The Rural Programmes Group of CEE, as part of the DarshakLokganga project of Ravikrupa Trust, being implemented by Community Science Centre, Lokbharati-Sanosara and supported by Pidilite Foundation, is doing the ‘mobile material development project’. The project is an interesting partnership between CEE, Lokbharati and several other NGOs, wherein CEE’s role is to develop mobile educational material - exhibitions, activities, games etc linked with the curriculum of grade 5 to 8 and build the capacity of partner NGO representatives in educational pedagogy and orienting them for using the material.

On 2nd and 3rd March, 2015, a training session was conducted for NGO facilitators, so as to orient them for the exhibition and activities on the language theme. 22 participants joined this two-day training, which introduced language as a means to communicate, emphasized on the need for strengthening language skills among students, and presented different activities for the same. Due emphasis was laid on ensuring that the participants understood the difference between language and dialect, and were able to comprehend and appreciate that while learning, the standardized form of Gujarati and English is essential from the academic point of view.

At the end of the two day training, 10 NGOs were given a set of exhibition and accompanying activity material for their mobiles. Through them, the material developed by CEE reaches more than 350 schools and nearly 30,000 children across Gujarat.

CEE North in association with Uttar Pradesh Forest Corporation (UPFC) as the State Ecotourism Nodal agency had jointly organized a nature camp for NGC school eco-club children of Pilibhit district. A group of 20 students, along with teachers, travelled to Katarniaghat for the camp, which was held from 27-29 March 2015. Students from classes 6 to 8 of SRM Inter College, Pilibhit, joined the camp, and the entire group, which stayed at the Forest rest house, enthusiastically participated in the exciting and fun filled nature camps.

The nature camp module was woven around various aspects of nature and cultural heritage. Students went on an exciting nature trail to know the forest closely and observe the animals around, while the boat ride in Girwa River made the students familiar with the aquatic biodiversity including gharial, crocodile, water birds and dolphins. Students were amazed to see the rare sight of big groups of vultures. Interaction with the Tharu tribal community members made the experience a truly memorable one.  

Joining the awareness campaign on World Water Day on March 22, CEE Himalaya, under their project ''Swachch, Swasth, Sundar Khardauri' supported by UNICEF UP, organized an exhibition-cum-orientation workshop at Block Office Shriduttganj, in Balrampur district, UP. Four key resource persons including Gram Pradhan and community leaders, along with nearly 90 villagers, teachers and anganwadi workers, participated in the workshop.

The key resource persons addressed the participants on the features, roles and the current status of the available water bodies around the local area. They were also apprised of the importance of keeping water sources clean; using Indian Mark 2 hand pump water for cooking and drinking; keeping the water storage pot neat & clean; keeping drinking water covered; using boiled water for drinking purpose during the flood or monsoon season; ensuring that water sources were located atleast 15 to 20 feet away from the toilet; avoiding open defecation near the water bodies; and were informed of the diseases caused due to polluted water. 

Some villagers raised concern over the deteriorating quality of water which was caused by the release of large quantities of toxic liquids into the water bodies, by the sugar mills in their nearby areas. Participants were also encouraged to write their thoughts on white banners so that these would serve as impromptu exhibition pieces towards the end of the programme. After CEE’s intervention in Galibpur village, Balrampur district, 193 toilets are being constructed to help achieve an Open-Defecation-Free environment in the area of operation.

The Yuva Paryavaran Leader programme, a joint initiative of CEE and UPPCB - after completion of its 6 step selection process, which started in July 2014 - found its 10 Best Students, 5 Best Teachers, and 5 Best Schools. The winners were felicitated in the Yuva Paryavaran Leader Awards ceremony held on 21st March 2015 on the occasion of World Forestry Day.

Mr. Fareed Mehfuz Kidwai, State Minister of Forest, Uttar Pradesh, was the chief guest for the event, while Dr. S.P. Yadav, Minister of State for Wildlife, Uttar Pradesh, was the chairperson. Mr. V. N. Garg, APC and Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, was the special guest for the event, which was attended by more than 200 participants, including students, teachers, principals, parents, key dignitaries, forest department officials and the media.

Students, teachers and schools were presented with the medallion and certificates by the honourable guests, while CEE gave away educational resource packages to the participants.

