Pupils respond in the affirmative, focused, positive, calm, and ready to learn

SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School considers that a high quality school assembly is one of the most important aspects of a school's curriculum. This School assembly is when the school community meets together to share aspects of life that are of worth. It acts as a medium for communicating matters of significance from one generation to another. Its potential to nurture a positive school ethos that stresses care for the self, others and the pursuit of all forms of excellence should not be underestimated. It powerfully nurtures the development of intrapersonal intelligence. Monday morning assembly is particularly important, as it brings the whole school back together again after the weekend break, to re-focus upon the week in view, on its objectives and the tools that will be used to achieve them. The SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School mentions, “School assembly is demonstrated in an assembly is a reiteration of the value of each individual pupil including their individual thoughts and abilities. There is a reiteration of the importance of those elements to the community and the secure place of each pupil within the school. The pupils are invited to consider their inner capabilities, their positive worth, their place in the community and their purpose for the week, and to do it from the touchstone of that month's positive value. Pupils respond in the affirmative, so that they are focused, positive, calm, and ready to start. The school community starts from the individual pupil and the value of each one, and allows them to see their part in their own world. What follows illustrates how school assemblies, in all phases of schooling, can make a positive contribution to pupil self-development and therefore be at the heart of raising achievement and standards and  a form of assembly that has been developed by planning to encourage pupils to reflect upon a set of universal values, such as love, peace, truth, co-operation and respect. These values act as the foundation for the development of personal, social and health education, citizenship and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of the curriculum”. -Govin

Woodlots not only insure monetary rewards, but also provide an enjoyable experience.

SEVAI Woodlot in Amoor

SEVAI.a Trichy based NGO has promoted several woodlots which results abundant advantages with a dense growth of trees on an acre or more. There are many trees, each depending upon the others and all forming a cluster community. This cluster woodlots community is an important factor to maintenance of productivity. Benefits and pleasures of woodlots/ tree community are many. However, they need to be significantly magnified if we practice good forestry. These woodlots not only insure monetary rewards, but also provide an enjoyable experience. Value of these trees varies greatly because of the difference in demand for them and the quality of the wood. Many owners of the woodlots cherish their forests for the multitude of intangible riches they yield, and accept the wood harvests as an extra benefit and some consider the wood yield as the primary objective. It is important to promote woodlots to attract birds and SEVAI has begun with bare land and "build" woodlots by planting seedlings. Establishing a plantation usually requires the planting of 40 to 100 seedlings on each acre. In 10 years, these small trees should reach a height of 10 to 20 feet, depending on the species. Their crowns should touch and the entire plantation begins to appear as an established woodlot forest community.SEVAI does not matter what stage of development a forest is in, whether a new plantation or an old, mature community of trees are  planned for its future management. Because of the constant changes occurring within woodlots, improvement in woodlots techniques, flexibility of markets, and other varying factors, the plan is not absolutely rigid. It is periodically amended and updated as necessary. Trees become established, grow to maturity and are harvested or eventually die. SEVAI provide for continuous replacement of trees.K.Devendran, the woodlots promoter in SEVAI said, “Once a woodlot is established, it needs attention and care. If it turns into a neglected area, its productivity and usefulness will be greatly reduced, and sometimes it becomes a liability. All woodlots don't require the same care. The needs depend upon the species of trees, markets, past treatment, age of the forest etc.As trees increase in size, their requirements for space, moisture, nutrients, and light increase. If these requirements are not met, individual tree growth slows and vigor is lost. Under these conditions, it is impossible to grow high-quality trees and realize the maximum profit. One of the most crucial periods in the life of a woodlot is when trees are selected for harvest”. -Govin

Amoor cottages promote several Rural Tourism products in Trichirappalli District.

View of Amoor cottages with visitors

Amoor cottages promote several Rural Tourism products in Trichirappalli District as the primary tourism product to spread tourism and its socio-economic benefits to rural areas. Such geographic regions are identified for development and promotion of Rural Tourism. Activities like improving the environment, hygiene, infrastructure etc. are being taken by a local NGO, SEVAI. Rural Tourism is definitely valuable for India, where almost 70% of the population resides in its villages and this Tourism development prospective may be harnessed as an approach for Rural Development. Rural Tourism also promotes agriculture tourism to achieve income, employment and economic stability in rural communities in India, help boosting a range of activities, services and amenities provided by farmers and rural people to attract urban tourists to their area, thus providing opportunity for urban people to get back to the roots. The growth in the India rural tourism is not only provides the villagers with a much needed additional source of income, but also visitors are able to interact with them and gain a rare insight into their way of life. Across the world the trends of industrialization and development have had an urban centric approach; it gives the stresses of city lifestyles with urbanization. This trend of urbanization has led to falling income levels, lesser job opportunities in the total areas leading to an urbanization syndrome in the rural areas. Rural Tourism is one of the few activities which can provide a solution to these problems. Besides, there are other factors which are shifting the trend towards rural tourism like increasing levels of awareness, growing interest in heritage and culture and improved accessibility, and environmental consciousness. In the developed countries, this has resulted in a new style of tourism of visiting village settings to experience and live a relaxed and healthy lifestyle. This concept has taken the shape of a formal kind of Rural Tourism. Grassroots has tied up with a couple of villages in and Amoor to offer unique experiences, depending on the time of year to learn about and participate in the cultivation of rice and other village activities. Rural Tourism offers a relaxing trip to an organic farm in Trichirappalli District. . Volunteering on the farm is also possible. The harvest festival Pongal is an excellent occasion to celebrate there. Accommodations are provided in traditional cottages.-Govin

