Assam

The Agri Team at Teok participated in a voluntary activity at a farmer field near Janji, Sibsagar Dist.

The team planted 30 HYV pepper cultivars in the existing arecanut trees in the farmers house premise. The volunteers explained to him the potential of this low volume-high value crop (pepper) and the anticipated revenue he can earn from these 30 pepper trees after three to four years; which will give his family a steady extra income of almost INR 0.25 to 0.35 lakh annually.

Shri Kotoki, the farmer is very much interested in doing multi cropping in his small plot of land for enhancing his livelihood. Seeing his interest and zeal to do farming; the team promised to connect him to the Project Coordinator & Scientist for some technical help in his Agri ventures. He can also avail some subsidy/grants from KVK funds. He was very much pleased with the offer.

Bangalore

22 employees volunteered on 16th September as part of the employee volunteering engagement TVW IV.

A Disability Sensitization Workshop was organized at Tata Capital, Bangalore between 10.30 am to 1.00 pm. During this session, volunteers were quizzed on various disabilities, they were taught the right terminologies to be used and had an experiential learning of being blindfolded and were also guided by another volunteer, along with basics in Braille and Sign Language. The trainers were Prarthana and Venkat from GiftAbled - an organization that strives to create an ecosystem of like-minded individuals to come together to build a sensitized and disabled friendly society.

Nagpur

21 employees volunteered at on 19th September as part of the employee volunteering engagement TVW IV. The session aimed at imparting the causes and factors of stress for the children like peer pressure, academics and etc. the volunteers were facilitated the eventful workshop with therapeutic approach of stress management through art, painting, meditation and later followed by a quiz. The workshop was Co-facilitated by the Project head of slum soccer who identified the main roots of stress through playing football with the children and the volunteers of Tata Capital. The entire initiative resulted to a successful event where the volunteers got sensitized on the need of the children who come from a lower economic strata and the how they get deviated towards drug addiction and different ill habits due to lack of opportunities and guidance. According, to Team Soccer Nagpur, this workshop was one of its kind and was extremely helpful for the children.

Chennai

A visit to an orphanage is a life-changing experience as it is filled with emotions and sentiments. The volunteers visited an orphanage at Kolathur called “Shelter Trust” which looks after nearly 43 children affected with AIDS. The orphanage house was situated in the outskirts of the city. The walls of the home were painted beautifully and looked so colourful. The volunteers sponsored breakfast, lunch and dinner for the children. When the volunteers entered the home, they were taken by surprise as they so well disciplined and friendly. There was a common room where the children both boys and girls ranging from the ages of 3 to 21 years were seen. Some bit shy and some had a puzzled look on their faces. As soon as they reached they were briefed about the home and how it was started and the aim of the organization was “Love, Laughter and Live” They had the opportunity to serve the children lunch and to get to know them more. They conducted games for the children like antakshari, dumb charades, Balloon games, etc and enjoyed the day with the children. They also brought grocery, blankets, school bags and games which they distributed amongst the children. They were ecstatic to have them serve them food and were even more elated when they received the gifts from the volunteers.

The visit to the orphanage was a fulfilling experience as the team came back home with not only memories but also some valuable lessons. They couldn’t stop talking about those children who showed unconditional love.

Mumbai

The volunteers organized games like Lime on spoon, memory and balls in bucket with the children. A drawing and mehendi competition was also organized

Over 133 children took the part in all the activities including the teachers of the school. They were so happy and excited. All the 35 nos. staffs of Tata Housing participated in each of the activities with the children and enjoyed. They had a good experience for same. A day summed up with full of entertainment, joyful and stress free.

Kasauli

The volunteers spent a day to teach the school students and help them in choosing careers as well as motivate them. this school is situated in interior of Himachal with the lack of facilities & difficult to approach. The volunteers also played a Kabaddi match for the children. They had lunch together and distributed stationery. The volunteers gave away prizes.

Ahemdabad

On 22nd September in co-ordination with Manavseva NGO, a team of 29 employees from TML, Ahmedabad plant visited a secondary school located in Sanand. The interaction was mainly on awareness of road safety to them as well to their families mainly to increase the knowledge and skills of all in road safety, influence attitudes and change behavior and reinforce positive attitudes towards road behavior. Children were shown the small clips of road accidents that happen due to negligence and also explained them how to avoid such type of accidents by following safety rules. The children were then asked questions about the safety advice they were given. Interestingly, some of them stood up and talked about the various safe practices that can be implemented at home by themselves and by others.

