The Essar Foundation organized a two-day event – Bal Vividha – at Kataberia village in Pratapur
Gram Panchayat of the Durgapur-Faridpur block in West Bengal.
The event saw the participation of five secondary and higher secondary schools from Labanapara, Kataberia, Molandigi, Bijra and Pratapur villages. Altogether 2,800 students, 70 teachers and village community members participated in the event.
The event was inaugurated by Mr Ajay Kumar Nand, IPS, Asansol – Durgapur Commissionerate and Mr RK Banerjee, IFS, Conservator of Forest, Government of West Bengal, was Guest of Honor. Some of the other guests included Mr Kumar Bimal, DFO – Durgapur; Sri Subhankar Sinha Roy, ACP – Durgapur; Mr Chirantan Paramanik, BDO – Durgapur Faridpur Block; Mr Subrat Pal, Sah Sabhapati Durgapur Faridpur Panchayat Samiti; Prof Bidha Chandra Roy, Agriculture Scientist, Viswa Bharati University; Mr Guni Chattopadhaya, Soil Scientist, Viswa Bharati University; Mr AN Chatterje, Fire Officer, Durgapur Fire Safety Department; Officer-in-charge at the local police station; and village leaders.
The event had 12 interactive corners based on different themes:
- Origami: through the art, the children learned to use simple geometry to make beautiful paper decorations.
- Learning ladder: the experience of learning was enriched through the use of toys, books, games and learning aids.
- Weaving: handloom by local artisans were put on display, and an environment
education workshop was also organized.
- Craft-based activities utilizing plastic bottles, old
clothes, foils, polythene packets children were taught the importance of being environmentally responsible.
- Palm leaf toys and animated puppets and dancing figures were put on display.
- Patachitra: paintings were displayed and the stories depicted on the art narrated to the children. They were also taught how to make scrolls of their own stories.
- Pottery: a pottery corner was set up to enable the children’s to have hands-on experience with the art, and they were also allowed to carry home the items made by them.
- Science museum: a great opportunity for the students to learn the laws of motion, electromagnetism, light, sound, gravitational force, and fun science by actually experiencing the various phenomena.
- Filmi Chashma: a children's film festival was organized screening a wide range of children's films from India and abroad with the support of introductions and commentary by a moderator.
- Performances: puppet shows, songs, storytelling sessions,
toy making, pottery, weaving, slideshows, etc reinforced the overall excitement
of learning with joy.
