Akanksha Meerut

Newsletter 2015-16

Akanksha Meerut, contributes through

development activities focusing on
under-served and marginalised women and
children of the State. Meeruts
administration officers wives contribute
through volunteering their time and talents
to the organization, which is besides their
full time jobs. The participation of civil
society members is another strength of
Akanksha, bringing in a strong community
perspective and ensuring relevant and
robust initiatives.

carried out various successful sessions for

educating school students on important and
relevant topics. Further, in collaboration
with the school authorities the environment
of government schools were also improved.
In addition, the team has also taken up a
new scope of work to improve menstrual
hygiene in the district by promoting cheap
sanitary pads.
We are glad to present you Akanksha
Meeruts first Newsletter 2015-2016.
1

We are pleased to inform that through the

dedication of our members, this year we

CONTENTS

S. NO.
1

PARTICULARS

PAGE NO.

ACTIVITIES PERFORMED DURING 15-16

1.1

PERSONAL HYGIENE

1.2

SUMMER HOLIDAY PROJECT

1.3

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

1.4

ILL EFFECTS OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

1.5

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

1.6

CLEAN DRINKING WATER

1.7

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

1.8

OTHER POSITIVE CHANGES IN KGBV SCHOOLS

10

NEW SCOPE OF ACTIVITY: PROMOTING

IN MEERUT

12

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

13

PERSONAL HYGIENE
During our visits to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
(KGBV) schools, the team identified various issues
pertaining to the hygiene levels maintained by students.
This led us to carry out a session on importance of
personal hygiene at these schools.
Activities performed:
Fun and interactive sessions were organised in all the
KGBV schools to instill the importance of maintaining
personal hygiene amongst students.
The session included:
- Animated video shown in Hindi on importance of
personal hygiene.
- Quizzes were taken to test whether students had
absorbed all that was included in the session.

Issues Identified

1.Students not taking

bath daily
2.Students not
cleanly dressed
3.Torn clothes not
being stitched
timely
4.Unorganised cupboards
5.Unclean premises
6.Students with skin
diseases

- Prizes distributed to students who were most cleanly

dressed.
- Summer holiday project to prepare charts on importance of hygiene was given.

Students watching animated video on personal hygiene

Member taking session

on personal hygiene

The team on every visit to KGBV schools distributes prizes to cleanly dressed students to motivate
students.
3

SUMMER HOLIDAY PROJECTS

For the summer holidays, the team planned two
projects for the students to work on during their
holidays. The first project required the students to
mail a letter to their classmates residential
address. The aim of this project was to enable
students to learn how to post a letter.
Second project required each student to make a
chart on hygiene. This would again instill amongst
the students the need to maintain hygiene.
The team distributed the required stationary to all
the students to complete their summer holiday
projects.

A student showing the letter received by her

from her classmate

Student with the stationary kit

provided to them for the projects

Letters posted by students.

Charts prepared by the students on hygiene

Prizes were distributed to students who completed their summer holiday projects.
4

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
We identified the need to inform the parents and the
students about various schemes of the government that
are beneficial for their children. The team, thus, planned a
session on parent teachers meeting (PTM) at KGBV
schools to inform them about these schemes and motivate
them to continue their childs education.

Government official explaining the scheme to

the parents and students

Parents reading
about the scheme

Session included
- Government officials
from different
departments spoke
about the various
schemes beneficial for
children.
- Schemes included:
Kaushal Vikas Yojana,
Labour schemes,
Postal schemes, ITI,
Syndicate bank training institutes, monetary incentives given
by govt. for continuing
education, etc.
- Positive experiences
shared by girls who
are pursuing higher
education after passing out from KGBV.

Video of girls earning Rs. 5k to 7k per month after being trained

under the Kaushal Vikas Yojana

As per KGBV guidelines,

Rs100 shall be deposited in
the bank accounts of
students studying in
Kasturba with 90per cent
attendance.

the schools to ensure that

all the students had their
accounts opened.
As on date, appropriate records are being maintained
in schools and amount is
duly being deposited in
students bank accounts.

However, 2 issues were

identified. Non maintenance
of appropriate records and Further, we arranged for an
majority of the students did Adhar card camp to ensure
not have bank accounts.
that all the students in
Kasturba schools have
We arranged for a visit by
Adhar cards.
bank representatives in all

- Success stories of
girls earning after
getting trained under
Kaushal Vikas Yojana/
ITI were shown
through video.