Odisha

Tata Sponge organized a huge plantation program in the village of Shankarpur in Chamakpur Gram Panchayat of Keonjhar. The program was a huge success with more than 210 volunteers including company employees, their family members and friends. More than 1100 saplings of quick yielding mango were planted in a vast plantation area in Shankarpur. Forester of Joda, the Sarpanch, Chamakpur GP, the Ex Chairman of Joda Block joined the plantation program. Senior management of Tata Sponge joined the group in the plantation program. The program was facilitated by CSR Department with help of other departments. The program was a part of 'Tata Voluntary Week-4', currently being observed in the entire Tata Group, where company employees & their family members are encouraged to do volunteer work in the community.

Tata Sponge, located in Bileipada village of Keonjhar has planted more than 1,65,000 trees around its region, over the years of its operations. The company has won several prestigious awards from various organizations for its environment initiatives.

Thailand

A group of nine volunteers visited The Bangkok School of the Blinds regarding the activity of Thailand TVW 4: Volunteering for Blinds (Day 1/3), on Monday 21 September.

The volunteers tutored blind students for exam and read books to them. They also helped in recording in MP3 format. The team assisted the blind students with their homework and helped the school of blind for making learning media and notebooks for Braille.

Bangalore

A cloth collection drive was organized at the Bangalore office. The volunteers donated untorn clothes to be utilised by the NGO for their purpose.

Delhi

The associates at Vivanta by Taj - Ambassador, New Delhi felt blessed on getting an opportunity to spend a day in an old age home named "Aradhna"(For Women Only). This old age home run and owned by New Delhi Municipal Council.

The old age home had about 40 ladies. The visit to the old age home by the associates brought zeal amongst the ladies. During the interaction all the ladies became very comfortable with the hotel staff and they were sharing their thoughts with the team. It was very interactive session with them and our presence made some changes in their routine because they have some unknown faces to have interaction and listen them carefully. The entire interaction worked as moral support amongst the all the ladies. And at time of departure they requested us to visit on frequent basis to just have a chatting session with them. The happiness could easily be seen on each and every face. They also shared their life experiences.

The day was full of personal interactions, then there was movie display –Tanu weds Manu Returns and distribution of refreshments that was appreciated well by all the residents of the home. The ladies enjoyed the movie show. Lunch was also organised. The associates then thanked the VBTA team to make the maximum with this out of the box idea of spending time at the old age home. They felt that they took a step ahead in bringing happiness in life of people. All the ladies wish all the best to entire team of the VBTA.

Mumbai

As part of Tata Volunteering Week 4, The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, conducted a session on Healthy Low Cost Nutrition and Cooking Hygiene on 11th September, 2015 at the National Association for the Blind located at Raey Road. Chef Dipika Singh who is a Sous Chef at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai addressed the women, who get trained in different vocational skills on the importance of healthy nutrition. She even shared with them low calorie recipes. The talk lasted about 2 hours where senior colleagues along with Chef Dipika interacted with the visually impaired women and also got to see samples of various products handcrafted by the ladies which are the later sold to those interested. The women along with the management at NAB were very grateful for the knowledge shared by Chef Dipika. They also enjoyed the company of the volunteers of the Hotel.

Pune

Tata Power is working on Awareness programs in the rural communities on Health and Nutrition. As a part of the initiative and Volunteers week Employees from Tata Power Company Limited volunteered for providing the awareness program in the communities in the villages of Patnus and Male near Pune. 25 volunteers from Bhira Division actively participated and interacted with the community and did Door to Door survey. They conducted Awareness program through flip chart presentations, electrolyze demo. Blood group and Hemoglobin tests were conducted for 120 women and Adolescent Girls. Follow up sessions were conducted by volunteers after the awareness session. The volunteers Identified 80 % women and adolescent girls as anemic and planned for regular check up and provided autrin tablet for 100 days to each anemic women and girls. It is one day program which was well organized in two places i.e. Male and Patnus villages. Participants got opportunity to listen guests who are from diverse backgrounds like Medicine, Social Work, CSR, and Engineering. It was an enriching and informative session. Participants were active listener and learner.

