School students in Santiniketan starts Shishu Panchayat

It is our pleasure to to let you know that students from Santiniketan Nava Nalanda School, Bengal has started a new Shishu Panchayat.Children convinced the school and children to form Shishu Panchayat. Later Swastik,Indradip and Mainak have applied IGEMS (Information Gap Eliimination) method in three meetings which is showing success. Students have already swung into action to solve the topmost priority problem felt by them in their school. They had a meeting with teachers also.

Pic: Shantiniketan ShP

These are the pics of posters we used in Shishu Panchayate's first campaign "The Zero Waste programe" all the posters are made by the student members of panchayate though there exams are after few days they gave their best to make the posters. 

Pic: Shantiniketan ShP

 Congratulations Shantiniketan Shishu Panchayat!! We wish you all the very best!!

Posted by 4ReD campaign media wing

For those lonely birds...

A report on the water shelters for birds

Shobita
Reporter: The Peace Gong Wayanad

L.Saein-FACEFEATURES

28 - 3 - 2013
Wayanad

We informally inaugurated the "Water 4 Birds" project to create water shelters for thirsty birds. Wayanad is well known for its wild life, greenery and soothing cool climate. But this year the heat waves are so terrible, and we are really afraid of great water shortage. Thats why we started the water shelter initiative at the earliest, even before our summer vacation camps started.

We are collecting waste plastic bottles and discarded containers and with the help of old bangles etc. trying our best to create more water shelters. We are trying to develop some sort of Technics so we can fix the water shelters anywhere easily. We also try to promote recycling along with this movement.

Today people want to pay money to get water. So this time no one will think of animals and birds. But we must remember one thing. Only people like you and me can help the helpless animals and birds this hot summer. Everyday the  print, visual and social media discuss this problem, but not many have the mind to help them.

So our "Shishu Panchayat" organised this initiative to lend our helping hands to the birds. It was decided that the water in the containers should be changed at very frequent intervals so as to assure fresh water supply plus eliminate the possibilities of mosquitoes breeding in it. While going to change water, we shall hang water shelters in new places too. We are very happy that we are doing this silent service to the birds.We have taken more than our share from mother nature, now the time has come to give back...

One drop of water

Wayanad Shishu Panchayat 
launches "Water 4 Birds" project 


"One drop of water fell from heaven
That`s all heaven could do
One drop of water fell from heaven
And EVERYTHING changed!"



This summer is going to be very very hot for  birds as well as all living beings. Signs of climate change is vividly visible across the world.

As part of one of the educational movements driven by Wayanad Shishu Panchayat, school students have started creating "water shelters" for birds. The first one was fixed right on to a branch of the Shishu panchayat office in Wayanad.

The project is headed by Shobita, a plus two student. She has created the water shelter with the help of a discarded container, her bangle, a piece of plastic cord and a dry twig. We invite all Shsiu panchayat members across India as well as other well wishers to join the movement.

Yes, together let`s try to make this world a better place to live in!      

A poem

Make a difference!

Rumana Mehdi

The Peace Gong Reporter

Pakistan

Bones are scattered everywhere,

The shrill wail of death echoes in my ear,

I stand in a developed world in the 21st century,

Then why does the Earth look like one big mortuary?

Why do mighty oceans look like pools of blood and mountains a heap of bodies?

Why are innocent children smuggled across borders like commodities?

I watched silently as yet more tubes were inserted into that baby,

I watched silently as the nurse roughly pushed the weeping lady,

I never spoke a word as the shroud covered that angelic face,

I tried not to think that I could have saved that child in many ways,

I ignore the wetness of my eyes and the sorrow in my heart,

After all, that country and my country are miles apart,

                                        

I walk on,

I see children whose clothes are torn,

Can I still turn a blind eye to all this mess?

For how long shall be under duress?

Everyone says that things will improve,

The boulder of violence is too big for one to move,

So let’s break this boulder piece by piece,

Only then shall the havoc in our lives cease,

Only then shall the roses bloom,

Only then there will be less misery and gloom,

Let my song of love echo over Tahrir Square in Cairo, the landmines in Vietnam and the deserts in Africa,

Let my hand of love spread far and wide, from America to Australia,

United we stand and divided we fall,

In order to make giant leaps, we first need to learn to crawl,

Together, we will make the world a better abode,

Together, we will take care of this beautiful gift of God,

Hope 

New media in my life

Thansila

I am a village girl. I am doing my plus one education in Wayanad, Kerala. I am also doing my communication training in an organization. From there I have realized the potential of the new media. What we couldn’t do person to person, I realized that with the help of the new media we can do far better. For example, I travel rarely outside my district, but with the help of a blog or social media I can communicate with people around the world.

