The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence!! Our campus is surrounded with villages, and we have adopted five of them. We put in efforts to take care of the needs of these villages and support them to slowly, but consistently, move up the ladder of progress – be it health, hygiene, education, or employment.
On various occasions and celebrations, we share healthy food with the children of the villages as well as with the labour force that stays near our campus. We are proud of the fact that we could reach out to the hungry villagers even during the COVID 19 phase. Our hostels were vacant, and we had sufficient food stock which we happily shared with the villagers who were stranded and unable to procure food due to the strict restrictions on movement.
In routine we organise donation campaigns on campus where students share their “well-used” stationery, clothes, bedding, etc., with the students of the villages. Our university also goes the extra mile to share furniture with schools and offices of the neighbouring societies. Other activities include building toilets, installing solar panels, providing water coolers and computers to the schools in the villages.
The UN rightly states that in SDG 1 the private sector plays a major role towards poverty reduction by promoting economic opportunities for the poor. At Chitkara University local youth have been employed from the nearby villages. Approximately 30 % of our employees are from the nearby villages. Job opportunities help stabilize families, and in directly and indirectly eradicating poverty and ensuring zero hunger.
Most of these youth come from very humble backgrounds and have only basic education that could get them a job. But for them to stay updated and grow in their specific professions, at Chitkara University we provide development programs for the staff too so that they can sharpen their skills and knowledge and grow further, thus improving their economic capacities. These include training sessions for the Maintenance Staff, Security Staff, Drivers, Housekeeping Staff, Service Staff etc., on their professional skills and traits, on hygiene and health, on mental health and happiness, on etiquettes and behaviour, on IT skills, awareness for women employees, etc., to help them improve their proficiency and skills and grow further, along with the organization. In these training programs we also provide them with knowledge on the need to have clean water and on how to test water, sessions on hygiene, organise health camps.
We believe in providing them opportunity for decent work and economic growth and further contributing towards sustainably ending poverty and hunger. They are provided opportunities to explore their talents and enjoy the facilities of the campus too.
SDGs put on our shoulders a responsibility where we leave no one behind in hunger or in poverty. It was a proud moment for us when two children from EWS families of our adopted villages were facilitated jobs at a famous hotel in Dubai. All their expense for their passports and readiness was made from Chitkara University (though CSH and NSS) and their travel. The job opportunity was facilitated by a very renowned 5Star Hotel.
A Silai Centre under the aegis of NSS, at Jhansla one of our adopted villages provides skill development to women of the village and thereafter employment opportunities to them. It is a matter of pride that more than 6000 women have been trained so far at this centre. Training women and making them competent to earn goes a long way towards gender equality, decent work, and economic growth, as well as eradication of poverty and thus hunger.
To spread awareness among villagers, students from various streams of the campus as well as volunteers of NSS participate very enthusiastically. They take turns in organising awareness camps to address various issues like sanitation, water quality, hygiene, need for greenery, need for sanitation etc. Students at times opt to spread messages through “nukkad naatak” also.
Our colleges and departments of medical streams (Department of Nursing, CSHS, MBA Healthcare) conduct health check-up camps in the villages as well as in the camps for the support staff. These include camps for general health, eye-checkups, check up for to-be-mothers, women, elderly people etc. There are certain projects too like the STI Hub project where the villagers are provided affordable healthcare, and the provision of e-counselling has also been provided to them.
The community radio of Chitkara University can be heard on 107.8 Mhz FM. This medium is used to communicate with the villagers. While all schools and departments utilise the facility of Radio 107.8 to spread awareness on various topics like saving birds campaign, hygiene, sanitation, etc., this is also used as a medium to understand the concerns of the villagers and air them so that the concern can reach the higher authorities who can help the villagers further.
At our organic farm we initiate many sustainable practices for agriculture. Not only do we train our students, we extend the knowledge and awareness to the farmers of our local villages too.
A physically fit body helps a mentally sound mind. Sports Activities are also organised for the youth of nearby villages. This way we encourage the youth to stay fit and provide them the facility of our sports ground.
The Legal Aid Clinic Committee of Chitkara Law School aims at developing legal literacy among the rural population. The committee in association with the District Legal Services Authority, Patiala organizes various Legal Awareness Programs to disseminate legal knowledge to all citizens in general and to the weaker sections of the society, including our adopted villages. Harmony cannot be taught as theory; one needs to live it to learn it. That is what we do at Chitkara University. We make conscious efforts to understand the needs of the society and contribute towards the same, and in this process teach our students – the future generation, to imbibe the same.
Yuvsatta (youth for peace) in support of Chitkara University and in close coordination with ‘Girls Parliament of schools of the city’, CCPCR-Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Piccadily Square, organized a unique two days long ‘Close the Gap Exhibition of 500 cloth paintings on Girls Rights’, by students of 25 prominent Government & Private Schools of the city, on November 10-11, 2023, at Piccadily Square, Sector 34-A, Chandigarh. With the aforesaid in view, Dr Sangeeta Pant, Dean, CCE presided over the inaugural function of the endeavour which was also shared in the press release. The event was a powerful reminder of the importance of empowering girls and ensuring equal opportunities. We are proud to be contributing to a noble cause.