PLANTING SEEDS NEWSLETTER:

JANUARY – MARCH 2021

ACTIVITIES OF GANDHI ASHRAM EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES

2021 brought a ray of hope for the students who had been undergoing online education for
the most part of 2020. Upon receiving several requests and concerns from parents,
especially of those children who were appearing for their annual board exams this year, the
Government of India finally took a measured decision to re-open schools as of 11th January
2021. With adequate precautions in place, such as social distancing rules, sanitary checks,
thermal gun check-ups at entry point and mandatory instructions to wear a mask at all times
within the educational premises, students began to trickle back into the Ashram campus
and were heartily welcomed by respective educational institutes with a lot of love, safety
and care. The joy of resuming Ashram campus life was mutually evident on the side of the
management authorities as well as the students. January was a month of welcoming
students in waves, as both students and their families felt assured to return to campus
knowing that they were in safe hands and would be taken care of just like at their own home.
In the very first week of the institutes re-opening, Primary Teacher’s College registered an
attendance of 50% whereas the Somnath Chatralaya hostel was filled with 78% occupancy,
including a few girls of Vinay Mandir school who lived there.

The students were welcomed with sanitation kits donated by Shri Sarlaben Vimalaben Shah
Family. It contained essential items such as a mask, toothpaste, napkin, comb, a set of 6
notebooks and a marker pen.

1
Students started arriving sharp at 11 am in the morning along with their parents and were
welcomed with the kit, followed by a hot snack of Sev Usal. Everyone enjoyed a hearty
welcome and an even heartier meal.

ONE MINUTE GAME SHOW

On 22nd January 2021, at PTC college, a one-minute game was organized in the Maitri Chowk
in which the girls heartily participated with fun. 9 games were organized to be played under
the strict time limit of one minute. All the students and staff members participated in this

2
game show which tested them in several areas such as physical strength, time management,
focus/concentration, perseverance, swiftness of action, sense of judgment and discernment,
aptitude-building, courage, patience, balance
of mind, ability to learn quickly and have fun
too. 13 girls won through the several rounds
played and were given different gifts by the
college Principal, Ms. Kamikshaben.

REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION

On 26th January, India celebrated its 72nd Republic Day and all Ashram educational institutes
participated in the flag hoisting celebration. Octogenarian, Dr. Rameshbhai Kapadia, who is
a retired heart surgeon, was invited to hoist the flag and he regaled the audience with stories
of Shri Narayan Desai, Morarji Bapu and Gandhiji. Despite his age, his active involvement in
socially uplifting activities is a source of inspiration to our students and his thoughtful talk
on the meaning of freedom and the importance of being a responsible and upright citizen,
left an impact on the minds of not just our students but also staff and management
authorities.

3
Student Profile: Ms. Kajal Sarvaiya, Kherana village (Surendranagar District)
I am a 2nd Year PTC student from a remote village in
Gujarat, which is almost 19 kms away from the nearest
city. The only way to travel from my village to the city
is by one of the two Jhagdas (share autos) that come
into our village. I come from a family that survives on
farming and cattle rearing activities.
My father suffers from a lung ailment for which despite
taking treatment for over 10 years he has not been able
to recover fully. So, he doesn’t work on the farm, but
instead, takes our family’s 10 buffalos for grazing. Every
morning, my job while at home, is to wake up at 5 am
and milk all the 10 buffalos for milk, which is a very
tiring exercise but it has also made be very strong.
Then I have to help my family on the farm and also my
mother in the kitchen.
During the lockdown, I used to study late nights up to
3 am in order to catch up with my daily studying
activities. I also worked to earn Rs. 1500 throughout
the lockdown period, by doing various jobs such as
cotton picking, cleaning and masonry.
Due to all the day work that I needed to do to support my family, I was not able to attend online
classes much. Maybe 1-2 times a week I could join in the live sessions. But mostly, I was learning on
my own from the books. I had failed in English in my 12th standard exam due to which my father did
not wish to educate me further. But I was determined to go ahead despite the setback so I gave the
exam again and passed it. Then I joined a BA college and stood first in the first-year exam. Then my
father felt assured to let me continue my education. He encouraged me to join the PTC college and
so I did. I am very good at Yoga and sports, especially running. I can cover 200 meters in 19 seconds.
So, after my studies here, I’d like to join the police force by giving the entrance exam.

