Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) organised a week-long festival, “DaanUtsav 2020” between October 2 and October 8 to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Volunteer Services Organisation (VSO), the social unit of MAHE, held an array of “Virtual Giving and Volunteering” activities for students, staff and their family members along with the constituent institutes of MAHE to celebrate the “Joy of Giving”, said a release here.
Various activities, including mask making, yoga sessions named “Relax, Breathe and Repeat” and Rags to Bags-Making carry bags from old t-shirts, were initiated virtually. Virtual projects such as Health Bites - to maintain balanced diet and build immunity and Salute to COVID warriors - wherein students express their gratitude virtually, were also planned.
With an intent to Gyaan Daan, VSO engaged student volunteers in curating an Activity Workbook, including crossword, riddles, puzzles, short stories, for underprivileged children in the eight-12 age group.
Rangat – a cultural extravaganza was held wherein volunteers submitted entries under the categories of Dance, Music and Dramatics virtually, which would be compiled and reposted for the residents of Asare and Hombelaku - rehabilitation centres for specially challenged individuals and people with mental disorders, respectively, and also for nearby slums and orphanages of Udupi.
To contribute to Nature, VSO has initiated a project, “Plant a sapling”, wherein student volunteers from various parts of India are encouraged to plant a sapling or a stem in their houses and contribute towards a greener earth. To instil the value of generosity in children, VSO has collaborated with Madhavakripa Schools, where the primary school children are encouraged to make Box of Happiness containing “7 days-7 items” to be sent to villages in rural India with the collaboration and support of Goonj.
Despite the pandemic and several challenges now, the faculty and students of MAHE have not allowed their spirits to be dampened and are still managing to find ways to give back to the community, be it virtually or through the various donation drives, the release said.