2025-09-24

The Wings of Awareness programme, initiated by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) ) conceived and supported by Buimerc India Foundation, is an innovative educational venture that introduces students to the fascinating world of birds through observation and field-based learning. The initiative goes beyond classroom teaching, offering children opportunities to experience nature directly, thereby cultivating curiosity, patience, and attentiveness. The project will be implemented across 20 schools in Kottayam District, engaging around 1,000 students and 60 teachers.

At Government U.P. School, Velluthuruthy, an orientation session was organized to introduce the project and set the stage for future activities. Dr. Punnen Kurian, Director of TIES, presented the introductory remarks, where he spoke about the programme’s vision, core objectives, and long-term benefits. He stressed that bird watching not only instills knowledge about biodiversity but also teaches discipline, patience, and a sense of responsibility towards nature.

The inaugural address was then delivered by Ms. Reena Manmadhan, Headmistress of the school, who expressed her appreciation for the initiative. She described the project as a valuable, cost-free opportunity for students to learn in an enjoyable and practical manner. She also highlighted how observing birds encourages independent learning and a deeper connection with the natural surroundings.

To assess the students’ initial interest and knowledge, a short survey session was conducted among the participants. This was followed by the distribution of bird watching kits that included a naturalist diary and a bird field guide. These resources were provided to the students to help them record their observations systematically and to aid in identifying bird species during their explorations. The gesture motivated the young participants to approach bird watching in a more structured and scientific manner.

The central highlight of the day was an informative class on birds and bird watching led by Mr. Sarath Babu, Nature Education Officer of TIES. His interactive session provided the students with guidance on bird identification, observation methods, and ethical practices in the field.

In the final session, Ms. Suhaana, Project Officer of Wings of Awareness, introduced the CROW app (Children's Resources for Ornithology and Wilderness) a digital platform developed exclusively for the project. She demonstrated how the app can be used to record sightings and contribute to citizen science, giving students a modern tool to complement their nature learning.

The orientation at Government U.P. School, Velluthuruthy, provided an inspiring start to the Wings of Awareness journey for its students. With the active involvement of children, strong support from the faculty, and expert guidance from TIES, the event left a lasting impression and laid the foundation for meaningful engagement with nature in the days ahead. 

The programme was coordinated by Ms. Renjith Skaria, Ms. Nisha Raj,  faculties from Government U.P. School, Velluthuruthy and Aparna Raj ,intern from TIES.