STUDENT AWARD CEREMONY

On 28th January, an official welcoming ceremony was held for the girls at the Jai Jagat
Auditorium on campus. Within a matter of just 3 days, 21 girls from Stree Adhyapan Mandir
(PTC) put together a lovely programme where they showcased their talent on stage through
singing songs (gazhals), raas-garba and Adivasi dance. A Silver Shield award was given to 4
girls of the 2nd Year PTC and 1 girl of the 1st Year PTC programme. Awards were given in the
category of ‘Most Helpful Student’, ‘All Rounder’ and ‘Highest Attendance’. Girls were
bestowed with a gift of a Charkha, as a way of honouring their value cultivation on these

4
fronts. In addition, those students who scored high marks in last year’s exam were also given
cash award in each subject.

REMEMBERING BAPU AT HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY

30th January 2021 was observed as the 73rd death anniversary of Gandhiji, also known as
Bapu by the loving residents of Gandhi Ashram. At Hriday Kunj, a prayer meeting was held
where all our students participated and sang the bhajan ‘ Raghupati Raghav’, followed by
collective spinning of Charkha to pay tribute and express gratitude to the great soul whose
footsteps at this sacred place changed the nation’s fate. A deep sense of peace and sombre
reflection reverberated this space as our girls sang the bhajan and evoked the feeling of
purity that used to exist at the time of Bapu.

5
Student Profile: Ms. Hiral Rathod, Bhat village (Gandhinagar District)
I am a 12th Standard Commerce student at Vinay Mandir
school, who studied at Ashramshala before so I have been
educated throughout within the Ashram educational
institute. I come from a Dalit family and have 2 other
younger siblings, one of whom studies at Ashramshala. My
mother works as a cleaning person (janitor) whereas my
father serves a lifetime prison sentence. He suffered mental
illness for several years and was convicted of killing two of
my sisters (6 years old and 7 years old respectively) by
burning them alive 8 years ago. Even when he was at home,
he was not doing any work and my grandmother was
helping us run the household. He is undergoing treatment
for mental illness in the jail and periodically, they give him
parole to visit us for 15 days with proper medication. But
during the lockdown, he came to visit us once without
bringing his medication. He can be quite abusive during
such a state and would beat us in anger. We were able to
convince the police to take him back into custody but it
was very difficult to cope with this period.
During the lockdown, we got food and ration
support through the Ashram’s Krutagyata Kariyanu
initiative and our own community in the village.
Online education was quite good although I found it
difficult to attend it every day, given the
responsibility of being the oldest sibling at home. I
had joined tuition for two subjects – Accounts and
Statistics. I am confident with my preparations for
the board exams so far, although I feel a bit nervous
about the subject of Business Administration so a
little more help on that front would be useful. I
would like to finish my B. Com education after my 12th and then apply for bank exams so I can get a
permanent job at a bank and help support my family and give them a secure future.

RIVERFRONT CYCLING

On 6th February, Saturday, the 2nd Year girls of PTC college were taken for an outing to the
Shahibaug Riverfront where they cycled together from 8:30 – 9:00 am in the fresh morning
sun along with their mentors and enjoyed a hot morning breakfast with each other in a
scenic place after a long time. The experience of enjoying biking together was most
memorable for all the girls.

6
RBI VISIT

On 9th February 2021, RBI (Reserve Bank of India) staff visited the PTC campus and gave a
talk on Net Banking practices in India. They spoke to the girls about the importance of
choosing the right bank to open an account and all the necessary precautions to be taken
while operating virtual banking. The session was followed by curious questions raised by the
girls which were all answered by the staff. RBI also gifted each of the girls with a dairy and
pen, as well as sponsored snacks that the girls enjoyed a lot.

SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCED

On 13th February 2021, Manav Sadhna Trust declared a

scholarship for those girls of Vinay Mandir school, who
were high scorers but were coming from relatively difficult
economic conditions. This scholarship gave many of our
girls a lot more hope and motivation to carry on focusing
on their education despite challenging situations at home.

