Learning with Fun

The morals and ethics which our education system imparts to our Children has been decreasing day by day and needs immediate action. Though our system produces a lot of professionals and graduates, it has failed in its main goal of make a person capable of thinking and acting of his/her own.

Vidial was presented with an opportunity to address this situation by Shanti Ashram. Shanti Ashram wanted to conduct an Ethics and Values Workshop in association with Vidial.

We didn't want to miss this golden opportunity, since we believed these kind of ventures are extremely vital in improving the society. When we were pondering over where to conduct this workshop, the Mayiladuthurai beneficiary meet came into our mind, the enthusiasm, foresight and the hard work of Kumar sir during the meet made us believe that we can have the workshop at Mayiladuthurai. Though Sathish (Mayil) [the only vidial member from Mayiladuthurai] was onsite. Santhakumari from Vidial took the responsibility of all the arrangements to conduct the workshop on 20th of April.

On 20th of April at a hall in Mayiladuthurai, Parthi na and Dhivya from Shanti Ashram, Coimbatore along with Kumar sir conducted the workshop which was attended by around 50 students. The Workshop theme centered around 6 Topics : Respect, Responsibility, Reconciliation, Empathy, Reforming the world and Understanding People. The day started with 'Tamil Thai Valzthu' sung by 3 kids attending the workshop followed by a crisp welcome address from Kumar sir.

The first event of the day was a witty treasure hunt game. Kids enjoyed the game (It was new to them) and after 30 minutes of excitement found the final treasure which was the "Respect, Responsibility, Reconciliation, Empathy, reforming the world" (written in a small paper :-)) . After the game, Parthi anna spoke on Respect, Responsibility, Reconciliation, Empathy, reforming the world explaining it to the kids.

It was followed by a small empathy skit, which was not a normal skit done on stage. It was a skit enacted without the knowledge that it is a one. Divya hid a 100 rupee note in one of the kid's notebook without the Child's knowledge, later Parthi na started the drama saying he lost his 100 rupees and asked everybody to check for it. At last it was found in the girl's notebook, the girl started crying and her innocence. Though Parthi na knew it, he asked the crowd for their opinion. Many believed she is not guilty, while some wanted her punished. When the girl's friends also started shedding tears, the ice was broken and the empathy which surrounded the place was explained. Also it was explained that a judgment won't be correct unless we know the person.

After this, Kids were asked to paint on T shirts and towels and posed with their colorful Shirts.

Our member Santhakumari says that "I liked The T-shirt painting competition very much. It gave the Kids a outlet for imagination. When Parthi na asked the children to whom they would like to give the painted T-Shirts, more than 80% wanted to give it to needy person, two of them gave to their Guru Kumar sir, one child gave to Parthina"

Everybody again assembled after an hour's lunch break to have have more games and wisdom
Games like Ball game, 'Save your Balloon', Rope game, Observation game etc were conducted to show and impart various values to the kids.

The beauty of the day's proceedings was reflected during the feedback session when a kid came forward and said " I learnt, Whatever maybe the problem, one should never cry, instead we should spend our time and effort to find a solution".

Harish Kannan was moved by the feedback session and adds that,
"I felt the impact of the workshop, when a small girl, probably studying in some 4th or 5th standard, comes up and tells that she has got an idea of helping others. Children when taught something in a playing environment tend to be in a playful mood and don't worry about the learning part of it. But even with all the games, a child understanding the core of the program is a very big achievement. "

Muthukumari one of our volunteers who had come all the way from Chennai said, "Today I learnt that how games can be used to impart values to the children. The painting part was really superb, it gave a window for the children to let out their creativity. These kinds of workshop shows the defects in our educational system which fill our empty head and not our heart. More workshops like this can turn the children into good and responsible humans".

In the end Parthi na distributed charts on child rights to representatives of different schools, including our Vidial Kid Harish (He is a manager in an automobile company) who took one for his school. Shanti Ashram certificates were distributed to all students who participated in this workshop. The kids were very lucky to have these values to be introduced to them, which might leave a profound impact in their lives. We believe majority of the kids who attended the workshop will be practicing the values forever.

We are great full to Kumar Sir for organizing the workshop in a very short notice. The pain he took to gather students, arranging a hall and doing even simple logistics like buying ballons, paints, snacks etc inspired us a lot.

We would to convey our sincere thanks to Kumar sir, Parthi na & Dhivya for giving us such an opportunity. We plan to do more workshops of these kind for the year 2008-09.

