The VDJS delegation, comprising six students accompanied by their teacher escort, Ms. Sunita Verma, enthusiastically participated in the Panna Tiger Reserve Community Service and the Wildlife Awareness Project, as a part of the Round Square Service Project hosted by Daly College, Indore, from 16th-20th March ,2024. This initiative brought together a total of sixty-six student delegates from seven national and international prestigious schools. The project aimed to promote sustainable living and raise awareness about personal hygiene and cleanliness among the residents of buffer villages – Bagoha and Jhinna.
The delegates were divided into two groups for the project and they ventured into the forest with a sense of enthusiasm, openness and purpose. The participants traversed the winding lanes of the quaint villages of Bagoha and Jhinna. and conducted health awareness sessions. They orchestrated transformative health camps, wherein the students conducted over 803 health check-ups and participated in various health-related tasks, including checking blood pressure, height measurements, temperature checks and eye examinations using the reliable Snellen Chart and distributed 785 spectacles, illuminating countless lives with newfound clarity. The delegates passionately championed awareness about menstrual hygiene and distributed essential sanitary napkins.
The collective efforts of the students led to the building of walls in a local school, a protective parapet, and the crafting of educational materials for the eager village children, laying the foundation for a brighter future. The students attended an enriching session by Dr. Raghunandan Chundawat, on the significance of conservation and community empowerment
Stormed by a flurry of activities, the delegates attended the Khajuraho Pottery Workshop, and the Gond Art Workshop conducted by the local skilled artisans. The students ventured to the ancient Pandu Caves, where history and myth intertwined to weave tales of wonder. They navigated the tranquil waters of the Ken River and embarked on a mesmerising nature walk that offered a diversity of flora and fauna and encounters with new bird species and towering trees. They indulged in the serene boating excursion to a secluded red rocky island. During the thrilling Jungle Safari, the volunteers encountered a magnificent array of wildlife- tigers, leopards, sloth bears and countless antelopes.
The Panna Service Project is a testimony of Utopian collaboration and dedication, showcasing the boundless potential when hearts and hands unite in pursuit of a shared vision.
