Dear Friends,

In line with this month’s theme: I would like to share with you a small campaign/program (I did some time ago in Dubai at BrainoBrain) to promote eco values and educate teens about environment protection

BrainoBrain (BoB) is one of the largest international skill development center for children and youth. Through their Abacus based skill development programme BoB  enhances and develops skills as Memory, Visualisation, Concentration, Listening Skills, Learning Ability, Creativity, Self Confidence, Speed & Accuracy. Their programme teaches students to use both their left and right brains simultaneously and promptly. I had done all the 10 levels of BoB Abacus programme and had won championships 3 times in their National Abacus competitions. BoB has been seeing my activities and accomplishments through FB so they invited me to felicitate me last month. After felicitation, they invited me to be their guest lecture for their leadership development summer camp. It seems many of their students had been talking about meeting me so this invitation. BoB Head wanted to project me as role model for youngsters and wanted to convey if she can do, they all can also do. I grabbed the opportunity as I thought it would be good to inspire and encourage youngsters to volunteer for social causes and most importantly I wanted to teach them about environment and persuade them to be eco-conscious.

There were about 60 students from different centres of BoB.  I started my session with Time Management. I told them how they should utilize /divide their time effectively by spending 40% time on studying, 10% on their favourite hobby, 40% in sleeping/eating/daily chores etc and remaining 10% they must volunteer for social and environment causes.

I told them about the power and immene potential of youth, that youth are the present and future of any nation, youth are the backbone of society and how youth power can bring about any revolutionizing change.

I gave them brief about the ways they can give back to community and help under-privilege. I introduced few youth community groups like our “Students for the Earth”, “Green Globe” (founded and run by Tunza Eco Gen ex ambassador Humaid) and “Serve the Heroes”(founded and run by fellow ambassador Rohan Kapur).

 After that I focused on the main part of my session “Environment Protection”. I asked them few basic questions to know their knowledge about environment and then gave them brief about global issues like global warming, climate change, their causes (talking more about man made causes), their adverse consequences and finally how each of them or each of us can contribute to fighting/reducing intensity of global warming.

I told them simple tips to save energy, told them about 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and “best out of waste” giving examples of various items I have made out of waste especially the coffee tables I made out of discarded tyres.

Then I shared with them some of my eco-habits like our regular family candle-light dinner(to save energy), using public transport or shared taxi (with friends) to go for coaching classes,  waste segregation at home , recycling paper/can/bottles, tree plantation on my birthday and my parents’ anniversary/ other significant days like Earth Day,World Environment Day etc.

Then I introduced them to Tunza Eco Generation and Bee’ah (local environment and waste management company-which is very supportive for any environment initiative students or anyone takes). I shared with them about various exciting events through Tunza Eco Gen especially the GYELS and shared with them my beautiful experience of GYELS. I gave them my Tunza Eco Gen Ambassador card so that they can contact me for any help they need from me.

Towards the end I conducted a short quiz  and give away prizes to those who answered correctly. I gave away Eco Gen jute bag, pencils, leaflets, notepads, Bee’ah water bottles, chargers, their reuseable bags as prizes which brought a vibrant smile on their faces. I distributed them certificates from our group “Students for the Earth”.

To wrap up the session, I asked few of them to summarise what I told them in the session and what they learnt and what message they are carrying back home. I was impressed to hear apt summary from many of them.

I concluded the session as usual with joint pledge. I requested them to take pledge with me saying “I pledge to take actions to protect environment, I pledge to save resources and save Earth”.

All in all, it was a good session. I was given appreciative feedback from teachers, mentors and the head of BoB who were watching the session. Infact parents of those students requested BoB to hold more such sessions as it seems students went home very excited, telling their parents about what they learnt and that they would plant tree on their birthday.

Let’s all utilize any opportunity which comes our way to address gatherings (whether it is of children, youth or adults)  and spread awareness about environment and the urgent need to take actions to protect environment. We, as ambassadors, need to reach as many people as possible and need to convince them to be eco-conscious.

Media was very kind and they covered the whole event. You can read some of the media coverage through below online link :

Azad news dated 18^th Aug

http://azadnewsme.com/en/66/6/9818/?LoginUserId=2&AdminAccess=all&previewLang=1&preview=on

The Gulf Today dated 22^nd Aug

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/0df52eb2-5d08-4715-9d6c-87fe1322490b.aspx

Dubai news dated 18^th Aug

http://www.dubainewspost.com/teen-teaches-youngsters-giving-back-to-community/

Dubai PR and  GoDubai  dated 21^th Aug

http://www.dubaiprnetwork.com/pr.asp?pr=112609

http://www.godubai.com/citylife/press_release_page.asp?PR=112609&Sname=LifeStyle