April 2023 Issue
Hooray to the Year Gone By: Pallavanjali Institute for the Actualization of Individual Potential
Pallavanjali’s vision is synonymous with the actualization of individual potential. INCLUSIVITY is its motto. It caters to people with diverse needs with multiple programmes. Its students with special needs undergo education and are provided with relevant therapies; they practice adapted sports and go on outstation trips. There is a lot more to this. Age is not a bar at Pallavanjali. The school setup caters to the holistic education of children from marginalised backgrounds as well. Pallavanjali has been running programmes for soft skills for students with special needs and for students who deserve another chance (age 18+). Students pan India pursuing higher studies in different fields devote their time here to add to their learning or any other requirement that their course might have.
The in-house bakery 'We Bake' has successfully completed one year. Pallavanjali celebrated its milestone moments in various ways. They covered a long route from hopelessness to hope by putting their heads together. Thus evolved the launch of their in-house bakery ‘We Bake’. They built internship opportunities for their students within their premises - this helped them practice ongoing work skills. Therapeutic and personality enhancement programmes were taken both online and offline, thus Pallavanjali’s PIAIP programme has increased its reach to many.
This year as they launched We Bake, there were multiple celebrations. We Bake became a favourite venue for the celebration of birthdays. Word reached far and many events such as the Gurgaon Poetry club, Gurgaon Moms book club, and Gurgaon foodies were held. Apart from the regular bake sales, hampers were created for Diwali, Rakhi, and Valentine’s. We Bake had a successful bake sale on the Annual Showcase day We Bake is indeed a matter of pride for all of us, as it has shown us the way from despair to faith. The first-ever training Basic Bakery course was a huge success as it catered to students with special needs from all around.
The installation of plastic ki gullak and kitchen to compost have made all the support staff aware of handling waste material. The idea of plastic reduction, segregation and reuse is the need of the hour. Our students are well aware of this. All students and educators adhere to this consciously. The plastic waste that is not used by them is put into the plastic ki gullak and sent for recycling ahead. Similarly, all kitchen waste and peels and seeds of fruits are being given back to the earth by discarding them into the compost bin.
Students have indulged in music therapy; this way, they were able to express their emotions. A batch of students formed the Readers’ circle. This group has been reading fiction. They enjoyed their time at Kunzum bookstore.
Mandala colouring was introduced to students, and over a period of one year the progress has been surprising. Pallavanjali believes in maintaining both physical and mental health; in this view yoga, indoor games, outdoor sports, and hygiene are given the utmost importance. Regular sessions on thinking skills and reminders for being mindful are a regular for teachers and students alike. Movie nights were used to train students to live independently away from home and support. These times are for bonding and having fun.
Outstation trips to camping adventures at Saattal and an art retreat at Rishikesh served the purpose of supporting independence. These build a variety of skills including social skills, problem-solving and conflict resolution, particularly in the case of special needs students these times are for breaking out of the comfort pattern which could be as simple as trying new foods to eat.
Boardgame afternoons facilitated multiple fine skills, both motor and mental. Pallavanjali, they always remember to feed their spirits with nature walks, fun drives, dance, and music.
Last but not least all national and cultural festivals are celebrated with fervor. There was a photoshoot for PIAIP students during the week of Independence Day celebrations. The students dressed up in traditional attire with a modern twist. Students were enthralled by the performance of a budding music group that encourages local artists called Roots. Students visited Anandgram to enjoy another session by these performers.
Another batch of adult students from Ritinjali’s Second Chance school completed their soft skills training. In-house internships in the field of Cooking, Baking, Finance, IT, Art, and Sports helped them understand real-life work. Many industrial visits helped them experience and explore the innumerable opportunities out there for them. Multiple workshops and talks by speakers from varied fields were held.
Most of the students have settled well in their respective internships. This year students opted for training in hospitality, design, electrical engineering, and computer technology. It gives Pallavanjali immense joy to see our students at the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH), Visan (Hospitality training), Trident hotel, IPSM (Medical training), DUCAT (IT), to name a few. A special mention to our Alumni, who made the journey of their hard work success stories known to this batch.