Tata Volunteering Week 17 Volume No. 03        Career Guidance Senior School Students Indian Hotels Company Limited     A team of volunteers from the Indian Hotels Company Ltd in collaboration with Lion’s Club organized a career guidance session for over 80 students from 10th grade of St. Theresa’s High School, Goa. Volunteers not just explained to the students the various streams available but also provided them an insight on the importance of following their interests. Further to this, Ms Mishkowa Mendes, Counselor - Director Employment Exchange, conducted an hour-long career guidance session for the students, explaining them all the possible career options they can explore after their board exams.     Awareness Session on Feminine Health & Hygiene Tata Chemicals Limited      Tata Chemicals Ltd volunteers oriented a group of young girls from a Government School in Sedapalayam on the importance of menstrual hygiene. This session was conducted to make adolescent girls about the changes occurring during puberty, the necessary steps to take maintain menstrual hygiene and also to inform them about the concepts of ‘good and bad touch’.     Session on Gender Equality for the Skills Development Trainees Tata Metaliks Limited      The volunteers from Tata Metaliks Ltd marked the International Women’s Day by organizing a virtual session on the topic of ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow’ for the trainees of the Skill Development Centre. Eminent speakers such as Ms. Laboni Jana (CEO & Co-Founder, Youth Invest Foundation) & Ms. Poushali (Jt. Secretary & Jt. Director, Path Welfare Society), who are creating a legacy in the youth development sector, explained the concept of gender equality through very easy but effective ways. They motivated the youth to bring about small changes in their own lives to reduce the gender gap and explained how both the genders can both contribute to a fair and equal world.     Sports Meet for Rural Women Tata Metaliks Limited      Tata Metaliks Ltd team organized a sports meet for the women of two neighboring villages. Nearly 300 women along with key panchayat leaders and the women staff of TML participated in the meet. With events such as spoon and marble race, needle and thread contest, passing the ball, a 50 metre race aimed to promote physical fitness among women from rural communities.     Domestic Safety Session for the Rural Women Tata Metaliks Limited   A group of TML Volunteers conducted an informative session on the correct use of household appliances like LPG cylinders and other electronic items, which can prove to be harmful if not used the right way. The session also revolved around the measures to be taken in case of a domestic fire, lightning while working on the field, etc. The women actively participated in the session by asking questions and interacting with the volunteers.     ‘Jal se Jeevan’ - Water Conservation Awareness Session Tata Metaliks Limited      A team of volunteers from TML conducted an awareness session on Water Conservation with the children of Raipara village through a drawing competition. The session revolved around ways to protect and conserve the water bodies through rainwater harvesting and by using the available water judiciously. The theme of the drawing competition was also based on the same topic – ‘Water and its conservation’.     Storytelling Session with Kids of Rural Community Tata Steel Ltd      Volunteers from Tata Steel along with partner NGO, Nishchay Foundation in Jamshedpur, organized a virtual storytelling session for kids of a rural community. The volunteers unfolded the inspiring life stories of renowned authors like Arunima Sinha and J.K Rowling. The session also provided an insight to the importance of menstrual hygiene for young girls and the concepts of good and bad touch.     Feeding the Stray Animals Tata Steel Ltd      A group of Tata Steel volunteers along with Jamshedpur Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) and Feeding India, Zomato spent a day out feeding stray dogs. Volunteers fed these famished furry friends with bread, biscuits, rotis and water.     Clothes and Food Donation for the Residents of Antyodya Ashram Tata Steel Ltd      The residents of Antyodya Ashram, a leprosy colony in Jamshedpur received gently used clothes from a group of volunteers of Tata Steel. The volunteers also personally served fruits and healthy snack items to the residents.     Free Tuitions for Underprivileged Children Tata Steel Long Products      Volunteers from TSLP surprised children of the communities by initiating free-of-cost tuitions. Kids who attended these classes belonged to underprivileged families whose parents work as domestic helps. Additionally, a volunteer conducted the tuition class with fun games and activities along with a story telling session.     COVID-19 Awareness Campaign Tata Steel Long Products      A group of volunteers from TSLP visited the local public places such as temples, and interacted with the community spreading awareness on the importance of safety, precautions and adequate care needed during COVID- 19.     