Adhar cards being made

for students on PTM day.
5

ILL EFFECTS OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

The team came across with issues pertaining to corporal punishment being practiced by teachers in few schools. The team thus, planned a session to highlight the
ill effects of practicing corporal punishment.
Session included

Animated video in Hindi highlighting the

ill effects of practicing corporal
punishment was shown to both teachers and students.
Video on corporal punishment

Students were required to fill forms

anonymously for evaluating the
behaviour of teachers on various
parameters towards students. Each
student gave marks to teachers on the
parameters given.
Students filling forms

Anonymous form

After consolidating the marks, the

teachers with the highest were score
was awarded and shown as an example for others to follow. In addition,
counselling of teachers with least marks
was done.
Teacher with maximum marks were awarded

In collaboration with the child helpline

organisation, the students were informed about the child helpline number
1098.

Students were informed about 1098.

6

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITES

We noted that there was lack of extra
curricular activities in KGBV schools. Thus, to
encourage
r e g u la r
e xt r a - c u r r i c u l a r
competitions amongst students in schools, the
team encouraged teachers to make 5 houses
(groups). A house captain has been appointed
for each house whose responsibility is to
ensure the discipline and cleanliness of the
students in her house.
The team plans out monthly inter house
competitions during its visit.
Students divided into 5 houses

Badminton competition

Rangoli competition

Diwali skit competition

Tug of war competition

Volleyball competition

Extempore competition

Students cheering for their

houses

Students celebrating their win

Prizes being distributed to the

winning house
7

CLEAN DRINKING WATER

During our visits to KGBV schools, we noted that inspite of ROs installed in majority
of the schools the girls were drinking water from the hand pumps situated in the
premises. To ensure that the water from hand pumps is safe to drink, the team organised a session for testing the water and educating the students on importance of
safe drinking water.
Session included

Video was shown to students explaining the

importance of drinking clean water and ways
to keep drinking water clean.
Video shown to students

Since majority of the students were drinking

water from the hand pumps, we got the water
tested from Neer NGO.

Neer NGO member testing water

Results of the testing showed that the water

from the hand pumps contained lots of impurities and was not safe for drinking. However,
the colour of the water from the RO remain
unchanged.
These results were shown to the students to
encourage them to drink water from either
the RO or after boiling water.
Impurities in water from hand pumps

Post our session, we observed positive

response from students and the school
authorities. Water is now used for drinking
only after boiling or adding chlorine tablets or
treating water from RO. Campers were
bought to store water after being treated from
any of the above methods.

Campers used to store RO/ boiled water

8

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE
On interacting with students we observed that in few
schools the teachers were hesitating in explaining the
students about menstruation. The team thus planned a
session for spreading awareness about menstruation.
Through the medium of an
animated video, students
were educated about the
science behind why
females get menstruation.
The purpose was to
sensitise girls that it was
something very natural and
empowering.
S t ud en t s
we re
a lso
informed about the health
benefits of maintaining
menstrual hygiene and the
steps to maintain the same.

Remove the myth that the

sex of the child is
determined by mother.
Girls are being educated
that the sex of the baby is
determined by the sperm
of the father. So the blame
on the mother for the sex
of the child is not valid.

Points discussed
What is menstruation
and why it occurs in
females?
Health benefits of
maintaining menstrual
hygiene
How to maintain
menstrual hygiene
Sperm of the father
determines the sex of
the child
Adequate stock of
sanitary pads to be
maintained in schools
Motivate students to
speak up about any
problems or infections
they were suffering
from
Haemoglobin tests
should be conducted
by the school
authorities

Video on menstruation shown to

shown to students

Team member explaining how

the sex of the child is
determined

Menstruation comics
in Hindi were added to
the library by the team

Due to our session, students opened up to us about

issues they were facing regarding their menstruation.
We identified few girls who need to be consulted to a
doctor. The same were then shown to a doctor by the
school authorities. The warden was also asked to get
the haemoglobin of all the girls tested. The same has
been duly done at all the schools.
Prescription of doctors
9

OTHER POSITIVE CHANGES IN KGBV SCHOOLS

LIBRARY
To instill the habit of reading amongst KGBV schools students, the members
planned to make the library more active.
Issue 1: The library was unorganised and being used as a storage for things apart
from books.
Solution 1: Library was made more organised.
Issue 2: No record for issue of books to students was being maintained.
Solution 2: A library register was asked to be maintained detailing the stock of
books in the library and the log for issue of books to students.
Issue 3:The standard of books kept in the library was too high for the students as
a result students had lost interest in reading books from library.
Solution 3: The team donated books as per the level of the students so that students can again gain interest in reading.

