A school and a programme: Govt. High School, Kodathur, Puducherry.

We all have gone through our own schools. From the first school to where you have passed out your 10th standard. All of them have beautiful memories. Sweet memories. I still remember my first school in Thottekkad, in Pulpatta near Manjeri in Malappuram distrit of Kerala State where we used to walk about 4 km every day to school climbing two small hillocks, passing a couple of brookes, and the day the school reopened, we will be welcomed by the fresh rains ... Schools always bring nostalgic memories to you..

As part of the ongoing Water Festival 2016 which we are organising in Puducherry, Aurovile, Villupuram and Cuddalore (PAVC) bio region, I have been visiting a good number of rural schools in Pondicherry as well as a few in TN districts of Cuddalore and VIllupuram as well. One such school was the Govt High School, Kodathur. While one goes to Thirukkanur via Vazhuthavoor, you take a right turn at Muttrampattu and you are there. A small beautifully located school. It was established in the year 1957 almost a decade before I was borne. The HM Mrs.Pushparoja and the Science Teacher Ms.Hemalatha and other staff welcomed me. My friend Alexander was already there setting up the banners and posters giving water conservation messages etc.The school has about 300 students.

I was moved by the affection and care given by the teachers and HM of the school and the importance they gave to the programme. While conversing with the children, I could feel the energy and happiness of the children. May be it is because they enjoyed the programme which was different from their daily routine classes. May be they got a chance to answer the question we put to them, or may be because they felt empowered in giving their suggestions for conserving the water. The staff told us we could come back anytime for such awareness programmes.

I felt happy because if at all, the All for Water for All collective which is organizing the programme have achieved anything is reaching out to these young children who feel energetic and are better informed than actually I was during this age. Or is it that we did not have these issues in our times? Or is it that we just did not realize it then?

More schools, more children, there is a need for many more such initiatives like the All for Water for All collective or movements like the Pondicherry Science Forum and the like in many states which are part of the People's Science Movements (PSMs) to take these issues to the people and make them aware that unless we act today, tomorrow will be too late...