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The society which we live in is a mix of the rich and the poor, the have and the have-not’s, the empathetic and the sympathetic. At SJBHS, as a means of bridging the gap in society, social sensitization to the needs of the others is inculcated in the young. The Class 5 and 6 students were taken on a day’s Outreach on August 20, 2024 to places where the lost, the last and the least of society are made to feel wanted. It is a means of enabling the students to realize the need for contribution to uplift the downtrodden and sensitize them to their role in the future.

Visit to Preethi Nivas – Class 7A & 8E Outreach
As the name itself suggests, Preethi Nivas is a place of love and affection. People of all age groups reside in Preethi Nivas. Though abandoned by their families, the inmates have learnt to co-exist and enjoy life together. Fr Sachin, in-charge of the Home, introduced the residents and equipped the students with the daily routine. The students, though at first apprehensive, slowly grew out of their shy demeanour and danced, sang, and played games with the inmates who in turn joined in to enjoy the camaraderie. The fun filled activities brought a big smile on their faces. After this, the students went on rounds through the Home to see how they lived, the facilities provided, and how they went through life. It was a great programme which fostered interaction, empathy, and lasting memories of unparallel comparison!

Visit to Association of People with Disabilities (APD), Byrathi – Class 7B&8D Outreach
The inmates of APD are specially-abled but have created a self-sufficient ecosystem by being trained in horticulture. The guide showed the students the five stages of horticulture practiced in the facility. The first step was manure producing. This process was done in a special area. The second step was to store and grow the plants. This was done either in shady area or a greenhouse depending on the plant’s characteristics. The third step was growing the plants to their maximum extent. After the plant had grown in the greenhouse, it was replanted into the soil where it would be left to grow and nurture further. The fourth step was separation, distribution, and organization of plants. Plants that were for research or study or for internal purposes are kept aside while others were organized according to species, for sale. Finally, the fifth step is the sale of plants. These plants would be kept in the open/closed nursery in the facility. The students were then taken to the area where vegetative propagation was being carried out. This was highly informative. The students interacted with the inmates, saw their campus, and learnt first hand that in-spite of their short comings, the inmates had created a life worth living!

Visit to Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled – Class 7C& 8A Outreach
The current managing trustee and the co-founder of the NGO Dr. Mahantesh GK is visually impaired himself. He founded this NGO with his late schoolmate Sugur Paramashiviah. The NGO mainly focuses on improving lives of disabled people by providing them with quality education and skills to earn a decent livelihood and to become tax payers so that they are not a burden. The courses offered by Samarthanam last for three months. After three months they get job placements which is the responsibility of the placement officer. The students met the person who teaches blind people to type on computer keyboards that converts the typed letters into audio and the person can hear what letters are being typed through a speaker. After this, the students were taken to an audio book recording station where books are recorded (both fiction and non-fiction) in Kannada, English, and Hindi, so that the visually impaired can listen to the audio books. The students were taken to classrooms where the inmates were taught how to count, identify colours and solve simple puzzles. There was a music and dance studio, a computer lab for data entry classes. There was an arts and crafts class where they were teaching students how to make carpets out of old sarees and other waste cloth. They also teach students how to make pharmacy bags and paper covers from old newspapers.

The visit to Samarthanam has been a very knowledgeable and touching experience. The students of SJBHS learnt that though many people have various disabilities, if they are taught properly and guided well, they can make a success out of their lives and support themselves. The NGO is doing a wonderful job of training and creating opportunities for the differently abled.

Visit to Liza’s Home – Class 7D & 8C Outreach
Liza’s Home is a shelter for physically and mentally challenged women located in Doddagubbi. The center was established in the late 1980s in Bangalore by Dr Molly in honour of her daughter Liza, who had severe mental and physical disabilities. The session began with a brief introduction to the Liza’s Home Foundation and their mission. Then, Dr Subramanian explained how to treat differently-abled individuals and emphasized the importance of caring for such individuals. After that, the women performed a dance and sang beautifully, surpassing all expectations. Following their performance, the students also participated in entertaining them. The main dining hall had displays of the crafts made by the residents. The students were very impressed with the merchandise, and many bought a couple of items as souvenirs. The love shown and the empathy earned as a result was all possible because of the day’s Outreach to Liza’s home.

Visit to APSA – Class 7E Outreach
APSA, the Dream School, is a well-planned, well designed, child friendly inclusive education program for children from slums and was built in 2005. As the students reached the school, they greeted us with flowers, which was such a sweet gesture and got to watch a performance that featured dances from North and Coastal Karnataka. After that, they were split into groups and shown around the school. The school was spotless—everything was in its place, and nothing was broken. The students were proud of their school. The school followed the NIOS system which helps students with learning difficulties go at their own pace and pick up important life skills. The school had a cozy library, a lab, two nice classrooms, and even a terrace. The Josephites got to play basketball and lagoori with the students. The visit left the visitors joyous, yet thoughtful. They had a lot to think about – the difference in education, the difference in their up-bringing and a difference in life itself!

Visit to Children’s Creativity Centre – Class 8B Outreach
The Children’s Creativity Centre is a place that tries to correct the learning hardships that some children face daily. The Global Concerns India is an organization which provides funds that help educate these children. The centre was vibrant with many books and charts which encouraged learning. Many oppressed women and children were able to gain a new life through this organization. The teachers in the centre have encouraged many children to pursue higher studies and gain a better life through values and ideals that have a lifelong positive effect. Moreover, the afternoon was filled with laughter and joy brought about by the performances of the students of the centre as well as the visitors. The shared time helped in understanding their problems. This learning opportunity was memorable and will stay embedded for a long time to come! The Outreach programme for Class 7&8 was fulfilling, enriching and indeed an eye-opener to the realities of the world and the part that the students of SJBHS must play in future as citizens of a diverse country!