Mayiladuthurai Beneficiary meet - March 1

Close on the heels of Chennai beneficiary meet, a similar beneficiary meet was organized in Mayiladudhurai on the evening of March 1st . The meet took place in Kumar Sir's tuition center. Kumar sir is our facilitator, mentor and acts as the pivot of Vidial's activity in Mayiladuthurai region. Kumar sir is working as a Tamil teacher in Melaiyur School, he is a multi faceted personality. For example despite being a Tamil teacher, he takes Maths tuition for Xth standard, is one of the best public speakers, takes part in a number of philanthropic activities and so on. We can go on listing his activities which would take a long time, lets come to that at a latter point of time. Presently, Kumar sir is taking care of 8 beneficiaries and is one of the important pillars responsible for our increase in our beneficiary count this year.

The beneficiary meets organized at Chennai and Coimbatore had given us some good lessons and hence we were geared up a little better with a decent plan. Since the meet place was a Tuition center, the center students also joined the fun. It helped us in a certain way that nobody except Kumar sir and Vidial members knew who are the beneficiaries. With the almost everybody being in their later part of their teens we were also able to link with them easily. After the games, everyone was asked to speak on their aim in life and whatever they wanted to tell. Initially it was tough to make them speak, but once a few spoke, the momentum started building up and at one stage we were pondering how to wind up since it was getting late. Speaking to a Public Audience gives a person a lot of courage, hence, we made sure that everyone spoke. One of the students in the tuition center got pretty much excited and he started narrating how he started dancing, how it gave him confidence, how his friends helped him, etc for about 15 minutes, it was with some difficulty we made him sit. We felt bad in stopping him, but already it was about two hours and it was getting dark, hence we had to stop him. Every beneficiary had spoken about his aim before the audience itself which was meticulously noted down. We had a private word with each of them to know what are other things which they needed.

The parents who had came thinking that this would be another meeting stuff were amazed by what happened. One of them asked everyone of us present there to take a pledge that, "After getting a job, each and everyone should contribute to the society in some way". Certainly, it moved us a lot.

We were honored by the presence of Pannerselvam Uncle, Elanthangudi School headmaster, who is also our facilitator at Mayiladuthurai. Pannerselvam uncle is a benevolent headmaster and is an active philanthropist.

On the sidelines of the meeting, a tri-cycle was to Soundarapandian, who got crippled due to Polio. Soundar has completed M.C.A after overcoming a lot of challenges and currently is looking for a job. We would like to strongly reiterate that this is not an activity done by Vidial, it was undertaken by the personal interest of one of our members and Smt.Ankayarkanni, teacher of Soundar. This was done in a Vidial meeting to show the the confidence, hard work of Soundar and our hopes were not dashed. The willpower Soundar radiated not only inspired but motivated everyone of us who were present there.

Vidial don't have words to express our gratitude to Kumar Sir for co-ordinating and organizing the meet in a splendid manner. We would also like to thank Pannerselvam uncle for making it to the meet despite his various commitments. We would also like to thank all the parents, who have made it to the meet and those who due to various reasons who could not attend the meet, but sent their children.

We will post the photos of the beneficiary meet soon.

Chennai Beneficiary Meet - February 24th

On February 24th beneficiary meet was held at Chennai. The meet was planned to be held at Gandhi Mandapam, Guindy, but only when we reached the place we came to know that there was a function organized by Tamil Nadu Government there. In Chennai, the memorial halls of Gandhi, Bakthavatsalam, Kamarajar and freedom fighters are located within the same campus. Luckily Kamarajar memorial hall was free and the meet location was changed to Kamarajar Memorial Hall.


All our Chennai members along with 9 beneficiaries made to the meet despite the scorching Chennai heat. It was nice to see some of our beneficiaries being accompanied by their parents.

This conduction of beneficiary meet across our major centers of our activity is a part of Vidial's effort to closely interact with the beneficiaries, establish a strong bond with them and use the bond to help them achieve greater heights. Hence, the first and foremost agenda was to get closer with them. Some games were planned before hand to make everyone shed the shyness and the thin veil of uncertainty which would be present normally whenever anyone meets a bunch of people who are unknown. The first few minutes of the games were a bit dull and gave us a bit of anxiety, but as time moved everybody got involved and it generated a good level of enthusiasm and interaction among all. To add some spice chocolates and titles(in charts) were given to winner of the games. This went for more than an hour, after which we decided to break and move on to other things.



