Training and Level WTraining

Schools

AFS Regional Schools Meet - West India

AFS India organised the West India Regional Schools Meet in Mumbai on 7th and 8th February 2020 hosted by one of the AFS Member Schools - Bunts Sangha's S M Shey High School & Junior College, Mumbai. The goal of the meet was to connect and collaborate towards the bigger goal of creang acve global cizens by sharing and discussing the opportunies provided by AFS India to the schools, the educators and the students.

The meet brought together the school leaders, the coordinators and the students from 14 AFS member schools ofWest India Region. The keynote speaker of the event was Mr Nandkumar, Principal Secretary, General Administraon Department and Chief Protocol Officer, Mantralaya, Mumbai. The meet was also aended by MrJayant Lal, AFS India Board Member, Ms Divya Arora, AFS India Naonal Directorand twoAFS India staffmembers.

Highlights of the Meet:

- The meet was declared opened with AFS Quiz conducted by Ms Seema Shaikh, AFS India West Regional Head. Spectacular dance performances were given by the students of S M Shey High School, M K E S High School and Pragnya Bodhini High School.

- Session of Keynote Speaker- Sh. Nandkumar addressed the students in thought provoking conversaons on various topics. Session taken with school leaders and educators on New Educaon Policywas also very enriching.

- The AFS Presentaon highlighted the brief about AFS organizaon, its existence, being proud with experience of 100+ years, mission & goal, impact of the programs, risk management and strong support AFS offers, inclusions in fee structure, orientaons for the exchange students and AFS Alumni in different fields.

- AFS India Board Member - MrJayant Lal, discussed the need of the teachers to develop thinking skills in the students. Curiosity should be developed in the students and they should be allowed to queson rather than simply answering. He also shared the role ofAIU (Associaon of Indian Universies) to provide the students the equivalence cerficate to avoid the gap yearwhen the students go forAFS Year Program abroad. - World Café – ATalk Show about Creang Global Cizens: The chat showwas hosted by Mr Sunil Srivastava (Principal, Kids' Kingdom Public School, Pune). The three guests in the showwere – Ms Seema Sabhlok (Principal, S M Shey High School & Junior College), Ms Divya Arora (AFS India Naonal Director) and Mr Sukhjit Singh (Principal, Viraj Shri Ram Centennial School, Boisar). They discussed embracing the thought of learning to live together, impact ofAFS exchange programs, creang environment for the students to think and learn, teaching so skills, leaving comfort zone, and creang global cizens.

- Community Service Project (Students) in collaboraon with Shrusdnyan [Centre for Environment Educaon, Research & Documentaon]

The meet ended with extending a Vote ofThanks to the AFS India West Regional Head, the host school and all the parcipants. The school leaders, the educators and the students were appreciated for their acve and enthusiasc involvement and making the regional meet a success. We look forward to advancing the mission ofAFS in India while working on the aim of developing acve global cizens.

#Japan Impact of Asia Kakehashi Program

By Pranav Choudhury, Asia Kakehashi Parcipant 2019-20 Exploring Elements of India in Japan

Pranavwas selected to go on Japan's Asia Kakehashi program in 2019. About his experience with his host family, Pranav says, “Living with my host family, I was able to realize that in Japan, NewYear's is similar to a fesval. It has a history of specific customs and tradions associated with it, and is completely different from how I had celebrated NewYear in India. I accompanied my mother to a nearby religious shrine at around quarter to, one in the night, where we prayed for this year to go well! Back in India, this religious aspect is something I have never experienced, but it felt really nice and I am thankful that my host family gave me the experience ofNew Year's in the tradional Japanese style!”

In Japanese Speech Delivery Compeon, Pranav even won the prize. Here's a small glimpse of the Winning Speech Pranav gave in the compeon-

“I would like to start by telling you all about an interesng incident. Around the beginning of October, a very famous fesval called “Durga Puja” is celebrated in my hometown in India with a lot of pomp and Joy. One day, aer my club acvies got over, I was telling my friends about this fesval and its significance in my culture. In the process I was showing them pictures of the beauful pandals that are made and explaining to them about each God whose statue was present inside the pandals.

In this fesval, primarily, five Gods are prayed to, ofwhich one is Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is known to be the remover of obstacles and enabler of success in Indian Mythology. When I came to Lord Ganesha and pointed to his picture, my friends jumped up in excitement and exclaimed, 'We know Lord Ganesha!!'

