A New Chapter of Awareness at Balbhim Talim Mandal, Nandwal

[Imran]

The Ganpati festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across villages in Maharashtra and the rest of India. This year, however, a new and significant chapter was added to the celebrations at Nandwal’s Balbhim Talim Mandal, where a unique awareness initiative was conducted by our research team. This effort was part of the "Anandmay Gaav" (Happy Village) project, aiming to bring vital research findings to the attention of the local community through creative and engaging means.

### Initiating the Project

The project began with an initial meeting between myself (Imran), Kedar, and other members of the research team with the president of the Balbhim Talim Mandal. We provided him with detailed information regarding the awareness initiative, explaining how it would align with the ethos of the Ganpati festival while promoting important social messages. The president was highly enthusiastic about the initiative and immediately granted us permission to utilize space within the festival’s mandap (pavilion) for displaying the materials. This support gave a tremendous boost to our efforts and set the stage for a successful campaign.

### Presenting the Concept of Anandmay Gaav

Our research team had conducted extensive studies under the “Anandmay Gaav” project, which focused on creating a blueprint for a happier and healthier village. Based on the insights from this research, we developed a series of slogans aimed at encouraging positive change in the community. These slogans highlighted various aspects such as promoting a positive lifestyle, mental and physical well-being, and suicide prevention.

We printed these slogans on large boards and carefully placed them within the mandap of the Ganpati festival. The effort was collective; I, along with Kedar, Shah Rukh, and other members of the research team, worked together to put up these boards. This was the first time such an initiative had been undertaken in the village, and the response from the villagers was overwhelmingly positive.

### Community Participation

One of the most heartening aspects of this initiative was the reception it received from the local community. The members of the Balbhim Talim Mandal were highly appreciative of our efforts. The concept of "Anandmay Gaav" deeply resonated with them, and they expressed their willingness to actively contribute to future stages of the initiative. This level of community engagement is essential for the success of any social campaign, as it ensures the active involvement and commitment of the people it aims to serve.

Additionally, the constant support of the Smile Team, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural areas, played a vital role in bringing this project to life.

### Conclusion

The awareness initiative, timed with the Ganpati festival, was a resounding success. It not only brought the research findings of our team to the public’s attention but also laid the foundation for continued efforts to improve the lives of the villagers. The positive response from the community has given the Smile Team and our research team renewed motivation to keep pushing forward with more initiatives in the future.

Nandwal has set a new benchmark with this event. The need for such initiatives is present in every village, where awareness can lead to the collective development and well-being of the entire community. Through shared efforts, we can work towards building truly "Anandmay Gaav" across the region, where happiness and prosperity become a way of life.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Am glad this action initiated a conversation around mental health and suicide prevention. Thank you Imran