We had some snacks, during which at least one person sat down with a beneficiary and had a casual talk regarding their aspirations, future plans and what assistance they need for the same. All these points were noted down and currently an action plan is being devised to execute Vidial's part in the coming weeks. Two hours was spent quite nicely at Kamarajar memorial hall. At the end of the day, when it was time to leave, the faces, all which had come with a doubt, with an uncertainty regarding what will take place, were full of smiles, giggles and laughter.


Kamarajar, who had got accustomed to the routine of young couples thronging his memorial hall, for a change saw a bunch of people who had a nice time. After the meeting only we realized that there would not have been a better place than Kamarajar memorial hall for having the meet, because it was Kamarajar who pioneered education in Tamil Nadu, it was him who introduced the uniform system in Tamil Nadu, invented the mid day meal scheme, above all opened schools all over Tamil Nadu.

And we hope that Kamrajar would have smiled seeing something being done for education.

At this Juncture, Vidial would like to express their thanks Miss.Muthulakshmi, one of our member's sister, who despite not being a Vidial member before, took self interest, planned and conducted the games for the meet. Also, we thank Mr.Mahalingam, our facilitator, who had made it to the meet and stayed for the entire duration.

We would also like to thank all the parents, who have made it to the meet and those who due to various reasons who could not attend the meet, but sent their children trusting us.

Please go to the below link to see more Chennai beneficiary meet photos.
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/Vidial/BeneficiaryMeetChennai

Aravanaikum Anbu illam

As said already, Vidial identified education to be the main area of its concentration before it branches out to other avenues.

Our next aim was to make students who do not realize the value of education, realize its importance and make them concentrate on their education and personality development.

To give life to this idea, Vidial decided to choose one home for children and concentrate on improving the overall performance of those kids in their academics as well as other areas. Vidial also strove to identify what the kids are deprived of, when compared with other kids leading a normal and comfortable life. Our intention was not to bridge the gap but to make the best of what they have, to make them see the hidden opportunities and to make best use of it which inturn would brighten their lives.

With these thoughts in mind,Vidial chose Aravanaikum Anbu Illam a home for destitute children in Thanner Pandhal, Coimbatore. We put in a lot of effort at Anbu illam and our hard work paid off. Vidial gave the kids what they were yearning for, love & tenderness. Our members didn't act as strict teachers but mingled with them as their brothers and sisters. We didn't stop ourselves within the realm of teaching, but gave them guidance, listened to their worries, helped them solve issues. We laughed, inspired, motivated, rewarded and punished, in short We lived with them.

The happiness we get on seeing the world change right before our eyes has no bounds and Vidial experienced it on being with them.

We could see steady progress in their studies.Ofcourse there were kids who sleep in class, make too much noise, run around screaming, but thats how kids are.

One issue that became our prime concern was the hygiene of kids, and we are taking necessary steps towards it along with the people incharge of the home.

For anyone there can be no greater inspiration than a person rising among them and serves us a person who could be looked upon as a role model living with them, growing right infront of them under the same circumstances and same environment. Sathish, a student at the illam was studying well, with aspiration and determination to become an engineer, showed signs of becoming such a person.

We pounced upon the chance, he was given tuitions, mentored properly, it was made sure that no stone remain unturned in his quest. His hard work catalyzed by our efforts helped him score good marks and get a seat in a good college in Coimbatore. He became a source of Inspiration just as we believed he would be and today there are 3 more students following his path and many more working hard for it.

When we have the power to change lives, when we can bring happiness why dont we? This is the very thought of Vidial and we look forward to bring happiness to as many lives as possible.

Illam Republic Celeberations & Coimbatore Beneficiary meet

Vidial celebrated Republic day (26 Jan 2008) with the kids of Aravanaikum anbu illam as it had been doing every year[Past 2 years]. However this year turned out to be even more special, Beneficiaries of Vidial also joined in the celebration and it turned our to be a great get together, Happiness radiating from everyone's face who was there.

This time we organized the Coimbatore beneficiary meet along with our Republic day celebrations.

One of the best thing about this year's republic day was that it occurred on a Saturday, hence it stuck to us why can't we have two days of celebration instead of a single day.

Picnic to VOC park & Coimbatore ZOO
On Saturday, Kids from the illam (67 from illam and 4 Beneficiaries) were taken to the Coimbatore zoo and VOC park. A bus was arranged for ferrying the students and our members. We had a vague idea of the kids would be enjoying, but were amazed by the enthusiasm shown by the kids to travel in the bus.

