Butterflies Park

Jovial Journey of a Skill Development Executive : Dedicated to all my asapians!

B for Beautiful Butterflies Park! During last six months I have seen many beautiful butterflies! To meet each other, to make friendship and for enjoyment those butterflies also have a park! ASAP Kottila Skill Development Centre, the most beautiful butterflies park which I have visited in my life! As like a butterfly ‘my kids’ also came from pupa and learned to fly. Unless butterflies my kids are flying higher. They have transformed from basement to betterment. In this park there are different varieties of flowers also to feed the butterflies. Those flowers are Programme Manager, Programme Executive, Programme Coordinator, Skill Development Executive etc. Come; let’s visit the butterflies park…

Butterfly Origami at SDC Kottila

  ‘Redefining happiness with my dear asapians, this is my present Facebook profile status and personal description of my blog. It’s not just a social media status, but now this my life. ASAP, the powerful passionate skilled creativity hub! It has changed my life a lot.  I was in fact training myself. From December 2015 till today it was a jovial journey with my students. As an SDE I received more than what I expected. Gifts, awards, love, smile, tears and lot more. Let me start with the story of Amitha. She was my student at ASAP. Our SDC (GHSS Kottila) conducted a skill day named ‘Oikos’16’. In that she has to present a project. During her presentation her words got stuck in between. She couldn’t recollect anything she prepared. As per my direction she left the stage. Another student concluded the project. Amitha, cried after leaving from the stage. I went near her to appreciate her, but she didn’t stop crying. Her friends told me she is not disappointed on her performance, but rather she is sad because ‘Rasheed sir might get disappointed’. That moment tears came down on my heart. The love which they gave cannot be measured. Amitha is just a single diamond in my heart. There are many others who helped me to define happiness.

My first class as an SDE was at GHSS Cheruthazham, Kannur district. The school was situated in a remote area. My first class was for plus one students. To be frank, my first class was a deep failure! I couldn’t crack the platform. Next day I went to Govt. Welfare School Cherukunnu, where I could perform well. That class gave me a confidence for my further steps. Those classes were just a trial runner. After that I moved to latter for training plus two students. I was the second SDE for them. Students at GHSS Cheruthazham were from poor economic and academic background. Many students had an unpleasant family history also. But the students were so charming, active and energetic in the class. I did not sympathize for them, but we worked together for happy days! It was ‘Tyohar’ (Skill Day of Kannur District ASAP) which changed the mood of our class. Mr. Sankaran (PM, ASAP SDC Kottila) asked me to bring up a project to showcase at ‘Tyohar’. For that we took a ‘Go Green - Clean Campus Campaign’.  To promote that, my students did a street play ‘Bonsai’ on the protection of environment. That street play was a turning point for ASAP GHSS Cheruthazham. All the teachers’ appreciated the students. They performed well. Many teachers were surprised to see their silent students delivering dialogues loudly in front of a large audience. That street play gave fame for the students in the school. Days and months passed. Many activities were conducted as part of ASAP. I restarted my class after the Higher Secondary Board Exams. To beat the scarcity of SDEs, I took the charge of GHSS Kunhimangalam also. All my major classes were during this last vacation. I am proud to say that, students’ attendance were maximum on all days.

With asapians of GHSS Cheruthazham after the Street Play 'Bonsai'

To rush with the portions and complete the hours for the existing batch was the main agenda for me. But being with them I have transformed myself to adapt changes and promote creativity. Students of both schools were highly talented and had a great potential. I came to know that the thing which they lack was support. I was happy to support them. Give happiness, take happiness! I have to take five to six hours daily to complete the portions. DPM gave me the special permission for doing that. The students  have to travel a long way to reach the SDC for class. Another turning point happened during those rush hours. I was teaching them IT. I taught them to create resume and made them to do that. Sarath, one of my student from GHSS Kunhimangalam wrote his ‘interests’ as ‘creating models out of waste materials’. My eyes got stuck on those lines. He explained me about creating models. The class decided to take the same theme as the project topic.  Final days of the class were then dedicated for project presentation. 

With asapians of GHSS Kunhimangalam - Eiffel of Tower Model Created out waste materials

            May 5^, a day which I marked in my heart. Cheruthazham asapians gave a birthday surprise for me! Tears were falling from my eyes. A cut cake celebration which I never forget. They sang for me, gave me gifts… even Sankaran sir, SDE Shejin, Programme Executive Bushra, ASAP Programme Coordinators all were present on that  day.  My birthday it was one of the best moment in my life and a unique celebration (for me).

Cut Cake Celebration - Birthday celebration with asapians

Oikos'16, Originating from the Original", Skill day celebration of ASAP SDC Kottila. This was the debut step of ASAP SDC Kottila to explore the multidimensional talent of the ASAP students. When we selected this name, "Oikos" many of my friends asked me what does Oikos stands for. The term Oikos stands for Greek Etymology. It stands for the related multiplicity of concept. Here we considered it as root word for our mother ecosystem where we all are originated. Being a human being we all are blessed with lots of talents. From where do these originated? From where we have originated? From where this entire universe originated? We can’t postulate an apt answer, but we know the fact.  We all are originated from the nature, originated from ecosystem. We are born here, brought up here, and being old here. Oikos’16 was a great exposure to the students. For the first time they all faced a large audience and presented their projects in good English! All the teachers and parents were literally shocked to see the amazing performance of their kids. ASAP Kannur District Programme Manager Smt. Smitha Sukumaran made the key note address for the function and she appreciated the budding talents. She promised all the supports for the SDC Kottila for its future ventures. Her session gave an overall view about the skill opportunities, specifically on natural conservation and also how can the skills they earned can be used effectively to society and own benefit.

