Girl power: Apeejay student holds online classes, gives a fillip to knowledge quotient in Noida village

The world is still reeling under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since last year, the challenge to move from an offline to an online mode of teaching-learning has been huge for students, teachers and educational institutions. Underprivileged students who come to regular, offline schools, have found it tough to cope with the change and study with limited resources.

Recognising this shortcoming, Tavisha Sharma, a student of class 12 at Apeejay School, Noida volunteered with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Vidya and Child, (A project under the Jayaprakash Narayan Memorial Trust),  to tutor students of class 10, at Shahpur Village, Sector 130 in Noida, by conducting online lessons in Biology. She provided them constant academic support and guidance, tackling difficulties such as getting them interested in an online curriculum and  connectivity issues. “I tried to incorporate videos, activities, and class discussions to ensure active participation to a batch of 25 students per academic session. Teaching these students was a life-changing experience for me. It was a realisation that we are very fortunate to have all the basic resources easily available to us,” says Sharma.

Despite being a student herself, she managed her academic schedule to utilise her time effectively and help underprivileged students. She is inspired by the book, “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World” written by Melinda Gates. 

Sharma has further received a letter of recommendation by the NGO for her selfless efforts for two academic sessions which have brought about an impactful change to the lives of these first-generation underprivileged learners. She has been involved in multiple social welfare drives, especially for girls. Sharma has worked with several national and international NGOs in the realms of education, health and hygiene management, mentoring, tutoring and virtual sight assistance.

“I have always been passionate about using the power of science to uplift the community.”

– Tavisha Sharma, student, Apeejay School, Noida