MOSQUITO MENACEA DFC 2012 PROJECT

By ANANDO

This year we once again

returned to Siksha Sadan ,

a government aided

primary school in our

locality. This was where

we had started our first

DFC project in 2010. We

wanted to continue

helping the school, so

here we were again!

SONU

DEEPAK

SONU JR

RANJIT

GAURAV

NITESH

DHIRAJ

The children at the

Siksha Sadan School

had been complaining

that it was very difficult

to enjoy their mid-day

meal because the shed,

where they ate, had so

many mosquitoes!

At the same time

there were reports in

the media every day

of an out break of

malaria and dengue

in Kolkata.

We knew that it was

dangerous for the

children to be

exposed to an area

full of mosquitoes.

They could get

inflicted with these

diseases at any time.

So we decided to do

something about it.

First we researched

malaria and dengue

on the internet to

understand the

diseases.

Then we made a

plan of action.

We would:

1. Survey the

school compound

to identify areas

where mosquitoes

can breed and then

clean them up.

2. Conduct an

awareness

campaign within

the school to make

the students aware

of how the diseases

can be prevented.

We surveyed the school premises and found

many areas where mosquitoes could breed!

The area

where old

furniture is

dumped

Open

drains

with

stagnatin

g water

A reservoir for

storing water

A rubbish dump

between the boundary

and shed walls

The toilets

We then set about

cleaning up all these

places…

Spraying insect repellant and

scattering bleaching powder

completed the task

The students

helped us cart the

bags of rubbish out

to the big municipal

rubbish dump near

by.

BEFORE AFTER

The area between the boundary and shed walls

The children can

eat in peace now!

Next, it was time for the

campaign!

We went to the

Municipal Corporation

to find out more. Dr.

Bannerjee was most

helpful!

The visit also gave us

a chance to see how

blood is collected

and malaria testing is

done .

We came back with

lots of information

and pamphlets for

distribution.

Using the

information, we

made posters .

Using the posters

we delivered a talk

on controlling

malaria and

dengue. We spoke

to the students of

Classes 3 and 4 .

They had lots of

questions…

We also enacted a

play to show how

dengue spreads.

The leaflets from the

corporation were also

distributed so the

children could spread

the message to their

families.

Next we helped the

students to make

posters , using their

new-found knowledge.

A bunch of

colourful posters

are now ready to be

put up around the

shed, where the

children have their

mid-day meal. They

will be put up as

soon as the school

re-opens after the

Puja holidays

We enjoyed campaigning

….the talk, the role play was

fun! Next time we will use the

acting tips that Head Sir gave

us…and practice more!

The visit to the

corporation was

very interesting.

We learnt a lot .

It was disgusting cleaning

the rubbish in the

school…the cockroaches

that came running out

were horrible! But once

we started, we were

determined to

finish….and it felt good at

the end

We heard some of the

school children discussing

what we had told them

afterwards…it was

exciting that they were

interested in what we had

taught them!

It was good overall. But

with better planning and

greater teamwork we

could achieve more