children in the Wada area. Besides exposing children to new opportunities, the project also aims to inspire young members to take up service work on a larger scale with a spirit of social responsibility.
