Community Service Day 2023

“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
~ Community Service Day: Compassion isn’t about solutions. It’s about giving all the love that you’ve got.

Saturday, 4th February, 2023

“A perfect day is when the soul smiles.” That is what the students of IBDP1 and IBDP2 experienced after the enlivening community service day organized by the Pillai College Of Engineering, New Panvel, in association with the Jeevan Jyoti Charitable Trust. Community service is a noble effort that contributes to the development of a better, stronger society. It is a selfless and loving act of giving back to the world and those who live in it. Community work brings individuals closer to others, improves communities, and contributes to the making of a harmonious society. At Dr. Pillai Global Academy, it’s believed that the students gain significantly from volunteering their time to make the community and world a better place, both intellectually and emotionally. With Community Service Day, the students learned to enjoy the minor and intangible things in life as well as the major ones.

Jeevan Jyoti Charitable Trust was founded in 2003 as a non-profit organisation. Its headquarters are at New Panvel, Sector 11. They are currently involved in educating street youngsters from local neighbourhoods and is run by Sister Caroline. Since the inception of Community Service Day, the Mahatma Education Society has been closely associated with them.

The event was set in motion with the much-anticipated arrival of the lovable and absolutely delightful kids. The volunteers were tasked with entertaining the children, their task began the second the buzzing kids walked into the college. The first task was serving them food, provided by Pillai college. The children were energetic but to double the liveliness, we advanced directly into a beat boxing show. To calm their racing hearts, origami-making was initiated. The tireless effort of the experienced volunteers paid off, and the enthusiastic children indulged in varieties of origami composition such as a heart, a crane, a frog, and a flower. Here, the volunteers duly noted the ebullience of a teacher. The students were able to create some wonderful memories with their newly acquainted friends. Despite the non-stop games coming their way, the students still had the energy to perform a dance for the volunteers. Their talent won all hearts.

The chance to showcase their joy at the event was a huge takeaway for the students. As expressed by one of the students, “We were able to make a difference, no matter how small.” This is a testament to the power of community service and the positive impact it can have on people, both young and old. Through these acts of kindness, we can all make a difference and build a better society.

Authors: Neil Dsouza & Siddhant Doiphode (IBDP-1)