BEST PRACTICE –I

Tabs of Values

Morning Star Home Science College (MSHSC), Angamaly, envisions imparting theoretical knowledge that leads to real-life practices, enabling the students to brace up for daily challenges and thereby lead a life that is nourishing to the self as well as the society.

Tabs of Values are designed with a thrust on giving awareness and hands-on practice to the learners. The awareness classes are supported by a well-designed curriculum. The values included in the curriculum are practiced through various activities at the departmental and institutional levels.

Awareness Classes

The theoretical inputs with regard to this practice are achieved through the Human Values Development Programme(HVDP). It is a curriculum-based programme, delivered to all the first, second- and third-year UG students, at 1 pm, once every week. This programme, with a regular schedule and timetable, has been well mapped and practiced for the last five years, initially under the label Incitement Programme (IP) and for the last three years as Human Values Development Programme (HVDP). The key areas are as follows:

Regular Practices:

• Anna Dhaan (Share a Meal): Lunch packets are collected and distributed to Abhaya Bhavan, Koovapady, Perumbavoor, every first Friday. Around 100-150 packets are collected each time.
• Sithara Samrakshan (Save a Star): Sithara Samrakshan is a financial support scheme regularly undertaken by the institution.  Voluntary contributions from the staff and students collected during the annual auction are the main source of funds. Needy students are given support in the form of uniforms, noontime meals, notebooks etc.
• Back to Ink: Back to Ink is an initiative towards environmental sustainability. Since 2017-18, MSHSC has linkage with “Niravu-Zero Waste Management”, Vengeri, Kozhikkode.  Used ballpoint pens are collected and handed over to Niravu, for recycling. Labeled Boxes are placed at different positions in the campus.
• Akshaya Paatra (Charity Basket): It is a noble venture to extend a helping hand to the needy. Staff and students can deposit food, clothing and other items in the beautifully designed Charity Box. The items thus collected are handed over to St. Joseph’s High School, Angamaly.
• Ore Manam (Many Hands, One Heart): The students of MSHSC collect clothes and other stationary items for donation. The items thus collected are handed over to Valsalyam Orphanage, Kalamassery, Pakalveedu, Angamaly, and Charis Bhavan, Edakkunnu.
• Visits to the Homes for the Destitute: The students visit the hapless destitute and offer their support in elderly care.
• Swacchata ka Punarnirmaan (Best out of Waste): Joining hands to the PM’s vision of a Clean India, students collect waste materials, convert them to useful products and organize sales on the campus. During the COVID pandemic times, sans sale, the students organized an online exhibition of recycled objects, titled “Trash to Treasure.”
• Observation of Days: Festivals and days celebrated by the students of MSHSC, in the college and the hostel. MSHSC encourages the students to embrace other traditions and cultures just as they do with their own. Such observations help in building a strong cultural belief among the students. It also aids in understanding the essence of nationalism, sustainable environment and other pertinent concerns of the times.

EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS

The enthusiasm with which the students proactively responded to the unexpected and unprecedented situations, is a standing testimony to prove that the orientation given to them has been rewarding.

• Hair Donation: MSHSC Staff and students voluntarily donated their hair to cancer patients.
• Blood Donation: The staff and students take it their responsibility to help those in need, and donate blood every year.
• Flood Relief Activities: The Kerala Flood 2018 was unprecedented and massive.MSHSC staff and students were at the forefront of the relief activities. Contributions and manual help were offered in plenty to the victims to restore their lives.
• Covid Relief Activities: Dinju Mariya Davis, 2nd B.Sc. Physics served as a volunteer in the Covid first-line treatment center (CFLTC), CIAL. NSS volunteers of MSHSC wholeheartedly participated in the COVID Vaccination Drives, in April 2021, supporting PM’s #Unite2FightCorona Jan Andolan.
• Going Green: Understanding and extending solidarity to the priority given to sustainable, eco-friendly development by Morning Star, the alumni of MSHSC donated Solar photovoltaic street lights, which are installed across the campus.
• Food Kit Distribution: As part of the Poverty Eradication Programme in the adopted village of Deepthi Gramam 200kg of rice were collected, and distributed.
• Donations: The amount collected from the e-waste sale- a sum of INR 8000, was given as a donation to a cancer patient. Essentials like books and clothing collected by the students of MSHSC, were distributed to the Tribals of Attappadi. Study materials and lunch boxes were distributed as part of Vayomithram, from the funds collected from the students of MSHSC.

BEST PRACTICE –II

Community Lab

-Empowering women through multifarious activities.

The different pillars of the institution- the Management, the Departments, and Cells- provide training sessions in their areas of expertise under the leadership of selected students and staff. This enables the students to get practice in and to share the knowledge acquired by them. The following are the Community Lab activities:

• Ornamental Jewellery Making by the Women’s Cell for the general public, on 30 October 2018, at CDS Community Hall.
• Hand Embroidery workshop, on November, 2018.
• White Forest Cake Making, on December, 2018.
• LED distribution and awareness class on “Why LED?” by the students of Department of Physics, on 29 June 2019, in the Anganwadi of Nedumbassery Grama Panchayath.
• Technology Management Development Programme on Food Sector, from 3 Feb, 2020 to 17 Feb, 2020.
• Training in Mask Making for homemakers, at Snehadhara Family Apostolate Centre, Angamaly.
• Training sessions on Paper Bag Making for the students of MSHSC and the homemakers at Snehadhara Family Apostolate Centre, Angamaly. Assistance to sell the paper bags made by the trainees was also given.
• The Management took the initiative to support the students and the women of the local community during the distress period of the COVID-19 times. Training in poultry rearing and free chicks with coops was provided to help them earn a living.
• Cake baking class by the PG & Research Department of Home Science, on 26 November, 2021 for the housewives of Ward 27, Angamaly Municipality.
• Hands-on Training on “Soap and Toilet Cleaner Making”, by the Department of Chemistry, for the women of Ward 27, Angamaly Municipality, on 30 December, 2021.
• Hands-on training on LED Light Making, by the Department of Physics, for the children of age group 13-17 years, Ward 27, Angamaly Municipality, on 21 December, 2021.
• Training on “Vermitechnology”, by the Department of Zoology, for the women of Ward 27, Angamaly Municipality, on 23 December, 2021.
• An awareness class on “Budget Preparation” by the Department of Commerce, for the Kudumbasree members of Ward 6, Kunnumpuram, Desom, Aluva, on 5 December, 2021.
• Training on “Preparation of Financial Statement” by the Department of B.Voc., for the Kudumbasree members of Ward 6, Kunnumpuram, Desom, Aluva, on 5 December, 2021.
• Awareness class on “Introducing the Language of Internet”, by the Department of English, for the housewives of Ward 27, Angamaly Municipality, on 15 December, 2021.

EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS

The Community Lab programme of MSHSC stands out as an extremely successful outcome-oriented venture for the students as well as the community. The venture, being a “Lab” exercise, makes sure that every learner is fully equipped to practice what is taught.

Community Lab practice transformed many homemakers to entrepreneurs. Testimonials of the participants prove that the orientation given to them has been instrumental in earning a daily living