BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3325
STD. X OF DON BOSCO KAWANT ATTENDING GRAM SABHA
Cl. Evangelo D’Souza sdb
KAWANT-BARODA, JANUARY 18, 2013: The Staff and the students of Std. X of Don Bosco School, Kawant participated in a Gramsabha in the village 
of Athadungri at 12 pm on the January16, 2013.
The visit had a two-fold purpose – Firstly, it was held to give a practical experience to the students of Std. X on village governance. Secondly, it focused on career guidance. Eight batches of Std. X attended the Gram Sabha in this month. It aimed to enable students understand the role of a sarpanch, its members and the talathi in the villages.
The students began their educational visit by attending a preparatory meeting held for SHGs of the Kanabeda village. Mr Naresh, staff of the Development staff of Disha, explained to the women the importance of voicing their opinion during a Gramsabha. A documentary film was viewed by the women on the theme – ‘Gramsabha.’ All the members of the Laxmi SHG group were present for this conscientization programme.
After the short meeting, eight women took active part in the Gramsabha held in the neighbouring village, Kanabeda. The SHG members voiced their need on repairs of roads in their village. They also expressed the need of making available drinking water for school students in the village school by building a hand pump.
The students of Std. X who were attending a Gramsabha for the first time spontaneously asked questions on the aims, objectives and the working of a Gramsabha. Many students expressed their desire to attend Gram Sabha in their own villages. This first-hand experience helped them to think why the process of development is slow in their villages and how they can in future think of opting for new careers on becoming Sarpanch, Talati and gram sevaks.
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