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ABetterWorldforourChildrenandBetterChildrenforourWorldCreatingenvironmentalconsciousnessamongsttheyouthoftomorrow

ByRhitabritaMukherjee,SOCEOinassociationwithAnindyaSundarDas,APeople’sKnowledgeCenterDhuchnikhali

The poster for the sit-and-draw competition themed onenvironmentalconsciousness

Nine years ago, in the year 2009, cyclone Ailahit largepartsofBangladeshandIndia.Peoplewere killed andmissing for dayswhile severalislands on the Indian archipelago of theSunderbans were submerged. Ironically themangrovesofthearea,stretching4000squarekilometresalong the Indiancoastline, salvagedthemainland fromthe stormand floodswhiletheirmother islets layravagedbythesea.Theworldmovedonbuttheislanderswhosurvivedthe terrible disaster still carry the fear ofanothercalamityintheirheart.Whatismostlyignored and these survivors may have nevergotten to know is that scientists have statedthat storms and cyclones in the recent yearshavestruckwithmoreintensityduetowarmersea surface temperatures and rise in sea levelcausedbyglobalwarming.

The Sunderban Gyan Bikash Kendra (thePeople’s Knowledge Centre) run by MrittikaPrayas in Dhuchnikhali, an area that had also

faced the cyclone, has taken upon itself toeducate the people in their immediate andneighbouringareasabouttheenvironment,thedamagemankindhasinflictedonitandurgentprecautions theyneed to take into their stridetoavoidsuchacalamityagain.Theyhavebeeninvolved in the introduction, practice andmarketingoforganicagriculturalproduceintheregion since 2017 with major focus onsustainability.Movingalongthis linetheyhavestartedconductinglessonsonenvironmentanddisaster management, previously limited toparents but now involving more and morechildren. The methods and target audiencewere changed with the realisation that whilethe older generations might be easier toconvince thatwe are in danger fromour ownactions, the young ones remain unaware andmostlyunperturbed.

The youngest participants drew their heart out on theircanvases

In the spirit of the World Environment Day,SGBKbroughttogethertheregionalchildrenforafulldaytoparticipateindrawingcompetitionand movie watching on the 21st of July 2018.This was a clever and entertaining ploy toformally introduce the young children andadolescents to the strive towards building anenvironmentalconsciousnessamongall.

The theme of the day being “OurEnvironment”, the children immersedthemselvesinputtingtheirideasoncanvasesin

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themorning.Theparticipatingchildrendividedinto 3 groups, from youngest to oldest, wereinstructedtodrawwhatevertheywanted,whattheylovedmostinthenatureandtocreateanillustrativeposteronenvironment.

Later in the day together with their parentsthey were treated to the eye-openingdocumentary ‘Kolkata 2070’, which wassupported by the German Consulate GeneralKolkata,followedbyanextensivediscussiononthe ecosystem characteristic of theSunderbans.

ThechildrenandtheirparentswatchingKolkata2070

The documentary deals with the need toprotect the natural wonder that is theSunderbans, itsmajesty,biodiversityandvirginecosystem by adopting a sustainable lifestyleand practices. Because any harm and possibledestruction here will have a long reachingeffectsonthesubcontinent.Whilethedrawingwas an eye-opener to the children’s idea ofwhat the word environment constitutes, thedocumentarywas intendedtobeaneducativeexperienceforallpresentthere.

Theparticipantsbusyputtingtheirideasontopaper

The oldest participants created posters based on eco-friendlypractices

Many regional institutions including theDhuchnikali Ramkrishna Mission, DuchnikhaliJunior Basic School, Atapur Kenaram HighSchool and other schools and their teacherscame together in the preparation for the bigday. Help came from the Gram Panchayatmembers while the judges panel consisted ofthe region’s lauded art teacher Mr. ManabMridha and Mr. Debashis Banerjee and Mr.SurajitMondalfromSOCEO,Kolkata.

The children’s reproductions were an understanding of theirviewonnature

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Beautifully completed canvases on display at the People’sKnowledgeCentre

In an effort to encourage all participants andnotdisappointanychildlosingthecompetition,all 79 of them were gifted young guavasaplings.Thiswasdeemedperfect tomotivatechildren to care for and grow trees of theirown, their contribution towards nature, andalso because of the fruit’s health benefits,especiallyforchildren.

Thedayendedwiththevariousguestspeakersandmembersof the knowledge center talkingabout various aspects of environmentalsustainabilityandabrieflessonmyMr.KalidasNaskar,trainerattheSGBK,onhowtoproperlyrearthechildren’sguavaplants.

Participantshappilyputtingouttheirdrawingsandtakinghometheiryoungtree

The SGBK had devised the event and itsproceedings with an aim to strengthen theirconnectionwith the general population,makethem aware of the work being done by the

KnowledgeCentreandtobringboththeyoungand the adults into the fold to work togethertowardsenvironmentalconsciousnessandeco-friendly mechanisms. They have hopefullymanaged to make the children realise theimportance of nature and the role theythemselves must play in its conservation.

Thespeakersandguestsinteractingwiththechildren

Now the hope remains that as their littlesaplingsgrowintobeautifultrees,addingtothegreeneryaround,thechildrentoowillprogresson the path of increasing consciousness andalleviate any danger to the environment,rootingfromhumanactions.Afteralltocreateabetterworldforthechildren,weneedtohelpthembebetterchildrenforthisworld.

SOCEOisinvolvedintheprojectsinceitsinceptionasaconsultantingpartner.The project is supported by Schöck-Familien-Stiftung&ChildFundDeutschland.