The Swapnilshala project is being implemented at the Govt. UPS, Ghatal, Rajasthan, by the CEE Bhiwadi team. Activities under the project are not only strengthening the infrastructure of the school but are also trying to make the teachers understand the importance of engaging students in the class rather than making the class teacher-centric.

In order to accomplish the said objective, a “Fun Science - learning by doing” workshop with students of Standard 6th to 8th, was conducted from March 25-April 11, 2015. The workshop covered various topics focusing on the core theme of water, waste management, biodiversity and electricity. Quantification of water used, quality test and sanitation and hygiene education were the activities done under the theme of water. Activities related to types of waste, its quantity, segregation and management via recycle and reuse were conducted under waste management, while the Biodiversity theme began with discussion on living things and in introducing the diversity via varieties of flowers and leaves. Curricular topics like transpiration and flower dissection were also covered in the workshop. Activities for the concept of electricity started through listing the appliances that work on electricity and those that work on batteries. They were then given certain materials like bulbs, wires, batteries, iron nails, cardboards and were asked to make the bulb glow.

Asking questions without hesitation, working in groups, and developing the ability to share things have been the positive outcome of this workshop.

CEE participated in Happy Streets - a joint venture of The Times of India and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), where a stretch of the road is blocked for citizens on Sundays, allowing them spaces to recreate and unwind amidst the concrete jungle. Happy Streets is a weekly event and is catching up a lot of attention and participation in Hyderabad.

A group of 60 CEE volunteers performed a flash mob on the theme “Swachch Bharat” and “Save Water”. Huge number of people including children participated and took an oath on “saying No to Plastic”. Ms. Padma, Social Development Expert from HMDA, congratulated the volunteers for putting up a great show and also requested CEE to take up the campaign in the coming weeks. She also expressed her desire for long-term association with CEE for all their social development activities.

Rini Anweshi from CEE coordinated the event and emphasized on sustainable lifestyles.

CEE with support from UNICEF, Lucknow, under its ODF project ‘Swachch, Swasth, Sundar Khardauri’, celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2015 on 16th March 2015 at Shriduttganj Block Office, Balrampur, UP. Though the theme of IWD 2015 (celebrated on 8th March every year) was 'Empowering Women-Empowering Humanity', the same was linked to WASH activities being implemented in the area by CEE, and aimed at achieving ODF status. More than 18 women along with 4 resource persons from CEE Balrampur participated in the celebration with great enthusiasm.

Welcoming the participants, Sunil Chaubey, CEE Himalaya, explained the grim sanitation and hygiene situation in the area and how people suffer because of poor sanitation. He also talked about the WASH related activities being undertaken in the area by CEE under the UNICEF supported project. Participant women were called upon to get toilets constructed in their homes and practice sanitation behavior to stay clean, healthy and happy.

These women were earlier addressed using folk media like huduk, puppetry, street plays, interpersonal communication, focused group discussion etc, to promote the use of toilets and inculcate in them the sanitation behaviors. Participant Ms. 'Alam Aara' from Wajidpur village stressed that it is important and a must for every household to construct a toilet, while Riyaz Ahmad Mir of CEE spoke about the threats like rape, molestation, dignity and insecurity that women face by defecating in the open, adding to their vulnerability.

CEE North as the State Resource Agency was invited to two district level NGC Teachers Training Workshops. While a two-day workshop was held at Agra in February, a one-day workshop held at Pilibhit district in March witnessed participation from more than 300 teachers. The workshop was aimed at building the understanding of teachers about the NGC programme and planning of eco-club activities.

Educational material was disseminated by the State nodal agency - Directorate of Environment, and CEE. The workshop was jointly organized by the District Implementation and Monitoring Committee (DIMC), with support from Master Trainer and State Resource Agency - CEE North. The workshop was facilitated in the presence of District Magistrate, District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) and District Forest Officer (DFO). Mr. Neeraj Pal and Mr. Jitendra Patel from CEE facilitated the technical sessions during the training programme.

CEE is the ENVIS centre on Environmental Education (EE). As an ENVIS centre, CEE caters to the information needs of environmental educators. Write to the CEE ENVIS Centre at [email protected]