From Plants to Prints

Jai Gurudev!

Oct 8, The Hindu NxG,Chennai

Youngsters chose to mark Gandhi Jayanthi with an attempt to increase the city’s green cover. HARSHINI

“With great power comes great responsibility,”’ says Peter Parker’s grandfather in “Spiderman”. The converse of this famous quote came alive in Chennai recently when volunteers of World Alliance for Youth Empowerment (WAYE) joined hands with the local people to act for the city of Chennai, on Gandhi Jayanti.

Ignited spirits

October 2 saw the green hue all over Todhunter Nagar in Saidapet. WAYE volunteers chose to mark Bapu’s birthday by planting 120 saplings. The Saidapet Counsellor Mahesh Kumar inaugurated the event and stressed the importance of voluntary tree planting in combating global warming. The saplings from Neem to Raintree were sponsored by the Tamil Nadu Forestry Department. The department officials later enlightened the enthusiastic residents on ways to tend to the growing saplings. WAYE volunteers oranised the event voluntarily with a view to stand testimony to Mahatma’s words: Be the Change!

“We, as India’s responsible young citizens, felt responsible in making the planet worth living for the future. What other date is more apt than the second of October?” beams Imay, who established Donuts Inc in Chennai. “No real change can happen unless it begins from the grassroots level. Tree plantation is so close to humanity’s roots. We are overjoyed by the tremendous response that came in. adds Ms.Muthu Pal, a WAYE instructor of YES!+ course. We believe in empowering the individual first, to take up social projects of their choice and a ready platform through WAYE. The inspiration stems from the ‘YES!+’ course (Youth Empowerment and Skills workshop) run by the World Alliance for Youth Empowerment under the aegis of the “Art of Living”. The course aims to help youth overcome stress and vices and handle their emotions with strength.

Tree Act

Next on course is a signature campaign to convince the government to introduce a Tree Act, which will make sure that felling of trees even within private property can be done only with the consent of the Forest Department. Thereby making trees a national resource. One million signatures is the target. Ending with Bapu’s example: “An individual can make a big difference!” To be part of WAYE, contact: Harshini — harshini.arwen@gmail.com or Tanmay — duuudee@gmail.com or call 9962385581.

Harshini is a final year student of MOP Vaishnav College.

Love,
YES!+ Chennai Team
www.yesplus.org