If used in the proper way I am sure we can lean more from the new media, we can connect with individuals and organizations beyond our geographical boundaries. From my personal experience I have observed how effectively the official blog of the centre and social networks like Facebook shared inspirational stories of education to the world. Through our newspaper, The Peace Gong we are able to exchange stories from friends in different parts of India and abroad. For instance, our friend in Pakistan, Syeda Rumana Mehdi’s poems have been inspiring us to think of conflicts around the world. We discuss some of these issues like how children are getting affected by the Syrian crisis and how we can end conflicts in our own communities. We have been extensively using our The Peace Gong group in the Facebook for connecting with like minded students. 

Also using the new media, we children of the Wayanad Shishu Panchayat are trying to connect with other Shishu Panchayats across the country and aiming to create a national movement. We feel elated when we are able to develop programmes simultaneously in Kerala, Assam, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal; we have spoken to children in these states using Skype from our respective centres. We use mobile phones to call our seniors for guidance. We also use SMS to reach out to friends and acquaintances on the work we are trying to do in the village. Who says we are different from our friends in the cities? It has changed our perspectives and the whole way we are trying to work in the community.

The new media is a great tool of education. It helps to make the technological advancements a creative process. When we design and upload in our blogs, as a student interested in creative pursuits, it gives me immense pleasure and at the same time I am also happy that I, an obscure village girl, is being noticed by the world even beyond oceans.......

Thansila, 16 and President of the Wayanad Shishu Panchayat. She is the Editor of the Malayalam edition of the Peace Gong, the global children’s newspaper (she had originally written this in Malayalam and has been translated by her adult coordinators).

Journeys to school around the world

Let`s salute the spirit of Right Education!!

A photo exhibition launched by SIPA Press, UNESCO & Veolia Transdev, "Journeys to School" tells an inspiring story of girls' and boy's journey to school. It is not about misery and isolation -- but courage and determination.

We learn about children's quest for education despite all obstacles -- gender inequality, poverty, social-exclusion, conflict, lack of public transportation, urban insecurity, natural hazards. These children travel long distances on foot, or by bus, boat, bicycle, rickshaw, sled or subway to get to school. They brave deserts, mountains, rivers, snow and ice. These images carry a message of hope -- this exhibit shows if there is a will there is a way, but children can't do it alone. We must help them on their journey -- families, communities, public authorities and private sector partners. Together, we can help them overcome the obstacles, get to school and stay. Education is a human right.

Survey on Quality of Education

  The survey reveals shocking findings

Report by Surovi Shishu Panchayat, Assam 

Surovi Social Responsibility Survey programme was initiated on June 11, 2012 by Surovi Shishu Panchayat to do a reality check on quality and responsibility of the ongoing education system through various government, semi government and private High Schools from the nearby areas in Guwahati covering 300 students (Class IX to XII), 30 teachers in June-July, 2012. 

“It is important that we understand on the quality of education that is imparted in our area,” said Islam Ali, a member of Surovi and student of class XI who was part of the Survey team. 

The initial findings are not only revealing but shocking, informs Rihan Ali, Coordinator of Surovi Shishu Panchayat. “Zero per cent of the students surveyed could tell about the districts of Assam, none could tell about the total number of students in their school, nor could they tell the full names of their teachers. Similarly, zero per cent knew the names of  different chief ministers of Assam and only two per cent had any idea of who was the highest ranking officer in a district,” Rihan shares these startling facts.

Right Education Campaign

What is education and what is the ultimate aim of education?

Education aims to develop the social and individual spheres of an individual.

What is Right Education?

Right Education imparts

• Physical Growth
• Mental Growth
• Emotional Growth
• Intellectual Growth
• Social Growth
• All round development

The word 'Education' was derived from two Latin words 'e`; and 'ducere' which mean 'to guide out' In short education means the process of bringing out the hidden potential of children and individuals.

Why we need a campaign for Right Education?

As long as the above mentioned 6 goals of Right Education are not achieved, it is imperative for any sensible society to strive to achieve for that. India is a nation still fumbling and stumbling with unbalanced educational methodologies.



The '4 Right Education` campaign envisages to research, assimilate, create awareness and call for a revolutionary change in Indian education.

For the creation of a right society a generation enriched with human values is extremely important. But this statement is tagged with  unasked questions:

Who should promote Right Education? 
Who are responsible? 
How can we make them do it?

Lets find the answers through our campaign!!

Welcome to the campaign

Dear Friends!!

I am Thansila.
 I am the president of Wayanad Shishu Panchayat, Kerala State. I proudly welcome you to the campaign promoted by all Shishu Panchayats across India along with our proud newspaper for children, The Peace Gong.

From my personal experience I can say that students are not treated equally in our schools. Why the backbenchers remain backbenchers  I don't know, but I know that 'brilliant' students always get the big pieces of cakes, of course and all the cream too.

The time has come to create a new system of education to open the eyes of educationists so that all get equal opportunities and care. All the children deserve dignity and self esteem. I hope through this campaign we can reach out to everyone with positive messages.

Let us campaign for a world where there is no child labour, the girl child is equally treated with the boys, and no discrimination in the classrooms, and the bright ones help the slow ones and we all are free to learn what we love to learn.

With love,

Yours
Thansila

Wayanad
9 March 2013