Abhyudaya is fortunate to have active volunteers for various aspects of the programme.
SPJIMR staff and faculty: They conduct spoken English sessions and provide special sessions during summer camp. Additionally, 36 faculty facilitators run six small group sessions with the PGDM participants over the course of the academic year.
GMP students: This year, 11 GMP students volunteered for a total 158.6 hours to teach spoken English to our pre-Sitaras, Accounts to Class 12 students, Maths to Classes 6, 7, and 8, and handle event registration. One GMP student spent 45 hours with us on Sundays.
SPIT students: To fulfil their 2-credit ‘Abhyudaya’ elective, SPIT students have engaged in data entry, one-on-one tutoring, library book sorting and laptop inventory.
Alumni Sitaras: They assist us during events, Sunday classes and camps. For summer camp 2024, they assisted Abhyudaya team to manage groups and execute activities. They continue to serve as mentors, teachers and support to younger Sitarars.
Abhyudaya initiatives
Physical and emotional well-being
Offering space for sports and yoga exposes the Sitaras to opportunities they may not otherwise experience. Both girls and boys receive equal opportunities to participate in sports such as football, cricket, handball, throwball, track and field and skipping. Additionally, Abhyudaya provides support services for the emotional well-being of Sitaras and their families.
Nutrition
Many of our Sitaras do not consistently receive good nutrition at home and school. To address this gap, we strive to provide nutritious meals to our Sitaras when they visit the SPJIMR campus.
Innovation
Abhyudaya collaborated with SPJIMR’s PGPM participants to utilise their design thinking skills and foster creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork with the Sitaras. In the pilot programme conducted in November-December 2023, 12 PGPM participants worked with 50 Sitaras for two weeks to teach Design Thinking and identify a community problem, building a prototype for the solution.
As a PGPM student, the Abhyudaya programme has not only broadened my perspectives but has also ignited a passion for social impact. It has underscored the importance of bridging the gap between privilege and deprivation, using education and innovation as catalysts for positive change.
Nidhi Lodha, PGPM Participant, 2023
Community engagement
Abhyudaya organises quarterly events, informative meetings and discussions with Sitara families. These sessions, conducted by experts, aim to increase community awareness of health and gender issues, career choices, etc.
Abhyudaya also engages with the teachers and administration of the 60 partner schools in the K-West ward, providing opportunities to learn new educational techniques that can be incorporated in their own schools and classrooms. In 2023, Abhyudaya conducted a 10-session Design Thinking workshop for 30 students from A.H. Wadia High School, Andheri West. This will be expanded to more schools in the community in the upcoming year.