The fact that some elements of Indian culture, somemes in rather amusing ways, are already present inside Japan shows just how strong the bond between the two countries is, and this is how I was able to find an India in Japan.

I was very surprised to see that Indian food is very famous in Japan. Almost all of myJapanese friends and also friends from other countries who I met through the Asia-Kakehashi Project, like Indian food a lot. Addionally, there are a huge number of Indian restaurants in Japan. Therefore, I was able to find an India within Japan in the form of food too!.”

#Japan Impact of

AFS Program

#NSLIY Impact of NSLI-Y Program

We are overwhelmed to share the beauful experience shared with us by our Host student Thomas Smith, a NSLI-Yyear program student 2019-20 hosted in DLF Public School, Sahibabad. The student has wrien the story in Hindi and the efforts made by him are commendable. Thomas gave us great goals of Intercultural learning with this leer. We highly appreciate the efforts and wish him a great future ahead.

‘‘महारा के पहािड़य के परे नगर िथत ह ैिजसका नाम िशड ह ैऔर जो मरेे दय म बहत खास हो गया ह।ै ख़रै मरे ा मज़े बान माँ और पापा साई बाबा (एक ग और फ़क़र िजसका मय १९१८ म हो गया) ृ ु ु ं म िवास करने वाले ह और उनके िलए िशड बहत पिव जगह ह ैयिक साईबाबा वहा रहते थे, यान ं ं लगाते थे, और ान दते े थे । असल म, वे सपरवार के साथ हर साल उनके शादी क सालिगरह के समय वही जाते ह और मझ ेबहत अछा लगा िक मझ ेभी िनमण िमला। ु ु ं

हमारी याा मबई म श हई और िफर हम गाड़ी से गए। हम लोग िशड के आसपास के े म घम े ं ु ु ू और सबसे पहले हम यबकेर गए। उस नगर म मिदर ह ैिजसम बारह म से एक योितिलग ह।ै ं योितिलग िहद धम म बहत ही महपण होते ह और बहत सारी याी योितिलग को दखे ने के िलए ू ू जाते ह। हमने मिदर के अदर जाकर दखे ा िक पिडत जी के ारा अिभषके िकया जा रहा था और ं ं ं बहत सारे लोग बैठे हए िदख रह ेथे। इस के बाद हमने खब फल खाया और वहा से िशड गए। ू ं

िशड पहचके हम सीधा मिदर गए और साईबाबा का दशन िकया। मिदर म एक ही मित ह ैऔर वह साई ं ं ं ू ं ं बाबा क ह।ै मित के सामने साईबाबा क समािध ह ैिजसको भ पश करते ह। हम िशड म कम से कम ू ं चार-पाच बार आरती करने गए िजसम ेधािमक गाने गाए गए और अनान िकये गए। मिदर े म अिन ं ु ं होती ह ैिजससे उदी बनती ह।ै याी अपने गले और माथे पर लगाते ह यिक मानना जाता िक वह हम बीमारी से बचा सकती ह। मिजद भी ह ैिजसम ेसाईबाबा क तवीर ह ैऔर वह भी बहत लोकिय ं जगह ह।ै हमारा समय अिधकाश मिदर के े म बीता और हालाँिक म धािमक नह ह ँिफर भी मन ं ं अपने परवार से ख़ब ान सीखा उनके धम और सकित के बारे म जानकार म बहत भािवत हआ। ृ ू ं

हम लोग शिन िशगणापर गए. राते म हम एक ऐसे जगह के िजसम ेराँगिबरगी झले थे और एक बैल ं ु ं ू खड़ा था जो घम-घमकर लकड़ी के मशीन से गने का रास िनकाल रहा था। हम दो-दो िगलास गने का ू ू रस िपए और नमकन खाया (यह, परी याा म से मरे ा पसदीदा पल था)। बाद म जब हम शिन िशगणापर ू ं ं ु पहचँ गए मरेे मज़े बान पापा ने मझ ेसमझाया क उस गाव म एक भी परवार के घर का ताला बद नह ु ं ं करते ह यिक उनक आथा ह ैिक अगर कोई उनके सामान को लट लेता तो उसको बड़ा सज़ा िमलती ू ह।ै हम मिदर भी गए लेिकन मझ ेदरवाज़ क बात मज़ेदार लगी। ं ु

