A visit to Swami Bichitrananda Kalyan Ashram by Saniya Mazumdar, Class IX

Happiness does not come from what one gets rather, it comes from what one gives. October 4, 2019, will always be a very special and memorable day for all the SAIoners as they celebrated the ‘Joy of Giving Week’.

This year the students of SAI International School and SAI International Residential School planned together to visit an orphanage Swami Bichitrananda Kalyan Ashram, Cuttack, which was established in the year 1921 and is the oldest orphanage of the divided India, which used to be the refuge shelter for the women and the destitute  during flood before Independence.

The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi visited this orphanage. Thus this institution reflected the thoughts and ideas of the people before independence. Therefore the students were eager to witness and feel the struggle for independence as they walk through the ashram. The main aim of the students was to encourage Reading among the children of the orphanage for which they took the help of school authority and donated a mini library to the orphanage with several books in it. This library was too inaugurated on the same day.

The students not only aimed at developing their reading skills but also focused on developing and nurturing the hidden talent that they posses. The students danced with them and taught them the clap of happiness which they do in their school. The children were extremely delighted. At the end of the program they were gifted some copies, colors, towels etc. as a token of love and appreciated by the SAIoneers.

The will always be memorable in their hearts as they actually felt that the best gift that one could get is nothing other than being the reason for someone’s happiness…..!

GIVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART THE REWARDS ARE  TO NUMEROUS TO COUNT!

A week long Van Mahotsav was celebrated at SIRS to spread awareness about the importance of green environment and students also conducted a plantation drive 

Van Mahotsav is an annual pan-Indian tree plantation festival, its spans for a week occupying the first week of July. During this event millions of trees are planted in India. The newly formed Interact Club Members of SIRS briefed the students and teachers on the importance of Van Mahotsav Week on Monday, July 1, 2019.

Continuing to create awareness and inspire the students and teachers for a greener environment on the occasion of Van Mahotsav Week, the Mask Club Members conducted a Special Assembly on the theme – Save Tress, Save Earth. They showcased an intense video highlighting the significance of tress and forest for the healthy living of human beings and animals. The students also enacted a thought-provoking short play to put across the important message of planting trees to save the environment.

The week-long celebration of Vana Mahotsav concluded on Saturday, July 6, 2019 at SAI International Residential School. To mark the occasion, a Special Assembly was conducted, by the Interact Club in collaboration with the Symphony and the Rhythm Club.

A meaningful song glorifying the greenery, a video on the forest man of India, Jayadev Molai Payeng, brilliant speeches by SAIoneers and finally a wonderful dance performance by the teachers created a significant impact on the importance of trees.

The week long celebrations concluded with a plantation drive in the school campus by the SAIoneers.

OUR ENVIRONMENT COMES FIRST !!!

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

Compassion is the ultimate and the most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity.
It is through compassion and care that a person reaches the highest possibilities and the deepest in the search of self fulfillment. Service to the needy and the elderly is the service to God. SAI International Residential School student spread love and happiness where ever they go. On the International Day of Service the students visited the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation of women dedicated to help the poor.

Fifteen students of SIRS along with two Teacher Co-ordinators observed the International Day of Service at the Missionaries of Charity, St. Mother Teresa’s Home on Monday, April 29, 2019. They were warmly welcomed by the Sister In-Charge who briefed them on Missionaries of Charity.

The young students spent a quality time interacting with more than 120 elderly residents of the Nirmal Hriday, speaking, laughing, singing and even dancing. Though most of the inmates were ailing, yet the presence of the children brought joy and happiness onto their face.

The students as the token of their love and affection gifted the loving residents some
essential day to day items. They also shared snacks and fruit juice and sang some
beautiful pieces to make the elderly people feel special. The warm hugs and exchange
of lovely greetings as well as the time spent together made the day a memorable one.

SAIoneers contributed a drop to the ocean of humanity, and it is certainly true that the
ocean would be less without these drops. It was a great effort put in by the students to
brighten at least one day of those in need. It was a small step towards a quantum leap
in the future to come. Students will definitely become the harbingers of change in the
near future and leaders with empathy, care and compassion.

“Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” – Mother Teresa

The importance of cleanliness and hygiene cannot be overlooked by any society. Every religion, faith and civilization stresses its importance. Since ancient times, it has been considered one of the important factors of judging a civilisation’s or society’s development. The students of SAI International Residential School observed the Daan Utsav or the Joy of Giving week from October 2 to 8, 2018 with a difference, instead of giving something they chose to spread smile, time and efforts. Students were divided into groups; they together visited Bhalunka Munda Sahi, a village nearby. One group chose community service while the other visited a school of the village. To heed the burgeoning need for clean and healthy environment, students who went for community service presented a short skit on health and hygiene especially open defecation and cleanliness. They also helped the villagers in cleaning their living spaces, surrounding and houses and inspired them to make one of the tenets of Mahatma Gandhi of ‘Swachh Bharat’ a reality. As they believe service to mankind is service to god, students did the ablution themselves with proper safety measures.

Children are the building blocks of the society hence need the proper nurturing at the right age. Catch them young, make them focus, and develop them by exposing them to the other side of the society. The second group of students got the opportunity to spend some quality time with the primary school students of the village by playing games with them, reading out stories, sharing smiles, drawing, laughing, empathizing and enjoying their way. It was an experience of a lifetime for the students of SIRS. Bringing a smile on someone’s face is easy, one just needs to try. Students took a step forward to bridge the gap and they did it wonderfully.

SIRS aims at providing value education and encourages the students to follow the ethos of value education through community outreach and empathy. Students of SIRS are constantly mentored and provided with the unique opportunities to serve the local communities and collaborate with them, create awareness about issues and make them self sustainable and self reliant.  This develops in them an inner urge to render their contribution towards the betterment of the society. All this helps in embedding social awareness not only in the students’ but also in the schools’ curriculum.