Kitchen Gardening provides balanced diet for SEVAI- SHG families

Model kitchen garden in SEVAI Marutham cottage

“Kitchen Gardening provides balanced diet for SEVAI- SHG families” mentioned by T.Vanitha, Coordinator of Women Self Help Groups promoted by SEVAI, a Trichy based NGO for the family members of women self help groups in rural areas of Trichirappalli District, while addressing the SEVAI promoted Self Help Group Animators in Trichirappalli on 24^th November. She further added that, “Vegetables occupy an important place in our daily life as Vegetables are the only source to increase not only the nutritive values of foods but also its palatability, there arouse a need to promote the target villagers of SEVAI SHGs to produce their own vegetable requirements in their backyards using the available fresh water as well as the kitchen and wastewater. This process is not only facilitate prevention of stagnation unused water, but it is useful for successful production of own requirement of vegetables. It is established kitchen garden units at Allur and Amoor cluster”.  Malathy,the field coordinator of SEAI mentioned that there is also model kitchen gardening has been established at an area of 10000 sq.ft for the benefit of the target villagers to learn and practice and also feed around 50 Children with Special Needs (CWSN) ,this model Kitchen Garden caters their health and nutrition intake needs. She added, “There are limited choices for the selection of sites for kitchen gardens by women Self Help groups, and the adequate choice is usually the backyard of the house.  This is convenient as the members of the family can give a constant care to the vegetables during leisure and the wastewater from the bathrooms and kitchen is easily be diverted to the vegetable beds. With succession cropping and intercropping, 600sq.ft of land is adequate to supply vegetables for an average family of four to five persons. Nisa, a cluster coordinator of SEVAI said, “SHG Women feed their families first and then sell surplus garden foods. In certain contexts income generation may become the primary objective of the kitchen garden as kitchen Gardening gives dual benefits of food and income generation, provide fodder for household and marketing of garden produce is often the only source of independent income for women”. Govin

“Transition from the customary research discipline into the real world of practice is the key factor in Research Methodology” MAKE Academy.

Participatory teaching learning process at Make academy

“Transition from the customary research discipline into the real world of practice is the key factor in Research Methodology as pursuing teaching profession” mentioned by P.Azhagesan, Director, MAKE Academy in his introductory speech in the two days research Methodology Workshop organized for the Research Scholars by Make Academy on 19^th and 20^th Nov,2012 in Trichirappalli. P.Azhagesan further added that Research is increasingly pursued by those who want to pursue teaching profession, teaching faculty, students and professionals.  Dr.A.John Peter, Research Coordinator and Asst. Professor, St.Joseph’s Institute of Management mentioned, “While this research interest is appreciable, many decry the dearth of quality research. Lack of quality research is mainly due to absence of effective research component at the post graduate level”.

Dr.A.John Peter appreciated the efforts of MAKE Academy for organisng two days Workshop on Research methodology and this effort MAKE Academy – Center for Self Development and Career Enrichment to motivate the Research Scholars systematically to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, education and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise innovative standard practice for research and experimental development. Rev.Dr.Sangiago, Professor, St.Paul’s Seminary, and the guest speakers highlighted the salient features of the  topics such as writing the research proposal in a methodical way, Having  complete knowledge about university requirements and steps to complete the research,  Developing  research design, Developing  time line of research , Selection of sample tools,  Constructing data collection tools, Writing systematic review of literature, Sourcing References and Resources ,Research report writing , Citation and References.  

M.Antony Stephen, Project Consultant of MAKE Academy during his concluding remarks enlightened the participants that formulating of research questions along with sampling weather probable or non probable may be followed by measurement that includes surveys and scaling by research design, which may be either experimental aiming at data analysis and finally writing the research paper, which is organised carefully into graphs and tables so that only important relevant data can be shown. 12 Research Scholars from different city colleges participated in the workshop. The research scholars have formed a study circle to update their knowledge in their research areas. -Govin