Interactors do eco-friendly projects

Students with the repurposed notebooks given to them by the Interactors.

In a move that promotes education of poor children, even while helping protect the environment, the Interactors of St John’s School, RID 3055, collect unused pages from old notebooks of students of all classes, sort and send them for ­binding to make them into upcycled notebooks. “Each year, this project creates
800–1,000 repurposed notebooks which are then gifted to schools attended by less privileged children,” said school principal Uma Shyam, a member of RC Abu Road, which has sponsored the Interact club.

The Interact club also distributes refurbished toys and bags to children in slums and lower-income colonies. A 24-hour paper bag-making marathon was held recently. Interactors converted old newspapers into eco-friendly paper bags using wheat flour paste as glu. These bags carry messages from Rotary’s areas of focus, RI and Interact logos. They distributed neem twigs to children in slum and tribal areas while teaching them about oral health and hygiene through some peppy songs. “This hands-on dental initiative not only introduced children to traditional and sustainable oral care methods but also encouraged lifelong healthy habits,” said Uma.

Refurbished bench-desks given to a school.

Unused wooden desks were donated to schools that lacked basic amenities. The young members distributed woollen sweaters, plates, glasses, cans, medical kits, play equipment, school bags and stationery items, all of which were happily received by children from less privileged families.

This interaction fostered a sense of empathy and compassion among St John’s students, explained Usha. Through this series of projects for schoolchildren, “our students are learning the value of reducing waste, promoting education and giving back to society, thus making a difference in the world around them,” said Rtn K A Shyam Kumar. The Interactors were supported by Rotarians Uma Shyam, Shyam Kumar and mentor Dr Vinod Mehta in their endeavour.

 

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