I visited Savarkundla from 8th September to 11th September which is a small city in Amreli district. It is a sanctuary for Asiatic lions which have been dying by falling into the numerous wells along with other wildlife animals. I wanted to make a contribution towards saving these wildlife animals hence with the help of a social enterprise called “Rural Pleasure”. The aim was to build a fence which would 35 feet deep well. The process of building this cover included welding, cutting, drilling and hammering steel rods. This trip gave me an opportunity to interact with nature and adjust to changes because the place where I was staying was wide open without any fans or air conditioners and there were no separate rooms or service hence I had to adjust and do my own work. I also went on treks which allowed me to spot birds from different species.

Learning outcomes which I achieved:

1. LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process. I had to live in an open space without any fans or AC and had to make my own bed. I also had to learn how use tools to weld, drill and cut steel rods and most of us were learners. Hence at first, I struggled to use those tools but on the second day, I was accustomed to those tools. I also had to ensure to use safety equipment as while welding my eyes could get damaged hence I wore sunglasses for protection and used gloves when I had to use the drilling machine. I was taught how to use the machines by the teachers and they demonstrated how to use them and the things we had to take into consideration like at which angle the machine should be and how far do I have to stay from it while using it.
2. LO4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.  There were only three days to work on the cover hence I had to complete the work assigned to me but because there were so many people at the first day everyone thought the other person will do it hence we completed very less work. So on the next day, I decided to stick to the work I was assigned. It was also very hot the next day but I kept on working because if I didn’t stay committed to my task then it may happen that the fence might fall apart because one person did not do their work. We would not have been able to make it if all of us did not work hard.
3. LO5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively. I could not do much work on the first day because everyone was doing the work they like individually hence it was getting chaotic so on the next day we made groups and assigned different tasks to each group, by doing so the group would ensure they complete their task and other groups would do the same. This way we can help each other and complete our work more efficiently.
4. LO6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance. Asiatic lions were about to get extinct and I think the extinction of animals is a global issue. There are now only 523 Asiatic lions alive and by building the fence for the well I helped in decreasing their deaths.

I along with my friends successfully built the cover and put it on the well, this was a very good experience and it made me feel very good because I knew I was contributing towards saving the environment. I also felt connected with nature when I went on treks. Overall this activity helped me have a sense of satisfaction because I knew that the work I put in was helping towards resolving this global issue.