RESIDENTIAL PROJECT AT KOLIKARAI, KOTAGIRI, NILGIRIS DISTRICT

30^th JULY – 3^rd AUGUST, 2011

“Great people don’t do different things, but they do things differently.”

Our ten aspirants - Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award - in the process of becoming responsible leaders and global citizens added one more feather in their cap by taking up the residential project at the Irula tribal village in Kolikarai. Our students stayed with them for five days and four nights to understand the life style of the Irula tribal people as well as to interact with them to create awareness on the importance of education, sanitation and health.

These students also learnt important lessons of balanced living with nature and how the local tribe conserves natural resources. It was a challenge for the ten-member team to live away from the comfort of the school environment by cooking their own food and managing their living quarters by themselves.

Knowledge and awareness was gained on how the tribals prepare herbal medicines from the local flora aided by the Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association at Kolikarai Village, Kotagiri.

One of the participants, Yash Sandeep Gore said, “This is the most unforgettable experience in my life and I learned to be courageous and to always lend a helping hand towards the myriad tribes in the world”. There was happiness in the minds of all the participants for having been engaged in such a worthwhile project and learning experience.

Prabhu Kumar

IAYP Award Leader