Kaniha: NTPC Talcher Kaniha and NTPC Talcher Thermal power plants in Angul District organised a four-week workshops on Girls Empowerment Mission (GEM), under its CSR initiative.
The workshops were organised from May 20 to June 16,2019. The workshops meant for empowerment of girls, conducted as a four-week residential workshop for 237 students for girls between 10 to 12 years old selected from neighbouring 26 schools areas of the power stations.
Since it is was residential program, NTPC took responsibility of every aspects like boarding,fooding, clothing and other essential needs of the participants.
The workshop was implemented by the power stations through a specially designed curriculum in association with NGO “Barefoot College”, Rajasthan. The participants during the workshop are given various training starting from yoga, academics, dance, sports, arts etc.
Under yoga ,the participants are made aware of Yoga & its benefit to stay healthy & improve concentration , in sports they are provided with outdoor games equipment’s like volleyball , badminton to improve physical fitness and indoor games like carom & Ludo to enhance interaction; in academics classes on odia short writing , English vocabulary etc. are imparted to improve written & communication skills.
Further, the participants of the workshop were imparted training of digital literacy, sensitisation on gender equality, leadership & environment studies.
Under digital literacy, students are given practical in hand experience on working in computer .Some students had first interaction with computer. Students are excited to have access to computer for the first time in their life computer. Students were taught basics of computer, MS word, paint, PowerPoint and internet. Students exhibited creativity through paintings as children has a liking for colours. Simultaneously they are taught how to become paperless. Many students after having interface with the computers have made their project work digitally.
English learning is also an important part of the GEM curriculum, children made learn English vocabulary through interactive games, children are made to learn complex words through easy methods and encouraged to read stories to improve reading habits.
Since the workshop is for girls, gender sensitisation becomes vital, during the workshop children are sensitised about the gender equality, make aware of the social status of women in society, try to break the taboo of girl being less privileged & create awareness on safe touch and unsafe touch and sexual abuse.
The workshop also came up with innovative initiatives to encourage Developing Leadership qualities. A mock election was conducted for the children. This initiative intended to create awareness on democracy systems, make them learn how to make leaders accountable. Candidates participated in secret ballot for selecting their favourite candidate. This exercise also focussed on creating awareness on exercise voting.
GEM participants made aware about Environment studies, which highlighted on Create awareness on ozone layer depletion, Make know them about source of power, save power and solar power & learn about food chain.
Apart from the above activities, the participants had the opportunity to watch inspirational children movies at the township auditorium every week to encourage their creativity. The program intends to empower girl’s students and personality development of the neighbouring villages through the workshop.
The CSR workshop has a focus on empowerment of Girl children through creating awareness on various areas like hygiene, safety, security & fitness of both physical and mental through imparting academics sessions and unique learning methods for holistic personality development.
After successful completion of the workshop, participants of the workshop will act as ambassadors of NTPC in sharing their experiences and learnings from the workshop with outside world.
The programme has witnessed continuous improvement among villages girls specially tribal children who were less interactive became vocal as the workshop progressed , children have developed being opening up with each other through group games and tasks. The workshop has witnessed a phenomenal improvement among rural children. They look more confident which is a big takeaway from the workshop.
This is not the end, a follow up workshop for one week for the participants will be organised during winter holidays 2019, which will determine effectiveness of the learning learnt during the workshop.
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