AASRA - Because They Need Us

Abiding by the ethos of modern development,  AASRA came up with an idea of exposing the kids of our workplace to the concept and culture of Science Exhibitions. The core blueprint of this plan was to divide the entire lot of students in our workplaces into teams of 3-4 headed by a team member. After the projects were finalized and the required budget for each project was allocated, the titanic task of preparing the models began in full swing. The team members visited the workplaces to make sure the students understand the underlying concepts of each project that they would represent in the exhibition.  Decentralising all the tasks like arranging the transportation, food and refreshment, printing of ID Cards and Invitation Cards was done to ensure the smooth organization of the event. This event was to be a part of the Institute’s gigantic technical festival INNOVISION, the largest of its kind in Eastern India. The event was immense...

In an attempt to provide the taste of self-employment and in an effort to inculcate within the people that harnessing their time and potential can make them financially independent, AASRA came up with a unique concept –“Diya Project”. We provided the members of our designated workplaces with the raw materials required for making decorative diyas. Wax was given the shape of Diyas with a wick to light it up. It was then decorated with glittering colours and made as attractive as possible. All this work was done by men and women of our workplaces, who sincerely worked diligently. Their commendable hard work and sincerity combined with their unflinching commitment and conformity to complete the tasks within the allotted time span is a lesson worth learning by each one of us. All this was in a near-completion mode by the end of the Durga Puja Vacation. Just after the vacation ended, the herculean task of taking orders for selling the diyas began. All the members activel...

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is a saying that’s instilled into every school going child from a young age. But what about those children, who haven’t had the opportunities and the understanding to realise the various areas of life this applies to? That’s where Aasra’s initiative comes into picture. A whole week was dedicated to encourage and create awareness about the importance of hygienic conditions. In the workplaces frequented by Aasra members, interactive skits were performed over a span of two days, elaborating on personal as well as surrounding hygiene. On the first day, the drive was initiated and plays were enacted in sector 5 and 6, this day was accomplished successfully, positively affecting a multitude of people.  The second day saw the enthusiastic children of OSAP involving with the members and eagerly learning how maintaining basic hygiene can prevent diseases, just by observing certain practices which may be as simple as turning away when one has to s...

A wise person once quoted : All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy. A day off from the routine work, the volunteers from Sector 21 decided to take the kids for a trip, a post-exam treat for those tiny bundles of joy (and torture, when it comes down to disciplining them during the study hours). Generally, the day doesn't begin until the caffeine kicks in, but the excitement in the air was a perfect wake-up call. Desouza's School's playground may have seen bigger crowds, but we're pretty sure that Aasra's lot was the noisiest ever to picnic on those grounds.  The picnic, on the 10th of April, began with the small games, like catch, badminton, cricket, carrom, or just kids chasing around and playing hide-and-seek, the old way.  And then, the most awaited part of the day. LUNCH!  Lunch was amazing, with Aasra's volunteers cooking food for the kids, with hired help.   After a sumptuous feast, the games re...

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but a life by what we give. This Holi bought out various shades of happiness in many kids of several of our workplaces, with our members going to Sector 2, Sector 5, Sector 6, Sector 21 and OSAP colony. An assortment of colors, water balloons and water guns resulted in wide smiles on the faces of those kids, and their families, who enthusiastically joined in along with their kids, as they had to give in to the cheers of joy of their children. And to add to the frolic, the kids were treated with sweets and drinks. True, it may be a lot of work when it comes to teaching those notorious kids and controlling their mischief, but the happiness we saw on their faces, that is the key to our survival, our prime goal and our only hope. The joy we witnessed on that day is something we never have, but that happiness is a drug we can not live without. So here's to a very memorable Holi and dozens more to co...

There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as it's in searching the intricacy of life and we continue our journey like a reasoner finding fault in something or other.  But today we standstill to witness the surge of hope and enthusiasm that makes life worth living. Today (7th February 2016) we went to the Gayatri Shakti Peeth (sector 2) to attend a programme organized by Kalyan NGO led by members from SMS 2 department of Rourkela Steel Plant which was aimed to  bring smiles on the face of orphans and differently abled children(now better known as DIBYANG). They have arranged  sessions imparting moral teachings to children. Later we had a small quiz competition for children.Their knowledge, enthusiasm with the addition to their beautiful smile added grandeur to the show. W e were perplexed to see the level of understanding when one question was posed "where god lives?" and immediately a small boy perhaps who never got the vision to see ...