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Bengaluru, June 10: Canadian International School (CIS) Bengaluru instituted a school-level project aimed at community engagement and social awareness. This project saw students conduct various crowdfunding efforts in association with the Greensole Foundation to raise funds amounting to over ₹27 lakh for the benefit of children in rural Karnataka. Over a span of two weeks, the multiple efforts aggregated to a positive outcome for over 2800 individuals in the state.
The efforts of the students enabled underprivileged children from rural Karnataka to receive a back-to-school kit. Greensole Foundation’s packs provide the children with a pair of shoes, a school bag, and a mat to encourage them to attend school. The students of the Canadian International School (CIS) Bengaluru reached out to their personal networks, calling them, sending them text messages, or through the use of creative posters prepared by the students themselves. Individual participants set their own targets for the amount to be raised, and many of the students met their target well within the time period of the campaign.
The Greensole Foundation aims to help low-income children in India by providing shoes, school supplies, and other resources. As part of their campaign, these CIS students knit together various aspects of community engagement. Through these campaigns the children learned the importance of both empathy and of taking action.
"I felt proud of myself and was very happy when I saw all the kids get their kits," said Aadhya, a participant, who feels helping others brought him happiness.
The participant, Krisha, said,
"I loved the experience, my communication skills improved, and supporting students became more meaningful to me. I am very proud."
Middle School Principal, Canadian International School, Mr. Andrew Nicholson, had this to say:
"Crowdfunding involves different types of communication, tactical dialogues, and lobbying. During the two-week project, CIS students developed each of these skills and used them to help local children. The world has a growing disparity of resources and opportunities. Empathy helps to recognize and, in this case, to bridge the divide. We want to honour our CIS student crowdfunders who really care about the less fortunate, get others to care, and help the children who will receive the donation to feel a little less pessimistic about their situation and maybe even happy."
The campaign's success shows all of us who work on the project that students can change the world meaningfully with the right approach and a little work, and that giving a little of themselves to a cause larger than themselves can work to change their community
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