IIT-M students distribute recycled notebooks in govt schools

While LEAP or Learning and Education Accessibility Project, will be the official social campaign of Saarang 2019 - an annual cultural programme held at IIT-M - the students have selected ‘education’ as the cause as part of the programme.

As part of the campaign, the team has distributed 1,600 eco-friendly notebooks made from recycled paper in a government school in Korattur, among others. The material was collected via donation boxes placed in schools across the city.

The team also visited these schools and interacted with the students. The Saarang committee is also planning to organise multiple book donation campaigns in both the Institute as well as in different parts of the city. 

This will be coupled with collection drives for recyclable paper. Professor Nandita Das Gupta, cultural advisor, IIT-M, said that the aim of LEAP was to create awareness about stark reality as a first step, and to eradicate illiteracy and empower the underprivileged by bridging this gap through sustained efforts. 

This year, the students decided to focus on education with a unique concept to include as many people as possible by urging them to donate waste paper for further recycling.

After the first phase in schools, the students also went on a collection drive on the campus of IIT Madras. “We are working towards conducting collection drives throughout Chennai to make this a citywide movement,” he said.

To generate awareness for the cause, guest lectures by pioneering activists, scholars and social entrepreneurs, and creative learning-oriented activities for school children in collaboration with NGOs working in the education sector will be organised.  The students have taken the help of NGOs with expertise in the field to bring more efficiency to this activity.