2025-09-27

Marking the completion of the Wings of Awareness orientation sessions across twenty schools in Kottayam district, the final programme was hosted at St. George’s HS, Manimala. This initiative, implemented by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) conceived and supported by Buimerc India Foundation, is designed as an amateur bird-watching and naturalist training project. It seeks to offer students experiential learning opportunities that bring them closer to nature, helping them improve attentiveness, sharpen observation skills, and ultimately perform better in academics while nurturing environmental awareness. The project will be implemented across 20 schools in Kottayam District, engaging around 1,000 students and 60 teachers

The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Minimol P.S, Headmistress of the school, who warmly greeted the gathering, extended her appreciation to the guests, and encouraged the students to make the most of this unique opportunity.

The inaugural address was delivered by Ms. Bency Baiju, Ward Member, who spoke passionately about the need for environmental conservation. She emphasized the vital role of birds in the ecosystem and reminded students of their responsibility to safeguard and understand nature. She also wished the selected students the very best in their journey as part of this meaningful programme.

Introductory remarks were presented by Dr. Nelson Abraham, Vice President of TIES, who explained the project’s objectives and its step-by-step implementation. He highlighted how the initiative combines experiential learning with environmental education, inspiring students to be both observers and protectors of biodiversity.

A survey session was conducted with the participants to record their perspectives and baseline awareness levels before beginning the core academic activities.

The highlight of the programme was an interactive class on birds by Mr. Sarath Babu, Nature Education Officer of TIES. He introduced the students to techniques of bird identification, ethical practices in field observation, and the joy of connecting with the natural world through birds. The participants listened attentively and actively engaged with the expert by asking questions and responding with enthusiasm.

The final technical session was led by Ms. Suhaana, Project Officer of Wings of Awareness, who introduced the CROW(Children's Resources for Ornithology and Wilderness)  app, a digital platform developed exclusively for the project. She explained its features and demonstrated how students could record and share their sightings, thereby contributing to citizen science.

The orientation class at St. George’s HS, Manimala, was not only the concluding session in the series but also a celebration of the project’s impact across the district. The combination of expert-led learning, practical tools, and active student participation created an inspiring atmosphere, encouraging young learners to continue their journey as keen observers of nature and ambassadors of environmental stewardship.

The programme was coordinated by Ms. Sunumol Aphrem ,Teacher Coordinator from St. George’s HS, Manimala, and Ms. Limna Aleena Baby, Intern from TIES.