Arun Daniel Yellamaty, founder of Hyderabad based NGO Youngistaan Foundation, gave plenty of food for thought to students of Akshaya School in Chennai, at The Weekend Leader’s ‘Be the Change Challenge Series’ programme held at the school recently.

Lighting up the screen with images of a variety of delicious food items like biryani and kebabs, Arun asked the students to imagine that this was the food served at a lavish dinner organised by superstar Rajinikanth and they had been given the task of inviting a few guests for the feast.

Arun Yellamaty motivating the children to be change makers (Photos: H K Rajashekar)

Next, he showed a series of images - of a street kid, a destitute elderly person, a man eating food from a garbage bin, a beggar, a homeless person, and a girl with a deformed face.

Arun asked the children to identify one person from the lot they would invite for the dinner and explain why they chose the person.

Many responded. Each offered a reason why they thought the person they chose deserved to be at the dinner more than the others.

Arun Yellamaty with Ruth Eunice Anand, principal, Akshaya Global School and P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor, The Weekend Leader

“I would choose the person eating from the garbage bin, because the man is so desperate for food,” said one child.

Other children justified their choices.

Having heard them out, Arun asked the children if they had ever made an effort to help such unfortunate people they see on the streets every day.

There was pin-drop silence. Arun had driven home the message.

Children of Akshaya School with the guest speaker

The Weekend Leader’s ‘Be the Change Challenge Series’ programme is being held in schools to promote social consciousness among the children.

Earlier, P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor of The Weekend Leader, introduced the online magazine to the children and said The Weekend Leader focused on positive news and wrote about unsung heroes, and success stories of entrepreneurs.

Ruth Eunice Anand, principal, Akshaya Global School, addressed the students and appreciated The Weekend Leader’s initiative.

If you would like to have this event in your school, do get in touch with us at [email protected] – TWL Bureau  

Beginning on a lighter note, flooding the screen with images of comic-book super heroes, followed by images of popular film stars, Arun Daniel Yellamaty, founder of Hyderabad based NGO, Youngistaan Foundation, ended up with a challenge to the students of Sushil Hari International Residential School in Chennai to be someone’s super hero in real life.

Arun Yellamaty addressing the students of Sushil Hari International Residential School (Photos: H K Rajashekar)

As cheers rent the air every time the image of a super hero lit up the screen, Arun changed the narrative when he showed images of the less fortunate people living on the streets, and suggested how the students themselves could turn heroes by helping those in need.

Arun addressed the students recently at The Weekend Leader’s ‘Be the Change Challenge Series’ programme, which is being held in schools to stir up the social consciousness of the children.

A section of the young audience

“When you ask God why bad things are happening in this world, God will tell you, I have made you to make a difference,” he said.

Concluding his speech, Arun made the children repeat after him, “I have to do something. I have to change the world. I have to help people.”

The Weekend Leader’s Editor P C Vinoj Kumar urged the children to be generous with their appreciation of the good things they find in others.

The Weekend Leader Editor, P C Vinoj Kumar, addressing the students

“Cultivate the habit of appreciating. If you like something about someone, say it to the person. Find some positive thing to say about your classmates,” he said.

Santhana Krishnan, member of the management of Sushil Hari International Residential School, addressed the students and presented mementoes to The Weekend Leader team.

If you would like to have this event in your school, do get in touch with us at [email protected] – TWL Bureau  
 

Santhana Krishnan, member of the management of Sushil Hari International Residential School, giving an introduction to the programme

Guests being shown the campus. At right is Ganesh Pattabhiram, senior faculty

A mind blowing cultural performance by students

Children, staff members of Sushil Hari International Residential School with The Weekend Leader team

VIDEOS

Be the Change Challenge Series, a social initiative of The Weekend Leader to take the Change Makers profiled in the website to schools and introduce them as role models for the children, was inaugurated at a recent function at HLC International School in Karanai, Chennai.

C Kartheeban, founder, Team Everest at HLC International School (Photos: H K Rajashekar)

C Kartheeban, founder of Team Everest, addressed the students and motivated them to set apart one day in a month for volunteering for a social cause. “Add this to your priority list,” he said and insisted that volunteering is not something that one does during free time. 

Kartheeban motivating the students to volunteer

“You need to make time for it,” he said. 

Team Everest has more than 9000 volunteers, mostly IT employees, who support the NGO to implement its various projects.

A group photograph to cherish the moment

The NGO sponsors the education of meritorious students from poor families and provides the children studying in government schools computer education, and trains them to enhance their reading, writing and arithmetic skills.

Talking about his family Kartheeban said he had donated the bodies of both his parents to Theni medical college for academic purposes. Watch Video

Read Kartheeban’s Story: Youth heading 7000-strong volunteer network is not done yet
 

Kartheeban with the principal and vice principal of HLC International School

Sudha Mahesh, Principal, HLC International School, Raaji Naveen, Vice Principal, HLC International School and P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor, The Weekend Leader also addressed the students. – TWL Bureau

WATCH VIDEOS OF THE PROGRAMME