This was an initiative by Fountainhead School, where we contributed the cleaning of dirty beaches in Surat. We were at the Suvali beach, where there was a lot of plastic and biodegradable waste. People dump the waste all around not even thinking about the global consequences and repercussions. We were divided into groups and given garbage bags and we had to collect the waste. The learning outcomes that I could achieve through this experience are :

• Learning Outcome 2 ( Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken developing new skills ): Throughout this activity, we underwent a lot of challenges. Picking up garbage is not something that we do on a daily basis. So, most of us did not have an open-minded reaction to it. So settling into doing something really unexpected and new was challenging but then as we went on doing it we could do it well. We were soon okay and we overcame a challenge that we faced initially.  

But even after facing these challenges, what mattered was our aim to work towards our city and hence that kept us motivated, which helped to overcome all other challenges faced.

• Learning Outcome 5 ( Demonstrate the skills and benefits of working collaboratively ): We were divided into groups of five and were given a trash bag and we had to collect the garbage and put it in the bag. As we were working in a group so the task got more efficient. If we were doing it alone then the amount of garbage that we would have been able to collect would have been relatively less but because we all did it together we could work more, collect more trash and hence contribute more to the cleaning of the beach.

This made me understand that how important it is to work together. This made the work easier and improved the quality of the work done.

• Learning Outcome 6 ( Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance ): The issue of garbage littering holds a global significance. People visiting the beaches throw trash on the beach and don’t think about the consequences of it. The garbage that they throw pollutes the land, it also travels through the water body leading to water pollution too. So we contributed our bit in helping for this global issue by cleaning the trash on the beach.

We did it on a very small scale but that made me understand that how difficult it is for the workers to clean the waste that the citizens create. But even on a small scale, I felt and understood the seriousness of this issue and that has helped me grow personally in terms of an understanding issue at a global level and trying my best to work towards it.

In all, this activity helped me contribute my bit towards the betterment of the society and experience something new. This was the first time I did something like this, but now I am aware of how important cleanliness and hygiene are and how we should work for keeping our nature clean and green.