7
MEHNDI COMPETITION

In the middle of all the studying, there was also a need to take creative breaks so on 13 th
February, at PTC college, 6 girls of the First Year and 8 girls of the Second-Year programme
participated in a mehndi competition. The time limit set for each person was 45 minutes and
the design was evaluated for its meticulousness and detail. Three girls were awarded the
first, second and third prize respectively: Ms. Manishaben (2 nd Year), Ms. Monicaben (1st
Year) and Ms. Varshaben (2nd Year). The girls enjoyed participating and competing with each
other in a lively spirit.

Student Profile: Ms. Jagruti Chavda, Moraiya village (Sanand District)

I am a student of 10th standard. My elder sister studies in college
whereas my brother is in the village with my parents. My father
works at a sanitizer company so during the lockdown he was able
to keep his job. When I came in 6th Standard, Shri Girishbhai of Finar
Foundation came home and told me that if I continued studying, he
would take care of my educational expenses. He has taken care of
my books and other school related expenditure all these years.
During the lockdown, even though online education was good, I also
took additional support from YouTube videos to keep my learning
going. It was quite boring to study at home all day, without meeting
friends and schoolmates. The manner in which you learn in front of
the teacher is not
the same when
you are at home.
Science is the most difficult subject for me but I
want to overcome this challenge and I wish to take
up Science stream in the 11th standard as I want to
go in that field of work. I feel very grateful for Finar
Foundation because of whom I have been able to
keep studying despite difficulty in our family. I want
to become a professional in whatever field I take up
so that I can do justice to all the opportunity I have
received so far.

8
VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATION

On 14th February, which is celebrated around the world as Valentine’s Day, a small gathering
was held at the Somnath Chatralaya where our trustee Shri Jayeshbhai Patel joined the girls
and some of their parents to celebrate by welcoming the First-Year girls to the Ashram
family (Prem Nu Parivar). He sat with the girls and spoke to them about the values on which
this family is built and made them feel welcome to the hostel life, since many of the first-
year girls had stepped out of their homes for the first time. Girls enjoyed the pizza-pasta
party hosted at the hostel, followed by a game of cricket in which Shri Jayeshbhai also joined
in with enthusiasm. He also spoke to some of parents who were visiting. It was a day spent
with a lot of fun and some of the girls had tasted pizza for the first time in their life.

VISUAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Primary Teachers are supposed to teach in villages where a lot of modern facilities like
projectors and computers are not available. So, they have to mainly use the blackboard to
explain a lot of concepts to students visually. This requires some training. In order to induct
them into this kind of learning/teaching modalities, some of teachers at PTC college
conducted visual learning experience for the girls. Ms. Kamishaben undertook lessons in
Mathematics, Dr Shri Jyotiben took lesson in Gujarati as well as Dr. Shri Mahendrabhai took
lessons in Environmental issues. The girls gained a lot of knowledge through this hands-on
experience and followed up the sessions with Q&A discussions.

9
GRATITUDE CIRCLE

While the girls had come back from their villages and had been thrown into intense learning,
given the time constraint of the final exam, we wanted them to take a moment to reflect on
the year in lockdown and remember things they felt grateful for. Girls expressed gratitude
for their parents, God, teachers (Gurus), friends, Ashram and affiliated institutions that
helped them tide over difficult times while under lockdown. They felt that a lot of invisible
help had come along throughout last year, to make life easier for them. They also felt
grateful for the initiative of Krutagyata Kariyanu (Groceries of Gratitude) through which
their families benefitted a lot during the difficult period.

DONATING OF SAREES (SAREE LIBRARY)

Through the help of Share and Care Foundation, a Saree Library had been established at the
Ashram, where people could donate their old sarees which were till in good condition, that
could be worn on special occasions such as festivities and marriages. Families in need could
borrow a saree to be worn at any important occasion and then return it in the same
condition, after dry cleaning it. Hence, just like a book library, a saree library becomes a
community asset wherein taking care of a saree can go a long way in meeting an important

10
 need, which otherwise would require a lot of monetary
investment that is difficult for a low-income family. On 24th
February, Shri Jayeshbhai along with Trustee Shri
Ajithdada and the Principal of Vinay Mandir School, Ms.
Varshaben Patel and Gramashree staff member Ms.
Neetaben, organized an event where Sarees were donated
to the family of our girl students of all educational institutes. Girls chose the saree of their
choice, for their mothers and were very happy. Staff
members donated their own sarees to the library. PTC
Principal Ms. Kamikshaben donated a saree to their
cleaning staff Ms. Manjuben. The occasion was a joyful
one and everyone bonded in warmth, sharing love and
gratitude for each other making it a sweet memory.

