Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is committed to empowering communities through education and capacity building as part of its vision to foster societal transformation. Aligned with SDG 4, the institution undertakes a wide range of educational outreach activities beyond campus, addressing diverse community needs. These initiatives include tailored lectures, skill-building workshops, and interactive demonstrations conducted in local schools and underserved communities.
The university leverages its multidisciplinary expertise to run both ad hoc and programmed outreach efforts, often involving our student volunteers. Programs such as literacy drives, STEM education camps, environmental awareness workshops, and digital literacy initiatives bridge the educational gap in rural and urban communities. Through these impactful projects, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham continues to cultivate inclusive learning opportunities, empowering individuals and fostering long-term societal development.
1. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Conducted Community Health Event to Promote TB Awareness and Nutrition in Kanti Village
On December 25, 2023, a community health event was held at the Amrita Library in Kanti village, Haryana, as part of the Community Covid Resilience Resource Center (CCRRC) project. This project, funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, seeks to foster resilience in communities through health and wellness initiatives. The event featured a tuberculosis (TB) awareness session to educate villagers on TB symptoms and prevention, followed by a survey aimed at identifying potential TB cases among symptomatic individuals.
In addition to TB awareness, the event emphasized the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet. Health and diet experts led a session on dietary practices, encouraging the inclusion of pulses and green vegetables for better health. This message was reinforced through the generous distribution of free pulses (dal), benefiting 80 families who attended the event. The event was inaugurated by Kanti village Sarpanch Shri Devi Singh and Shri Nepal Singh Chauhan, who addressed the community on the value of maintaining a healthy diet as a preventive measure against diseases.
Representatives from AMMACHI Labs and CCRRC staff, including Mahesh S Unnithan, Vinod Singh Rawat, Priyanka, Reena, and Montoo, attended the event. They were joined by two visiting students from the University of Twente in the Netherlands, Luca Vershure and Oliver Maddock, who observed the outreach activities. The CCRRC project, implemented by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s School for Sustainable Futures and the UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development, aims to deliver sustainable community interventions that translate technological advancements into practical solutions, fostering resilience and wellness across rural India.
2. AMMACHI Labs Promotes Technology-Driven Education and Hygiene Awareness in Bihali, Haryana
On December 13, 2023, AMMACHI Labs continued its educational outreach mission in Bihali, Haryana, where the team is actively engaged in enhancing rural education and promoting hygiene practices through technology-driven initiatives. AMMACHI Labs staff members, including Mahesh S Unnithan, Gayathri Manikutty, Vinod Rawat, and Priyanka, have joined forces with students from the University of Twente, Luca Verschure and Oliver Maddock, to assess the impact of technology on rural educational methods and health practices. Together, they aim to understand how technological tools can encourage sustainable habits and improve learning outcomes among students in underserved communities.
One of the key highlights of the outreach is AMMACHI Labs’ innovative approach to teaching hand hygiene through Haksh-E, a robotic companion. Haksh-E engages local students with interactive demonstrations that emphasize the importance of handwashing, particularly in maintaining good health and preventing illness. Using innovative, persuasive technologies, Haksh-E delivers educational content in an engaging format, motivating students to adopt and retain good hygiene practices. This hands-on experience has proven valuable in fostering positive habits and reinforcing health education in a memorable way.
These educational outreach activities by AMMACHI Labs reflect the organization’s commitment to empowering rural communities through practical, technology-integrated solutions. By bringing advanced educational tools and methods to Bihali, the team is bridging the gap in rural education, demonstrating how technology can be leveraged for meaningful impact, particularly in the areas of health, hygiene, and foundational learning. Through such initiatives, AMMACHI Labs continues to support sustainable development in rural India, fostering growth and resilience in the next generation.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is committed to empowering communities through education and capacity building as part of its vision to foster societal transformation. Aligned with SDG 4.3.4, the institution undertakes a wide range of educational outreach activities beyond campus, addressing diverse community needs. These initiatives include tailored lectures, skill-building workshops, and interactive demonstrations conducted in local schools and underserved communities.
The university leverages its multidisciplinary expertise to run both ad hoc and programmed outreach efforts, often involving our student volunteers. Programs such as literacy drives, STEM education camps, environmental awareness workshops, and digital literacy initiatives bridge the educational gap in rural and urban communities. Through these impactful projects, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham continues to cultivate inclusive learning opportunities, empowering individuals and fostering long-term societal development.
3. Education for Life: Amrita School of Ayurveda’s Yoga Training Outreach
The Amrita School of Ayurveda organized a Yoga Training Outreach program across villages and regions in Kerala from June 11 to 21, 2023, as part of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2023 celebrations.
The initiative, led by the Department of Swasthavritta, began on June 11 with a session at Mannadisseriyil Devi Temple grounds, Karunagappally. Dr. Meera S., Assistant Professor at the School of Ayurveda, delivered a talk on “The Relevance of Yoga in the Present Era,” attended by over 60 participants.
From June 12 onwards, daily yoga sessions based on the IDY protocol were conducted at Alumkadavu, Karunagappally. These sessions were led by postgraduate scholars from the Department of Swasthavritta, including Dr. Varsha Nath, Dr. Arati M. Nair, Dr. Deepthi Pillai, and Dr. Pournami V. U.
On June 18, a yoga session for children was held at Pookkottu, Azheekal, with 15 children participating. Additionally, yoga training sessions were conducted at Mannadisseriyil Devi Temple grounds, Vavakavu, and at Shaktikulangara, Vallikavu, Kollam. These sessions, led by Dr. Meera and her team, saw active participation from women and men from neighboring villages near the Kollam campus.
The outreach program continued with more sessions leading up to the grand celebration of International Day of Yoga 2023.
4. Outreach in schools: Empowering Metacognition of students with Digital Ed-Tech Tools & Generative AI
A two-week workshop titled “Empowering Metacognition of Students with Digital Ed-Tech Tools and Generative AI” successfully concluded on December 30, 2023, at Amrita Vidyalayam, Trichy, and Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.
Organized by AMMACHI Labs, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amritapuri, Kollam, Kerala) and funded by IHFC – Technology Innovation Hub, IIT Delhi, the workshop introduced students to digital educational tools and the ethical use of Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and DALL-E.
A total of 167 students from grades 7 to 11 actively participated in hands-on sessions, exploring how these tools can enhance their learning journeys. The workshop emphasized fostering metacognitive skills such as motivation, self-regulation, dedication, and planning.
Students expressed enthusiasm for integrating these skills into their academics, recognizing the initiative’s value in building critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
5. Mental Health workshop for Amrita Vidyalayam students – Ettimadai
A two-week workshop titled “AAIR: Building Inner Strength” was conducted from December 4–16, 2023, at Amrita Vidyalayam, Ettimadai, for 9th and 11th standard students. The initiative was led by the Mental Health team, comprising members from AMMACHI Labs, the Amrita School of Social & Behavioural Sciences, and the Center for Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality (CWEGE).
Around 125 students participated, learning to understand and manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The workshop emphasized recognizing and transforming negative thought patterns into positive ones and integrating spiritual principles like awareness, acceptance, gratitude, compassion, discernment, and optimism into daily life.
Delivered in a fun and interactive manner, the workshop received an overwhelmingly positive response from students and faculty alike.
A second workshop for another batch of students is planned soon, aiming to address the pressing mental health challenges faced by youth post-pandemic.
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