The first destination was the Zoo. The children were split into groups with each group mentored by at least one of our members. Then they were taken to the VOC park and allowed to play freely, which they enjoyed thoroughly. We could see them showing their happiness through loud laughter, squeals and giggles.

The entire trip was planned and executed by our college chapter functioning with full enthusiasm and interest.


Beneficiary Meet & Sports Day

On 27th Morning, Our college team met with our beneficiaries from Coimbatore (Sugantha priya, Sathish, Stella Mary & Dinesh. Dinesh and Stella Mary are supported by another group called Ananvi, Vidial is providing logistical assistance alone). Other beneficiaries were not able to make it due to various personal reasons.

The main aim of the beneficiary meet was to let them know each other, share their goals, aspirations and make sure they are on the right track to achieve them. We also wanted to reiterate the fact that Vidial is not something alien, but a good friend and a mentor, who will be with them till they can stand on their own legs. Parthi anna who has been our mentor from our initial days, sat with beneficiaries and discussed with the beneficiaries regarding their progress, what they need to do in life to achieve their goals. We are sure that it would have definitely kindled a spark within every kid. We are planning to have these kind of beneficiaries meet at all our major places by next month.



In the afternoon, Games and fun events awaited the kids and the kids missed no opportunity to enjoy themselves. There were prizes to be won and the children had a nice time. As a conclusion to this 2 day fest prizes were distributed by Parthi anna after a short and crisp speech. Thundering applause from the entire cheering crowd made the prize winners wear their biggest smile along with the look of accomplishment.

One of the best things about this two day fest was that Sathish one of our Beneficiaries from illam is looked up with respect by every other kid in the illam. other students were obeying his words. He has certainly evolved, to some extent, as a role model for the children of Anbu illam, as we had dreamed and worked hard for the same.

Small things can make people very happy and seeing happiness ripple through smiling faces can lift the mood of anyone who sees it happen. It was a moment of utter joy, happiness for those of us who were a part of the celebrations.

At this juncture We express our sincere gratitude to Parthi na & G-18 institution, who not only helped us in addressing the beneficiaries and distributing the prizes, but also helped us in logistics.

Vidial - A brief History

Education is the best route to empowerment and this is the driving thought that brought about 'Vidial'. Illiteracy is a primary threat in today's world. Is it possible to deal with it? Answer: Yes. Why don't we? When it is possible for us to reach out and light up the lives of deserving people around us, how much does it take? A thought? An inspiration? A nudge? We are thankful to Shanti Ashram and Parthi anna for providing us all these and more.

We started by helping out with some of the activities at Shanti Ashram (a very established NGO in Coimbatore) like assisting villagers develop their respective villages. Other activities included tutoring the children of an orphanage, Anbu Illam. In a 'Desathuku Tholkodu' meeting, Parthi anna suggested we do more than just lending a shoulder to the nation. Thus was born the idea of helping out a village, like Shanti ashram did. For various practical reasons we had to give up this village project of ours.

That was when it struck us - Educating an individual is like educating the whole family and it is best one starts at the grass root level and works up to the top of the pyramid. The year 2004 saw us come up with a framework of operation. With the help of Parthi anna, we identified about 10 children who were in need of financial aid for their education. After a screening process, Nivithya, who was then in class 7, was chosen, owing to her family's desperate situation. From then on, there was no looking back for us. In 2005, we christened our group, which had by then grown from a handful to quite a large number, VIDIAL. Vidial had its first task in helping out a fellow CITian Kanchana and in it, faced a problem. Where would a group of final years in college go for the money required to educate a girl for four whole years? A bright idea was to look up our seniors and ask for funds. By the stars of luck, offers poured in to help Kanchana. We knew then, if we can't grow huge, we could atleast make a dent in the society. Education is our primary goal for the next few years, although there's no guarantee on where we would be headed 10 years down the line.

Also it our duty to proudly say that till today, the CITians continue to do their share by helping out at Shanti Ashram and teaching at a Home by name Aravanaikkum Anbu Illam; Kanchana has finished her education and has been placed in a good company; Nivithya is in her 10th standard; 8 of our beneficiaries last year are now self dependent ; and Vidial continues to fulfil the purpose it began with. If we've truly been able to bring happiness into the life of one person through education, we would count ourselves successful. Darkness is the absence of light. All we want is enough light for everyone to read.