Student Profiles: Ms. Jagruti and Ms. Chetna Tadvi, Manchunagar village (Vatva District)
Jagruti and Chetna sisters who took admission in the PTC
college together in the 1st Year, based on the advice of
their school teacher, who was also a past student of PTC.
Jagruti is 21 years old and had finished schooling at 17 but
had to take a break from education due to family
circumstances. Since her father is a tailor and her mother
and brother work at an office, she took up working at a
Kaju factory after her 12th standard. Her sister Chetna is
19 years old. When their teacher, Ms. Dakshaben came
to know that the girls had stopped their education, she
approached their parents and convinced them to send the
girls for further education. Since the parents would never
disobey their teacher’s advice, they agreed to send the
sisters to PTC college together. During the lockdown, the
family faced a hard time because income had stopped.
Their grandfather, who was a Bhagat, received help from
friends in the neighbourhood who brought them food
items and groceries. During the lockdown, the girls
couldn’t really study much because they had to go outside
to fill water every day, because of lack of drinking water supply at home as well as serve tea and snacks
to the guests who used to come to visit their grandfather. They nearly missed out on getting into the
PTC college in the first round of online admission process, because nobody could help them in the
village to fill out the admission form properly. When the second round of admission was re-opened
by the Government, they visited the PTC college for the first time along with their teacher, who
helped them fill out the form and get admission. They find the college life a lot of fun although hostel
life is still new to them as it is the first time that they have left home. They are confident that they will
be able to cope up with their learning curve and give them exams well.

11
ENJOYING CRICKET TOGETHER

On 6th March, after the 7th unit test was

completed by the girls of Vinay Mandir school,
the Principal Ms. Varshaben organized a cricket
match for all the girls in campus. The day was
filled with fun and enthusiasm as all the girls were
charged about the game and they were made to
sit in such a way that social distancing was
maintained while all the fun carried on.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION

On March 8th, International Women’s Day is

celebrated around the world. Our campus also joined
in this celebration with its own events. State Bank of
India (SBI) came to the Ashram and contributed one
month’s worth of Groceries to 65 girls’ families of the

12
1st and 2nd Year PTC college. This was deeply appreciated by the girls and their families.

A medical test was also conducted by the Red Cross Society wherein they tested the girls
for Haemoglobin level, Thalassemia, Calcium deficiency as well as Diabetes. Vinay Mandir
girls received a Covid check-up. Girls showcased their art and drawing in order to express
their spirit of empowerment.

AZADI KA AMRUT MAHOTSAV

On 12th March 2021, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘Azadi Ka Amrut
Mahotsav’, an initiative to mark 75 years of India’s Independence. After landing at
Ahmedabad airport, Shri Narendra Modi drove to Sabarmati Ashram, where he paid floral
tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. He also visited Hriday Kunj, the house where Gandhiji stayed
from 1918 to 1930. Modiji flagged off a padyatra (foot march) from Sabarmati Ashram to
re-enact Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi Yatra in which 81 marchers will cover a of 386 km,
culminating in Dandi after 25 days, on April 5. Azadi Ka Amrut Mohatsav was a tribute to
our freedom fighters and freedom movement and the celebration is going to continue until
15th August 2021, as per the Prime Minister.

13
To join in this celebration, our Vinay Mandir girls of 10th and 12th standard, participated the
gathering by offering their prayers and spinning Charkha near Hriday Kunj, to mark the
auspicious day.

GUNN DARSHAN (WITNESSING VIRTUE)

Every Monday and Thursday, at the beginning of the college day, girls of PTC college are
invited to the Maitri Chowk hub, where they share some time bonding with each other,
taking a moment to appreciate each other’s virtues. Appreciating one another is something
that doesn’t have to wait for special
occasion but can be cultivated more
consciously. This is the motto behind this
engagement. While speaking about each
other’s good qualities, the girls tag each
other with a small hand-made cloth doll as
a reminder to always try and see the good
in the other person.