Jamshedpur

As part of Tata Volunteering Week 4 special mehendi rachna training given by the professional for the bustee girls and women’s.

Under Tata Engage Week 4 a volleyball coaching camp given to the bustee youth by an ex-employee of Sports department.

TSRDS has organized MRA camp for Noamundi Girls from 15th to 18th Sept were 52 girls participated from Noamundi. During the closing session the Head HRM Total interacted with the girls from 4pm to 6.30 pm on 18th Sept at TCC Sonari. She listened to the feedback of girls and she motivated and encouraged the participants.

As a part of Volunteering Week 4 a team of employees from Customer Service Division of Tata Steel visited Primary School BadalKocha at Dumuria Block. The School is 50 km away from the steel city. The entire student belongs from ST/SC community. The team of CSD interacted with the students and teachers of the school. A small game bucket the ball was planned for the children. Some useful gifts like mats, stationary items, sports item donated to the student.

Under Tata Engage Week 4 as a part of Joy of Giving HSM JDC team visited Primary School Ghoshdih, Patamda . JDC team interacted with school student and teacher. Some daily use gifts like Water purifier Tata Swatch, School Bags, Stationary’s and snacks distributed to the students

As a part of Tata Volunteering Week 4 MED electrical department visited and interacted with people living in leprosy colony and donated water storage tank to the Leprosy colony.

As a part of Volunteering week 4 Urban Services organised football coaching camp for the bustees youth at Bhalubasa Community Centre and Sitaramdera Community Centre

Under Tata Engage Week 4 awareness talk on health given by Ms. Subashish Bhaduri at Kasidih Community centre.

On Sunday, 20th Sept’2015, as a part of Tata engage, Volunteers of Sukinda Chromite Mine of Tata Steel organised a one day activity camp at Kateputy Central Playground for the school children of class VI and VII located in the periphery of Sukinda Chromite Mine.

The objective of the one day camp was to promote an all-round exposure and development of the school children. The following field and cultural events were organised for the school children

Mumbai

Eight Tata Teleservices employees volunteered with the National Association for Blind - Sir Jamshedji Duggan Braille Press located at Worli seaface. The team worked along with the NAB team in the Braille press on the assorting of book pages, assembling of the Braille magazine, Braille school text book binding and punching along with packaging. The volunteers did the data entry of documents in English and other Indian languages. They also scanned and edited the material for Braille conversion and comparing print text with Braille text for rectifying errors. Tata Interactive also joined Tata Teleservices on 15th September with 9 volunteers.

Hyderabad

Six volunteers from Tata Teleservices conducted a session on child abuse and safety for children of 6th,7th and 8th standard by playing some videos and made children aware of how to stay safe. They also conducted career guidance and motivational session on importance of education to girls of 9th and 10th standard. This is an all-girls government school for girls primarily from economic and socially weaker section. The number of beneficiaries were 120 children in total.

Delhi

The volunteers are continuing the Skill development program at Shri Ram Shiksha Peeth, Madanpur Khadar with full enthusiasm and today a team of 4 Volunteers visited the school to conduct the 5th session, this was focussed on mannerism and behavioural English speaking.

They gave them information on how to speak with Parents, Teachers, Siblings, Peers and Neighbors in day to day life and also how to behave and conduct in public places like Bus, Train , school etc.

They conducted some Role Play activities to give demonstration. The young students are learning a lot from the skill development program and the volunteers will continue the next session with the Topic “ Positive Thinking”.

West Bengal

Alcoholism is a big problem in the community. In some of the villages, the villagers prepare home made liquor from rice. They do not send their children to school. They are facing all type of health problem related to liquor. 54% population of the community belongs to AA community . Keeping this in mind, Tata Metailks regularly organizes Door to door campaign on alcoholism and drug addiction. Since EV-01 the volunteers are organizing this camp for the benefit of villagers. During EVW-04 too, they organized a camp in villages : Maheshpur, Raipara , Mudipara , Kunjochak and Amba in Dist Pachim Mednapur , West Bengal. They were able to cover about 1500 villagers. More than 100 employees along with the medical team under the leadership of Dr, Ansuiya Samantha showed their dedication and commitment to this camp.