Embracing Community Engagement: Empowering Lives, One Step at a Time

As the Community Engagement Coordinator at AISSMS CHMCT, Pune, my role allows me to witness the incredible impact of collective efforts to foster change. The 2024-2025 academic year brought with it a series of heart-warming and impactful activities, each aimed at instilling social responsibility among students and extending support to those in need.

Here’s a glimpse into the meaningful initiatives we undertook:

Plastic Waste Awareness, Collection, and Recycling Plastic waste has become a global environmental challenge, and we believe that change starts with awareness. Students actively participated in waste collection drives, ensuring proper segregation and recycling. This initiative not only helped clean the local environment but also instilled a sense of accountability for sustainable living among the students and the community.

Tree Plantation Drive

Recognizing the urgency of combating climate change, our students undertook a tree plantation drive. With a focus on restoring greenery, they planted saplings in ensuring the community understood the long-term benefits of afforestation.

Collaborating with SOFOSH: Spreading Love and Care

Our partnership with SOFOSH (Society of Friends of the Sassoon Hospital) allowed students to engage with children at Shreevatsa and Tara, two remarkable centers providing shelter, care, and education to family-deprived and specially-abled children.

At Shreevatsa, students organized activities, played games, and celebrated festivals like Independence Day, Rakhi, and Ganesh Chaturthi, creating joyous memories for the children. At Tara, they interacted with older, specially-abled children, participating in similar engagements that fostered their growth and well-being.

Daan Utsav: The Joy of Giving

Under the banner of the Community Engagement and Services course, students from SYBSc HS spearheaded a Daan Utsav, emphasizing the spirit of giving. Donations poured in from staff, students, and faculty in the form of clothes, groceries, stationery, toys, and more.

The collected items were distributed to Matoshree Old Age Home, where students spent quality time with senior citizens, listening to their stories and spreading cheer and Rainbow Homes, an NGO supporting underprivileged children. Students not only donated essentials but also organized engaging activities, leaving the children with smiles and hope.

Read-a-Story Program: Educating Beyond Boundaries

In collaboration with n +1 Social Foundation, our students participated in the Read-a-Story program, an innovative initiative to teach English to underserved students in rural Maharashtra via phone and internet. This activity bridged the gap between urban and rural education, with students honing their teaching skills while fostering the joy of learning
among the children.

These initiatives exemplify the transformative power of community service. Through participative, skill-based, and interactive learning, our students developed a deeper understanding of their social responsibilities. As I reflect on the year's achievements, I feel immense pride in our students’ enthusiasm and dedication. Their efforts to contribute meaningfully to society resonate with the ethos of community engagement—empowering lives, fostering connections, and leaving a legacy of compassion.

Contributed by: Dr. Sarika Joshi

Student Development Officer