Distribution of School Bags and Sport Equipment Tata Steel Long Products      Volunteers of TSLP marked the launch of TVW 17 by distributing school bags to the PLC students of Beliepada, Batia and Bhagalpur. Although, the school is just a few kilometers away from the village, the children cannot bear the cost of school bags, books and stationery. TSLP volunteers through this activity encouraged the students to attend school and to work hard towards achieving their dreams. 80+ students were delighted to receive these bags and looked forward to playing with sports materials provided alongside.     Promoting Income Generation Programmes for Rural Women Tata Steel Long Products      To promote income generation opportunities among women from SHGs and other unemployed rural youth of neighboring villages, a group of volunteers from TSLP organized a Vocational Training Programme on Mushroom Cultivation. The two-week training programme taught the trainees a full- fledged system and working of cultivating high quality mushrooms. The volunteers encouraged the beneficiaries to grow mushrooms in large quantities by providing the necessary equipment. The program has helped 15 rural women with a source of steady income and has enabled them to support their livelihoods.     Promoting Education and Livelihood Programs Tata Steel Long Products      With the aim to help rural communities break the cycle of poverty, TSLP volunteers conducted several educational and livelihood programs for the youth, farmers and their families. Over 40 farmers of the Balita village have been trained and supported with seeds and other equipment to implement sustainable farming.     Skill Development Program on ‘Housekeeping’ Tata Steel Long Products      TSLP Volunteers initiated a Skill Development Training program on ‘Housekeeping’ for the rural youth. 30+ individuals from neighboring hamlets have been benefitted from this training.     Polio Eradication Initiative Tata Steel Long Products      Polio vaccinations if missed can leave a child being physically disabled all his life. Most of the children living in remote, fragile and conflict-affected areas tend to miss these doses and the pandemic has made it even difficult for these children to have access to their regular dosage of polio. To address this issue, a group of TSLP volunteers visited neighboring villages to organize polio campaigns and ensured that more and more children take the polio dose.     Sports Meet to Focus on Physical Wellbeing Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      To mark Founders Day, volunteers from TSUISL organized sports meet at the Kalinganagar Housing Project. The event was attended by TSUISL employees along with vendor employees and their families who belong to marginalized communities. The event was a platform for the employees to interact with the community and help create awareness about physical fitness.     Session on Hygiene and Sanitation for Labourers Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      The TSUISL volunteers organised a session on health, hygiene and sanitation for labourers of Kalinganagar. The beneficiaries were briefed about the importance of wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, frequently washing hands with soap and many such measures to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other harmful diseases that they could be prone to.     Session on Feminine Health and Hygiene Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      The volunteers of TSUISL organized an awareness session on feminine health, hygiene and sanitation for the rural women of the Parbatipur village. 25 women who were a part of this session, interacted with the volunteers and asked questions to further understand the effective ways of maintaining personal hygiene.     Awareness Session on Precautionary Measures for Covid-19 Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      A team of volunteers from TSULSL conducted a health awareness session for vendor employees and their families, including those from the marginalised communities. They were briefed about the importance of wearing a mask and maintaining social distance, frequently washing hands with soap, etc to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other harmful variants of the virus.     Safety Awareness and Quiz Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      Over 30 vendor employees of Kalinganagar, who are from marginalised communities, participated in a safety quiz organised by the volunteers of TSUISL. The sole motive of this session was to sensitize the workers about safety rules and encourage them to follow necessary safety measures while working.     Blood Donation Camp Tata Steel Utilities & Infrastructure Services Ltd.      Over 170 volunteers stepped forward and donated blood during a camp organized by the TSUISL volunteers. The camp provided the donors with necessary pre and post care requirements.     *This update covers only some of the activities undertaken by companies. www.tataengage.com