अगला िदन हम मबई हवाई अडडा वापस गए और िदली चले गए। मरेे सफर म, हमने तीन धािमक ं ु ् जगह गए िजसम ेमन े तीन अलग चीज़ दखे ी। िबकेर और इसका ाचीन साकितक सकार, िशरडी ृ ं ं और मरेे परवार का यिगत रता धम से, और शिन िशगणापर और उस गाव क अटट आथा ं ु ं ू जोिखम के बावजद। तीन बात जो मझ ेभारत ही म मझ ेिमल सकती ह।’’ ू ु ु

थॉमस िमथ १३ - ०२ - २०२०

We are proud to share another great achievement by our volunteers of Gandhinagar in connuaon to the most Sustainable Project being run by them at Mukdham Cemetery.

What is Mukdham Project? Mukdham is a cemetery in Gandhinagar. Our generous volunteers have come up with a plan which is successfully running for over 8 months now. Few volunteers visit the place everyweek and spend me with the children and families. They playwith the kids, help them with their studies, teach them various life skills and much more.

How it began - Ourvolunteer Ms. Laxmi Joshi who is also a member of Prayosha Mahila Group, donated notebooks to the children of Muk Dham during the month ofJune. On the same day, AFS meeng was also held at the same place. Dr. Varsha Parekh, Gandhinagar Chapter President realized that only distribuon of books is not enough for these children and why not all volunteers together under the umbrella ofAFS work for the allround development of these 22 children. Luckily no sooner did she express herwillingness, all the volunteers unanimously accepted the proposal and became part of this beauful and sustainable project.

Harshit, a very enthusiasc kid of Mukdham was observed by Dr. Varsha Parekh. Harshit hardly responded, though he parcipated very acvely in various acvies conducted by ourvolunteers. Proud Moment ofAchievement!

Harshit was hearing impaired and unfortunately his parents believed in some superson to cure him. Dr Parekh had to counsel the parents even before she could take Harshit to a doctor. She even paid the doctor's consultaon fee. Harshit was soon operated availing the benefits of Government scheme which saved around 10 lakh rupees as the cost of surgery. Ourvolunteers contributed money for the hearing aid that costed Rs. 20,000. The child is doing reallywell and improving each day. Our hearelt thanks to Tara Foundaon forwaiving off the fee of Rs.40,000 for speech therapy sings for Harshit.

It gives a sense of sasfacon and pleasure when such crical cases meet success. It started with the moo 'Service to Man is Service to God'.

Regional Volunteer Exchange to Delhi

Delhi chapter proudly hosted six volunteers from four different chapters during the Regional Volunteer Exchange to Delhi which happened from 21st January ‘20 to 27th January ‘20. The week long exchange ensured a great exchange of cultural diversity of India. Volunteers had a great intercultural experience which was shared by them beaufully in their own words -

- Chhotu Shaikh, Volunteer, Mumbai Chapter. “I had heard, exchange programs change you for good, but I wasn’t really sure if this works for people who have turned grey too.”

“Athi Devobhava: AFS Regional Exchange Program was a great learning me for all the volunteers. The hospitality and the persistence of host families and volunteers to take care of their guest proved the wordings 'Athi Devo Bhava’ true according to the Indian culture of treang the guest as a God.” - Parminderjit Kaur, Educator, Sat Paul Mial School, Ludhiana

- Vasant and Pushplata Shinde, Volunteers, Nashik Chapter “Volunteering at the family exchange program has been deeply transformave. We were all enjoying the warm welcome, even in such a cold climate. We were connually lied and inspired not only by family members, Delhi chapter members and also staff of Naonal office.”

“On 26th Januarywe got to see Red fort which was quite great for us. We also sawAkshardham and Agrasen ki baoli. We really liked using Metro, it’s fast and effecve.” - Jignaben Gajjar, Volunteer, Gandhinagar Chapter

“Looking toward the treatment and respect which was given by host family, I felt so warm and grateful. We earned so many good things and gold hearted people from this volunteer exchange program.” - Mahendra Adhav, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter

AFS India connues giving various opportunies to our volunteers who are part of our journey to create acve global cizens. We at AFS strongly believe that our community of global cizens is determined to build bridges between cultures.