SCIENCE QUIZ

A science quiz was organized at the PTC college for the girls. 4 teams were formed entitled
after famous scientists: Dr Khurana, Dr C.V. Raman, Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Homi Bhabha.
The girls competed against each other over 8 rounds, totalling for up to 50 points with
lifelines. The competition was quite intense and was won by 27 points by Ms. Bhikhiben (1st
Year PTC student) and Ms. Twinkleben (2nd Year PTC student) from the Dr. Khurana Team.

14
These girls were awarded a congratulatory prize by the Principal Ms. Kamikshaben. Such
quiz competitions are aimed to sharpen the minds of the girls as well as train them in the
spirit of sportsmanship.

IMMUNITY BOOSTER QUIZ

On 22nd February, and Immunity Booster Quiz was organized for 1st and 2nd year girls of PTC,
where they were tested on their knowledge of health and immunity related issues. The quiz
was for 40 points and had 10 rounds. 3 teams were formed: Fresh Fruits, Green Vegetables
and Milk. Each team had 2 participants so a total of 6 girls participated in the competition.
After each round, the girls were asked a funny question in order to lighten their mood. At
the end, the team, Green Vegetables, won the competition by 24 points.

GAME OF LIFE

On 1 March 2021, the students of PTC college organized a game of life in which the audience
of 5 girls were meant to observe the actions performed by the participants and learn from
it by sharpening their observation skills. This game taught the girls about the importance of
learning from other’s mistakes, never losing hope, cultivating patience and wisdom, stability
in action and the value of experience. This game of observation is important to learn in life
so that they don’t make similar mistakes and experience regret.

15
Student Profile: Ms. Priti Makwana, Kolat village (Sanand District)
I am a 10th Standard student at Vinay Mandir school. I lost my father to liver
failure a year ago and my mother supports us 3 siblings through her tailoring
work. During the lockdown, the entire family came together and helped
each other as much as possible. We also received one grocery kit which
contained Rice, Atta, Haldi, Mirchi, Dhaniya and other essential items so
that was quite helpful. In addition, my grandmother supported us through
my grandfather’s pension money. My brother tried working for 2 months
in a factory during the lockdown, where he had to do repeated tasks like
folding boxes all day long and because he fell ill, we told him to stop working
there.
We had only one phone at home and somehow the
Whatsapp would just not work on it even though I
tried deleting all the apps and reinstalling it. So, for the
most part, I had to learn on my own based on the
textbooks. Some of the questions and instructions
that my teachers sent my text messages I used to get
and follow them. Also, studying by myself at home was
quite challenging because I used to feel tempted to
watch television. I thought the lockdown would only
last for a short while. I had not anticipated such a long
period of break from being at school. The subjects I
find most difficult are Maths and Science. So, I don’t
know what I wish to do next. It all depends on my performance in the board exam.

CANCER AWARENESS

On 9th March 2021, cancer awareness session was held at PTC college by Ashirvad
Foundation. The head of the foundation, Shri Ramubhai and Dr. Shefali, provided
information to the girls about Breast and Cervical cancer issues. They explained to the girls

16
about the symptoms, diagnosis and protocol to be followed to take adequate precautions
and ensure early steps for mitigating the risk of the disease. At the end of the session, free
check up coupons were won by two students – Ms. Chetnaben (1st year) and Ms. Bhaguben
(2nd Year).

In addition to the above activities, the girls have been receiving additional support from their
school and college mentors, to get up to speed on their learning curve. Due to the loss of
months where the girls were studying through online education, many of the students faced
a setback in terms of not being able to access internet or not being able to join live coaching
sessions. So, over the past three months, girls have been receiving additional coaching and
revision sessions through periodic unit tests and multiple-choice tests within classroom
hours, so that they can be thoroughly ready for their upcoming board exams in May 2021.
As of now, the students seem to be in a good mind space as life at campus and hostel has
brought them back to their joyful self. With the help of our sincere teachers, mentors and
management, the students have been able to regain their stability again after a tough year
of Coronavirus.

Our deepest bows of gratitude to our teachers, friends and donors without
whom, this significant progress within a short time would not have been
possible for our Ashram students.

17