Project: Platform for Navodyami

Maithri Mahesh (GMIT College)

Maithri wanted to help the micro entrepreneurs of Navodyami.  Delta Program, a technical festival, is conducted every year at her college.  Maithri decided to use this festival to create a platform for these entrepreneurs to sell eco-friendly bags, bamboo products, and other creative crafts.

Maithri approached her college Principal, HOD, and the Delta Program coordinator, and was granted permission to set up a booth.  She additionally coordinated with the Navodyami team.  Selling the products at the booth helped the entrepreneurs increase their sales. 

Maithri deserves special recognition for her participation in LEAD.  She has completed six projects since joining the LEAD Program, and has even participated in LEAD Prayana.

Project: English to English Skills

Sripriya (GMIT College)

Sripriya wanted to enhance English language skills among orphaned children.  She colleged 50 children's books from her friends and family, and donated them to the Omkara Orphanage.  She additionally taught the children English grammar.  30 children participated in Sripriya's classes and continue to benefit from the books she collected.  The success of her project has inspired Sripriya to take up more projects in the near future.

Project: No Plastic Campaign

Srivindya (GMIT College)

Srivindya always noticed that open areas in and around the city were littered with plastic waste.  She recognized that these plastics posed a major threat, as plastics are non biodegradable. 

During a LEAD brainstorming session at her college, Srivindya came up with the idea to organize a "No Plastic" campaign.  She organized a team and delegated tasks among them.  The campaign started with 20 LEADers and 25 non-LEADers.  The group sold paper bags to 100 homes and shops, and distributed 250 informational pamphlets. 

All of the students showed active participation and enjoying convincing their community to stop using plastics.  From implementing her project, Srivindya learned patience, how to work in a team, and improved her communication skills.

Project: Giving Light to Poor People

Akshatha (GMIT College)

Akshatha always had a desire to help those in need.  She used LEAD to accomplish this.  Akshatha conducted a survey and identified families living below the poverty line that have no access to electricity.  She then sought support from NGO's and other local supporters and donated lamps to give homes.  Through her LEAD project, Akshatha gave these families access to electricity while simultaneously fulfilling one of her own dreams.  

Project: Smile India

Pooja J. (GMIT College)

Pooja wanted to create meaningful experiences and memories for orphaned children.  Pooja then organized a group of LEADers to visit the Onkarlinga Orphanage on a Sunday.  The LEADers interacted with the children, played games with them, and distributed sweets and chocolates.  Pooja said that the best part of her project was "seeing the smiles" on the children's faces.  Pooja hopes to expand her project to other orphanages in the future.  

Project: Joy of Sharing

Shridevi E. M. (GMIT College)

Shridevi, along with her friends Suma, Nisha, Jeevika, and Divya, visited an orphanage, hoping to engage the children and lift their spirits.  To get the children to come out of their comfort zones, Shridevi and her friends played games with them, told them inspirational stories, and conducted other activities.  As the session continued, Shridevi asked the children to share about their personal dreams and aspirations.  The children admitted that they were not sure as to how to go about pursuing their dreams, so the LEADers gave them career guidance.  

Through her actions, Shridevi showed the children that knowledge is power, and that that power becomes strong only when it is shared.  

Project: Teaching Art to the Students

Manasa (GMIT College)

Manasa wanted to give government students more exposure to art.  To give these students a platform to practice their artistic expression, Manasa held a drawing competition, as well as greeting card making classes for 6th and 7th standard government school children in Gangavathi.  After consulting with the school's Head Mistress, Manasa organized a session for the children and provided crayons, drawing sheets, sketch pens, glue, etc.  During the first session, Manasa instructed the students on how to think "outside of the box" and draw creatively. Manasa dedicated the second session to showing the students how to make hand-made greeting cards. 

45 students benefitted from Manasa's project.  Initially, the students showed very little interest in the drawing competition and card making, but eventually, the students became very enthusiastic about their artistic expression.

Project: Tailoring Training for Women

Asha N E (GMIT College)

Asha wanted to give illiterate, unskilled women the chance to learn and earn a living for themselves.  With help from her mother, Asha organized an 8-day training camp for 10 women on basic tailoring skills at a tailoring center.  The training classes were conducted two hours each day, and the women learned important and useful skills such as stitching and artistic designs.  As a result of Asha's training camp, the women are now more self-confident.  They now manage and complete minor orders, and are satisfying their customers.  

The women who participated in Asha's classes wanted to give a special thanks to LEAD for enabling Asha to conduct this training camp.  

Project: Diwali Celebration with Kids

Yashaswini (GMIT College)

Yashaswini had always wanted to celebrate Diwali with Orphans, but it wasn't until she joined LEAD that she took the initiative to do so.  Yashaswini chose Rashmi Orphanage to carry out the event.  Prior to Diwali, she collected old clothes from her fellow students to donate to the orphans.  On Diwali, she went to the orphanage and distributed the clothes to the girls.  She also taught the orphans about the importance and significance of Diwali.  30 girl orphans benefitted from Yashaswini's efforts.  

Project: Extra Curricular Activity for Orphans

Pushpa (GMIT College)

Pushpa wanted to add to the lives of some orphaned students.  On March 24th, 2013, Pushpa visited Mahalingeshwar Orphanage with four other LEADers.  Pushpa engaged the students by providing classes on exam studying techniques, playing games, and distributing books, sweets, balloons, and more.  The children showed interest and enthusiasm in all of the activities.  Pushpa and her team learned a lot from the project and all of the children that they helped, and thank the LEAD program for giving them an opportunity to develop their leadership qualities. 

Project: Day with Orphan Kids on Diwali Festival

Maithri Mahesh (GMIT College)

Leader Maithri student of GMIT College took initiative to help orphan kids by providing them daily requirements. Usually orphan kids get food and a place to stay, but they do not get good quality books, pencils, and self care materials. So the Maithri decided to provide some basic daily requirements. With the permission of Mr. Saagu the details were collected about orphanage on Diwali festival,  and she visited orphanage and gifted materials. They hared stories with them and interaction went well at the end.