The last day of work ….the last early morning wake-up; the last drive down in the bus to the work site…there were many lasts and also many firsts that we were working towards.
The first time that we all had come together to undertake an arduous task as this.
The first time that the rain Gods had acknowledged our work – albeit on the penultimate day…and so on.
However, as work progressed at the Hariyahera school – where we celebrated another first – of both the groups being at site together – we geared up for casting the roof for the toilet.
By no means was this an easy task – and we were just about to find this out.
Work commenced, cement bags rolled out, the mixing of gravel was in full swing and so was the sweat rolling down the faces.
The gleaming faces, armed in their work helmets and gloves, running chains of pans filled with cement and gravel poured what seemed like an endless pit!!!
In a mathematical way, we determined blocks of the roof which got cemented and found that 80% was not the same as 79.15% - as the difference meant running the chain of supply for another 10 minutes!!!
Finally, the moment most awaited arrived- the roof was cast and a loud cheer of ‘Hip Hip hurray!!’ filled the air.
And yes with it came the feeling most avoided….we had to part ways and head homewards.
Time had flown by and it was our time to bid adieu to the Project site, to all the village school children who had painted with us, played with us and filled our lives with their mirth and joy.
We reached school and had a formal closure to the Project. Of course, we are well aware that the work we have managed in these 8 days is by no means a ‘task finished’ but we are aware that these toilets will get completed and the girl students at the 2 village schools will in some way benefit from this.
For us the effort and the intention mattered – and of course the experience – of adding so much more to what could just have been a ‘work experience’.
Whether it was the de-stressing ‘swimming sessions’ or Visual Art with Mr. Ashok – where we used clay (in some cases for the first time in our lives) or the Design & Technology sessions with Mr. Praveen Madan – who of course got us all to have a ‘carry home’ pencil stand – personalized with our names on it.
Or the trip to TERI GRAM (topped with a breezing trip through the Mall) or the watching of classics such as ‘To Sir with Love’ and the endless reflections we did – will surely someday help us know ourselves better and also get a sense of satisfaction on what we managed – much against the odds of weather conditions.
I hope all of us now have a refreshing break and return back to our schools ‘re-committed, re-charged and rejuvenated’ to the cause of service.
The first time that we all had come together to undertake an arduous task as this.
The first time that the rain Gods had acknowledged our work – albeit on the penultimate day…and so on.
However, as work progressed at the Hariyahera school – where we celebrated another first – of both the groups being at site together – we geared up for casting the roof for the toilet.
By no means was this an easy task – and we were just about to find this out.
Work commenced, cement bags rolled out, the mixing of gravel was in full swing and so was the sweat rolling down the faces.
The gleaming faces, armed in their work helmets and gloves, running chains of pans filled with cement and gravel poured what seemed like an endless pit!!!
In a mathematical way, we determined blocks of the roof which got cemented and found that 80% was not the same as 79.15% - as the difference meant running the chain of supply for another 10 minutes!!!
Finally, the moment most awaited arrived- the roof was cast and a loud cheer of ‘Hip Hip hurray!!’ filled the air.
And yes with it came the feeling most avoided….we had to part ways and head homewards.
Time had flown by and it was our time to bid adieu to the Project site, to all the village school children who had painted with us, played with us and filled our lives with their mirth and joy.
We reached school and had a formal closure to the Project. Of course, we are well aware that the work we have managed in these 8 days is by no means a ‘task finished’ but we are aware that these toilets will get completed and the girl students at the 2 village schools will in some way benefit from this.
For us the effort and the intention mattered – and of course the experience – of adding so much more to what could just have been a ‘work experience’.
Whether it was the de-stressing ‘swimming sessions’ or Visual Art with Mr. Ashok – where we used clay (in some cases for the first time in our lives) or the Design & Technology sessions with Mr. Praveen Madan – who of course got us all to have a ‘carry home’ pencil stand – personalized with our names on it.
Or the trip to TERI GRAM (topped with a breezing trip through the Mall) or the watching of classics such as ‘To Sir with Love’ and the endless reflections we did – will surely someday help us know ourselves better and also get a sense of satisfaction on what we managed – much against the odds of weather conditions.
I hope all of us now have a refreshing break and return back to our schools ‘re-committed, re-charged and rejuvenated’ to the cause of service.