Duration: 26th September – 3rd October, 2016 (8 Days)
For the first social event for the year 2016-2017, the Computer Association partnered with an NGO known as SEAL (Social and Evangelical Association for Love). SEAL provides shelter, food, clothing, health-care and education at the SEAL Ashram located at Panvel.
The Computer Association organized a drive in order to collect usable clothes, bags and footwear from the students and faculty of PCACS, for the residents of SEAL Ashram. Titled as ‘The Smile Project’, the Computer Association set out to accomplish this new challenge. The one factor that set this event apart for the Computer Association was that, this event was executed entirely by its First Year members, while the Second Year members provided organizational guidance to their juniors.
Once all the details of the event was communicated to SEAL, the event took place in the following way:
24th September, 2016
Briefing
The Second Year Computer Association members called a meeting where the First Year members were briefed about their upcoming task, its goals and guidelines for execution of the event.
The First Year members were then divided into two teams: Team 1 and Team 2.
26th – 27th September, 2016
Day 1 – 2: Publicity
The group leaders of the two teams decided which group would publicize ‘The Smile Project’ in which classrooms. Once the classrooms were divided amongst the two teams, the teams split into smaller groups of two or three and began the first phase, i.e., spreading awareness and details about ‘The Smile Project’ in each classroom in PCACS. The Second Year members of the Computer Association announced the event details in all the staff rooms in PCACS.
28th – 30th September, 2016
Day 3 – 5: Collection
The First Year members organized themselves into groups and scoured each floor for donations. The groups visited each classroom on each floor in order to collect the donations as well as remind them about the event. The groups also collected donations from the staff rooms.
1st – 3rd October, 2016
Day 6 – 8: Final Packing and Pickup
Once the collection was completed, the entire donation was packed into bags. Once packed, the Computer Association coordinated a pickup date with SEAL.
The pickup vehicle from SEAL arrived on 3rd October, 2016 in the college premises. Once the collection was handed over to SEAL, ‘The Smile Project’ came to an end.
Conclusion
The first social event held by the Computer Association was a massive success. The Computer Association collected over 50 big bags full of clothes, schoolbags and footwear for the residents of SEAL Ashram. The two teams that were assigned with the task of executing ‘The Smile Project’ saw that the event was conducted and executed beautifully.
As a part of our social outreach commitment the department of B.Com. Accounting and Finance conducted social activity in the month of January 2016 where collected amount from students used for donation of food for 26th January programme of Vishes Kshamta Mahotsav 2016 conducted by Deaf and Mentally Challenged Residential School, Chipale.
Computer Association volunteered and supported economically, a Social Event “Balkalakaar” organized by AIESEC on 20th December, 2015 at Dr. Pillai Global Academy, Panvel. The event looked into the simple pleasures of childhood that many underprivileged children missed out because of the poverty and hunger that engulfed their lives. Here around 400 underprivileged kids came together for a day full of fun, learning and happiness. It was an amazing experience for the volunteers to witness the innocent smiles.
AIESEC in Navi Mumbai organized “Balakalakaar”, an event that looked into the simple pleasures of childhood that many underprivileged children missed out because of the poverty and hunger that engulfed their lives. The Computer Association feels proud that it was also a part of the noble cause. The main event was on 20th December, held at Dr. Pillai Global Academy, Panvel, where around 400 underprivileged kids came together fora day full of fun, learning and happiness. Along with financially contributing for the event, the members of CA actively volunteered, teaching and playing with the kids. It was an amazing experience for the volunteers to witness the innocent smiles.
The Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Association of Pillai College of Arts, Commerce and Science, New Panvel had organized a visit to Jeevan Jyothi Charitable Trust, Old Panvel on 18th December 2015, Friday. The initiative to visit the organization was taken by the Professors and students of the Department. They had an interactive session with the children regarding the importance of basic cleanliness and personal hygiene in our daily life.
Students of our college also had conducted entertaining session where the children sang and shook the leg on few songs; following which, blankets, books and stationary items. Refreshments in the form of snacks were distributed. Overall this event was highly entertaining and enlightening for the kids at Jeevan Jyothi Charitable Trust that have sensitized our students with regards to their social responsibilities.
Department of Mass Media along with its departmental association AMA (Arts and Media Association) conducted ‘Recycle and Reuse’ Campaign as a part of its social activity.
The activity undertaken by the students of S.Y.B.M.M. included designing posters on the importance of recycling. The students displayed the posters all over the campus. They also spread awareness about the importance of recycling through classroom interactions.
The activity also included a call for donation of old textbooks and notebooks. The textbooks thus collected were donated to the college library and the empty pages from the notebooks were distributed to children in an orphanage named ‘Balagram’ in Khanda Colony.
A Special Yoga Programme was organized by the B.M.S. department for its Second Year Students on 26th November, 2015. A total of 80 students attended the session. Key asanas such as Vajrasan, Padmasan, Kapaalbhati, Naukasan, Bhujangasan, etc. were covered in this session. The programme was addressed by Mr. P. L. Bhardwaj from institute of Yoga and Aryurved and Arogya Seva Samiti and his team of three instructors who demonstrated the different asanas and explained how each of these asanas stand to benefit students. The session lasted for about an hour and a half and was truly enlightening in all respects. We felt privileged to be a part of this session and expressed our gratitude with a vote of thanks.