Cleanliness Drive under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – A Government of India initiative.

Event Name: Cleanliness Drive under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – A Government of India initiative.

Objective: The event aims to understand the importance of cleanliness as well as to spread awareness among the villagers to keep our surroundings clean and green as they say, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

Outcome: Through organising such welfare related activities for the society we all have come to learn a lot. With this drive, we understood how important it is for our society to understand the importance of clean and green surroundings. The event gave a new insight into the lives of the villagers and their views on cleanliness. It was indeed a pleasure to arrange the activity with the assistance of housekeeping staff, and a part of the success is under their name.

Report

Symbiosis International's (DU) core philosophy is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. In pursuance of this and as part of its university's emphasis on promoting health and wellbeing, SIBM Hyderabad through Shakti – The Women Development and Social Responsibility Cell, organized a Cleanliness Drive supporting Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in villages- Veerlapally and Edulapalli on 28th August, 2022.

The 'Cleanliness Drive' aims to promote the values of cleanliness, discipline, and respect for the environment in the students and educate and sensitize them about the importance of cleanliness for a healthy, socially responsible, economically dynamic, and progressive nation.

The Shakti (WDC) members visited the Village to conduct the activity along with Dr. Ridhi Rani, Faculty Incharge of Shakti – Women Development and Social Responsibility Cell. Another significant effort undertaken by the team was to promote the benefits of a hygienic and clean environment. The team also interacted with the villagers and encouraged them to maintain cleanliness in their houses and on the roads.

The event flow was as follows:

Team Shakti, Dr. Ridhi Rani and a few housekeeping staffs visited two villages - Veerlapally and Edulapalli. The students were divided into groups to clean the streets of the villages and the schools nearby with the intention of trying create awareness among the villagers. Initially they started off with the team discussing about the drive with the village head .The drive was then carried out with the villagers, explaining the benefits of hygienic and clean surroundings, they also tried to learn about any other grievances the villagers might wish to have a say and receive some help.

(A photograph of Shakti Members, and Ridhi Rani ma’am cleaning the local school.)

SIBM-H students then interacted with the children of the Village, to understand if they were educated regarding the crucial concept of cleanliness and also to know their views on the Swatch Bharat campaign.

The students and volunteers were very excited to be part of this activity and will undertake such activities in the future. Being management students, they felt pleased and satisfied. Through this event, the villagers were included, and they also realized how important it is to be socially conscious citizens. Team Shakti felt grateful to the director sir, Dr. K. P. Venugopal Rao and Dr. Ridhi Rani for sparing their quality time, facilitating and supporting them to conduct this event successfully.

(Shakti- WDC members, along with volunteers cleaning and sanitizing the village.)