Unorganised library

Organised library

Library decorated with charts

KITCHEN GARDEN

With constant follow up from our

members, KGBV schools have
startin g de veloping kitchen
gardens in their premises. This will
ensure additional nutrients in daily
diet of students. Further, students
will learn about the concept of
kitchen gardens.
Kitchen garden in one of
the KGBV schools

Preparing for sowing

seeds for kitchen garden
10

POSITIVE CHANGES IN KGBV SCHOOLS (Contd.)

KITCHEN STORE
During our regular checks, the team observed certain shortcomings in the hygiene
levels being maintained in the kitchen supplies store.
SOLUTIONS

ISSUES
The pulses, poha etc. were being stored in open racks.

Tins with lids were bought for

storing pulses, poha etc.

No step being taken to stop

the increasing rats in the store.

Rat traps were bought and

kept in the kitchen. Number of
rats have reduced since then.

Due to carelessness of school

authorities, the tins were kept
uncovered.

With regular checks by the

team, discipline has been
maintained.

Covered tins in the

kitchen store

HEALTH RECORDS
We observed that appropriate health records
of students were not being maintained. Thus
the school authorities were asked to maintain
individual health cards of all students
containing the history of infections/ diseases
that the student has suffered, weight, height,
haemoglobin levels, etc.

Health cards at KGBV schools

OTHER POINTS
With the constant dedication and efforts of our members, a few other positive
changes have been brought about in KGBV schools.
- The hygiene levels being maintained by students have improved. They are more
properly and cleanly dressed.
- Improved cleanliness in KGBV schools
- Proper records of stock registers for uniform, stationary are being kept.
11

NEW SCOPE OF WORK

PROMOTING MENSTRUAL HYGIENE IN MEERUT
Arunachalam Muruganantham's revolutionary machine has been installed in Meerut
by the Government.
Sanitary pads manufacturing machine

Gap Identified: Unutilised stock due to lack of distribution channel established.

In March, the team has taken up this new scope of work of
spreading menstrual hygiene in the district.
Affordable sanitary pads

Action Plan: We in collaboration with Meeruts administration shall spread menstrual

hygiene by promoting these pads both in the city and rural areas of the district.
Rural Meerut - Action Plan
A pilot project in three blocks of Meerut to identify the demand of sanitary pads and
promote their use in rural areas of Meerut with the help of network of Ashas.
Action plan:
Meeting with the senior doctors of the
three blocks.
Training Ashas of the three blocks on
why menstrual hygiene is important.
Monitoring the sales made by Ashas
Understanding the issues faced by
Ashas during sale of the sanitary pads

Spreading awareness about menstrual

hygiene in rural areas
Distribution to hospitals in rural ar
Thereafter, spread to other blocks.
Distribution to primary health centers in
rural areas

Meerut City - Action Plan

Promotional events to be carried out in
the city.
Distribution of sanitary pads to ration
shops.

Distribution to Madarsa schools and

inter colleges
Stock kept at all Govt aided shops
Distribution to hospitals in the city

12

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES
For the year ahead, Akanksha Meeruts proposed activities:

Improving education in KGBV schools

- Detailed curriculum to be developed which shall include monthly course
completion and tests to be taken.
- Records for each students performance in tests to be maintained.
- Akanksha team members to verify timely completion of the course.
- Team members to hold monthly quizzes.

Organising self defence classes for students

Career counselling for students passing out from 8th class

Organising basic stitching classes for students

For details on the activities performed by the team and

for future activities and updates, please refer our
Facebook page: Akanksha, Meerut
https://www.facebook.com/akankshaMeerutDivision/?
ref=bookmarks

13

OUR MEMBERS
Akankshas successful year could not have been possible without the dedication of
its members. We take this opportunity to thank all our members for their dedicated,
timely and efficient support for all of Akankshas activities.
BOARD MEMBERS

Preeti Sinha

Ritu Yadav

Nupur Chahal

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Pallavi
Secretary

Ritu Manglik
Treasurer

Rachna Bathla

Meera Singh

Kusum Dubey

Shashi Gupta

Rita Mishra

Sushma

Pramodita Tiwari

Chanderlekha

Neetu Sinha

Shail Jain

14