Our CAS trip was to Savarkundla, which is a small city in the district of Amreli, Gujarat. It is well known for its Wildlife Sanctuary of Asiatic Lions.There are about 1,100 open wells in that district and about 7-15 lions fall into those wells every year.Our goal was to help save the lions.To accomplish our goal, we planned to make a cover for a well.This involved various activities like cutting, grinding, and welding. Working on site for the plan and installation, in the workshop for making the cover, exploring the nearby forestland for plant and animal species, ours was a comprehensive experience.
To be honest, on reaching the campsite, I was a bit disappointed.The accommodation was bleak and surroundings seemed harsh.I adapted very quickly and despite mosquitoes and flies, I noticed the beautiful view. I wanted to take a picture and post it on Snapchat but sadly we were without any devices with connectivity to the internet. It was an insecure moment. Our group did not waste much time to start cribbing about the school policy of no cell phones.Getting by the day without our phones seemed like an uphill task. I came face to face with my weakness and I was not sure how would fare in overcoming it. Each passing moment of my CAS experience took care of my doubts and brought me closer to nature.
My challenges did not end there. To build the cover for the well was also a very difficult task.Nobody in our group had any experience in cutting welding etc. When I saw the workers doing these tasks, I was not sure whether I would be able to do my share of the work. The flying embers in the welding process were scary. We were trained briefly and most of my friends performed with ease.This helped my confidence and I managed to perform all the tasks. After undertaking this challenge, I felt proud of myself. It is important for us to challenge ourselves and emerge as better individuals.
This experience required commitment to the cause of saving lions. We could not afford to be deterred by scorching heat and bleak living conditions. We had to endure all odds to complete the task.Staying committed makes us trustworthy in other people’s eyes. It increases our self-worth to take full ownership of the goal we set out to achieve. Our commitment to our goal enhances its value for us and heightens our motivation.
All the activities had to be done collaboratively and each person played a significant role. Imagine 37 students working together in tough conditions, with little or no skill sets for the task at hand. Well , things turned out better than our imagination. All the members of a team should have mutual understanding. A small misunderstanding can lead to a lot of problems. Our team was lead by Chirag sir and his colleagues who were expert conductors of such camps. They guided us towards working collaboratively and guided us in our task.
Savarkundla is home to the Asiatic Lions. I was shocked to know that about 7-15 lions fall into these well every year. The Asiatic Lion is an endangered species so it is a matter of global concern to conserve them. Awareness about such global issues stirs up feelings of responsibility towards the world that we live in. When I got to know about the grim realities of the population of the Asiatic Lions in the world, I felt proud of our contribution in saving them.
We humans are ethically responsible for the health of the natural world. The dwindled population of the Asiatic lions showed that we had not done our part of taking care of the nature around us.This irresponsibility was at the core of our CAS activity.Even though we were not responsible directly for the declining population of the lions,nonetheless, it is our moral duty to contribute to their conservation.It was a rude awakening for me!Never before had I seen such issues in ethical light and I felt that I needed to make it up to our environment by caring for it.I hope to sustain this new found vision.
The CAS trip delivered in more ways than I had expected. Along with overcoming personal barriers,I contributed to a global cause. I have more empathy towards the world that we live in.Teamwork and trying new activities were a few other traits that were honed. The activity worked wonders for all others in the group as well.The highlight of the experience for me was being a part of the bigger picture. Making contribution to a matter of global concern made me proud.
My limited perspective enlarged to a global one. The success of our task brought me immense joy and satisfaction. Achieving our goal despite doubts and insecurities, brought me a sense of accomplishment.I learnt that we limit ourselves by our fears and doubts.We should avoid these mistakes and open ourselves to the amazing opportunities to grow.If I did this same activity again,I would go in with less doubts and more spirit.Major takeaways from this trip will remain with me for long time to come. I will constantly take up new challenges and keep learning.
