Heralding the new year with a difference

American industrialist Henry Ford said, “Coming together is beginning, being together is progress and working together is success.”

The NSS team of KC College follows this dictum religiously.  The KC College National Service Scheme (NSS) unit was formed 20 years ago and they are actively involved in diverse social activities.

They have adopted a village called Karvale near Saphale in 2005. Every year in December, they organise a 10-day residential camp at Saphale and this year too they have organised a week-long camp from December 25 to January 1. One hundred and fifty NSS volunteers will stay in the village for a week, prepare food on their own and serve people of the village tirelessly and wholeheartedly.

The unit with 300 volunteers is the strongest and largest NSS unit in Mumbai city zone colleges. The motto of the NSS unit is, ‘Not me, but you’. “Our objective is the development of the personality of a student through community service,” said Lokesh Vishwakarma, NSS leader of KC College.

He added, “The programme helps instill a sense of self confidence in students. It will motivate them to keep up with the challenges they may face at this age.”

The NSS unit acts as an example to all other youngsters who want to make a change. The unit also appreciates the support of principal Manju Nichani who has always stood by them and has been a prime source of inspiration.

The unit has taken up activities like conducting six blood donation camps and garnered 273 units of blood between 2008 - 2009 year. They also released four blood donors directory by former BMC commissioner Jairaj Phatak and Simi Garewal, which includes more than 800 donors.

Despite venturing into many areas, education still remains a priority for the unit. “We believe education is one area, where we fall short,” informed Lokesh.

He added, “Our volunteers in association with NGOs like Doorstep, Salaam Balak, and MVP carry out large educational programmes at our adopted village and in Mumbai slums. We feel more needs to be done and we will continue to do so. This area needs greater attention especially from the youth.”

So, while the whole world will be celebrating Christmas and heralding the new year on December 31, these youngsters will be ringing in the year in a unique way.