EnTribment Kuttampuzha . Adopting a Tribal Community While community care is a mandate as reflected in the motto of the institution, “For God and Country”, adopting a tribal community is an ennobled vision emanated from the motto. Being a minority institution that upholds Christian virtues of love and care for the fellow beings, channelizing the resources for the enhancement of underprivileged community is the ethos of the college. The students imbibe philanthropic values as the virtuous takeaways from the institution. The tribal communities require extra care, support and attention owing to their primitive traits, geographical isolation, distinct culture, inhibition or shy of contact with community at large, economic backwardness, pre-agriculture level of technology, stagnant or declining population, extremely low literacy and subsistence level of economy. While some tribal communities have adopted a mainstream way of life, at the other end of the spectrum, there are certain groups that are underprivileged and particularly vulnerable, which are at different stages of social, economic and educational development. The tribal community adopted by the institution is Kuttampuzha, and different outreach, extension and enhancement activities have been organised as part of Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan Scheme of MHRD, spearheaded by the NGO organisation of the institution, BeFORE. Kuttampuzha was selected for adoption with a special concern for the tribal inmates who lie at a close proximity of the college. The project enTribment Kuttampuzha focuses on the upliftment of the children, youth and adult to the mainstream empowering the inmates of tribal hamlets of Kuttampuzha Panchayath through entrepreneurships, educational support, skill development programmes, cultural club activities etc. Kuttampuzha village is located in Kothamangalam, Ernakulam district in Kerala. It is the only tribal region in Ernakulam, which is around 60 km from Bharata Mata College. Agriculture is the main occupation of the villagers which faces a set back now with decreased cultivation and zero remedial measures. The population is distanced from other communities, which hinders the acquisition of formal education, especially for women. Poor health and living conditions escalate their problems. The co-ordinators of the project, enTribment Kuttampuzha devise specific strategies to usher holistic development and to improve their living conditions. Education, drinking water and road facility and electricity are the main concerns of the colony. Survey at Thalavechapara : 9th June 2018 As an initial step, a household survey was conducted on 9th June 2018 under UBA in Thalavechapara Hamlet, Kuttampuzha. Around 65 houses were covered in the survey. Students from Bharata Mata College along with the faculties, Ms. Reny Rajan and Mr Tony M Tom conducted the survey in a systematic manner. The detailed study and problem identification of Thalaverchapara hamlet were done through the survey. “Satchel Pooyamkutty” : 26th June 2018 A new mission was taken up by Bharata Mata College as part of UBA to light the lives of 80 children at St George UP School, Pooyamkutty, Kuttampuzha. The main objective of the programme was to identify the needs of children and provide them with books and stationery items. As part of this, every department was informed to contribute books and other stationeries that are required for these children. All the students, teaching and non teaching staffs of the college actively participated in this venture by contributing in the best possible manner. Distribution of books and school stationeries to children of Pooyamkutty School On 26th June 2018, under the initiative of Bharata Mata College, Fr. Jacob G Palackappilly, the Manager, Mr. Tony M Tom, Assistant Professor and 11 students of Bharata Mata College visited St George UP School, Pooyamkutty as part of the mission taken up for UBA to provide books, bags and umbrellas to 80 needy children. Vice President of the Kuttampuzha panchayath Mr. Biju, ward member of that locality and the Manager of St. George UP school were present in the programme. Fr. Jacob G Palackappilly inaugurated the programme by giving away school bags and umbrella to students. The College provided 80 students with the required stationery. All the children seemed very gleeful on receiving the books, bags and umbrellas. This initiative was very successful and motivated the students to take up more responsibilities and initiatives for such causes and missions. Food Distribution at Thera Hamlet, Kuttampuzha When Kerala was ravaged by flood, Kuttampuzha was of the worst affected areas. The people of Thera hamlet were trapped inside the forest and they were denied with basic facilities like food and other provisions. On September 1st, 2018, food materials were transported to Thera, a small hamlet which is 16 km inside the forest area) under the initiative of Bharata Mata College. The Students prepared food kits for about 25 families. Fr. Jacob G Palackappilly, the Manager, Mr. Tony M Tom, Assistant Professor and Project coordinator along with 10 students of the college, coordinated it. This activity was a great help for the poor people of the hamlet. Vacation Camp 2019 Vacation camp was organised at Thalavechapara Hamlet, Kuttampuzha from 22nd to 24th May 2019. 9 student volunteers from Bharat Mata College along with two faculty members camped at Kuttampuzha and organised Theatre and Arts basic skills. The resource persons for the workshop were Mr. Jamshid and Mr. Dinu from Sree Sankara University, Kalady. The camp also aimed to investigate the identify the reasons behind the unprecedented increase in the number of school drop outs among the indigenous children, and to devise strategies to motivate them back to school. The NGO of the institution, BeFORE collaborated with the Tribal Department and visited the interior hamlets namely Thalavechapara, Panthapra and Uriyampetti and visited the students who had the inclination to refrain from schools. During the interaction that ensued, the students expressed dislike to stay away from their hamlets and pursue studies. The group including the co-ordinators decided to visit the hostels of these children located at Neriyamangalam and probe into the issue deeply. Arts workshop at the camp Theatre Workshop at the Camp Student Interaction House Visits “Nibhoditha”2017 Academic Rural Camp: (2ND to 8th of December 2017) The Academic Rural camp for 1st Semester MSW Students began from 2ndof December and concluded on 8th of December. This year the theme followed for the camp was “Nibhoditha” meaning journey to enlightenment. A total of 29 MSW Students camped for a week in the tribal colony of Thalavechapara in Kuttampuzha location within Ernakulam District. Mr. Pinto Simon (Asst. Prof), Ms. Honey Mary John (Asst. Professor) and Mr. Tony M. Tom (Project Coordinator BeFORE) accompanied the students for the camp. The camp was solely focused on the studying the problems and issues faced by the tribal community. The trainees acquired experiences in Sramadhan, door to door surveys, conducting awareness classes for tribals and also cultural programmes. In course of the camp, the officials from the college Fr. Jacob G. Palakkapilly (Manager), Dr. Aype Thomas (principal), Dr. Sheena Rajan Philip (HOD, Dept of Social work) and Ms. Anita Annie Mathew (Asst. Professor) visited the campers and encouraged their efforts. To motivate the campers, few second years students joined them for a night to explore the beauty of nature and understand the life of tribals within forested area. Renovation of BRC Schools in Thalavechapara was also actualised during the camp. .