The concept of skill celebration day - Oikos’16 was to sync the skilled youth to society through industrial exposure. The projects presented are listed below: The project done about specially able children and Buds school. This project is about the differently able students. The trainees visited Madayi BUDS School for their project work and spend their time with them. The main intention of this project was to give exposure to the skills and creativities of differently able students and aware the society about the disabilities preventions and solutions. The next project was on Natural contamination – Kanayi Kanam – A journey from green to greed! Natural contamination is one of the realities. Here the team tried to unveil one of such reality - Kanayi Kanam, which is a stream that is polluting and at the verge of extinction. Objective of this project was to make awareness about the same to society. Team members took the real pictures by visiting the area and shooting with mobile cameras cunningly. Another was a project done on the topic - Tourism opportunities and facilities. The students were not ready to stop their effort just after indicating the problems, but they found solutions also. Also they linked the situation with the skills they earned. Here the students did a research and case study.  They visited the tourism facilities around the village and interviewed different stake holders such as resort owners, Secretary of district tourism Promotion Council etc. In Oikos we tried to correlate the social opportunities with the skills students acquired. The tourism opportunities in the around the constituency opens a new window to related skill sector beauty and wellness. Upcoming developments around these tourist spots are spas, Beauty clinics etc. Also there are opportunities for the beauticians in marriage related ceremonies also. So in this session a “Ramp walk” was conducted by beauticians with a specified theme “Bridal makeup”. A creative project presentation was done by the students by producing craft materials from waste.  The contamination of eco starts from the improper waste management. So the team took an initiative to aware importance of waste management. Students conduct an exhibition by using the product they made from waste materials. “Thanal Thedi”: A project done by students based on statistical survey conducted by them on the biodiversity in Madayi Grama Panchayath. It was the project done by students by doing a survey in their villages by visiting at least 10 houses around them. It was a statistical project. They classified trees in four categories and took a census of the same. After that they reached a conclusion and submitted their study report. A feasibility study and the solution done by students of Solar Panel Installation Technician Batch were designing a Solar PS for the institution and its premises.   For the same they done a simple energy auditing at the institution and designed a 6kW solar power plant for the institution. Students visited Assistant Executive Engineer KSEB, ANERT and discussed about the subsidies and options available presently. 

Ramp Walk @ Oikos'16

Projects presented at Oikos got good appreciation. The students decided to sell the products made my BUDS school students to the public. It was also a step to build an entrepreneur culture among students.  All went well. Our team has paved a new way of success. Oikos was a continuation. Students didn’t relax after the programme. On June 5, students of SDC Kottila planted hundred trees in the nearby houses of school under the banner ‘Snehamaram’. Family members of the house joined their hands with the students to plant the trees. It was a great experience for the students. On that day all the asap students shared and ate the lunch reminding the importance of caring each other. Asap team conducted a street play to make the audience alert of environmental crisis. DPM, Impressed after the event gave opportunity for Kottila SDC team to conduct district Skill day programme on July 15. Now the students are planning the programmes for that.

'Snehamaram' asapians and family members planting trees

With the cooperation of asapians I could bag the Best Performing SDE award for the overall work done at ASAP SDC Kottila and Golden Pen Award for the creative works at ASAP. That was a proud moment for me as a trainer. Without my dear asapians I couldn’t do this. I dedicate this award to my dear asapians. I am grateful to Mr. Sankaran who supported me all in my efforts and motivated me to work more, Mr. Shejin, SDE who is my best partner behind the success of Oikos and also to Ms. Bushra who cheered me up when I was down. For me SDC Kottila is my home away from home. The energy that I got from the centre took away all my inhibitions. I redefined myself to live for the society. I as an individual got least importance here. I used to tell my students, ‘Alone we can do magic, but together we can create wonders’. The same phrase I followed in my life too.

Receiving Best Performing SDE Award from Smt. Smitha Sukumaran (ASAP DPM Kannur), Shri. Narayanan (Principal, GHSS Kottila, Shri. Sankaran (PM ASAP SDC Kottila also seen)

            Yes, ASAP changed my life. Change is for good. I believe in that!

With Mr. Sunil George (ASAP PM who cleared Civil Service Examination this time) and my core supporters Mr. Shankaran (PM ASAP SDC Kottila) and Mr. Shejin ( SDE ASAP) 

            The journey through the butterflies’ park doesn’t stop here. Many new visitors has come; many more are on the ‘Q’! Stay tuned, they are coming with their flowers!!

'Butterflies Park': Butterflies and Flowers! on going ASAP Skill batch.