Our school provided us with an opportunity to explore the Gir Forest and also help, an organization working there, in building covers for wells in order to protect the lions. Often lions fall into the wells and die. To prevent this from happening, we were asked to build covers for the wells. 

The strands covered through this task are “activity”, and “service”. 

The learning outcomes covered are: 

LO1- Identify own strengths and weaknesses

While my determination is my strength, my impatient nature is my major weakness. My impatient nature made me face difficulties while working in a team. I often got irritated when the work wasn’t done. However, with time, I realized that I need to work upon this. It was important for me to identify my strengths and weakness. I can now use my determination in the right places and work upon my impatient nature. Working upon my weakness will help me become a better person, mentally.

LO3- Initiate and plan a CAS experience

Planning is essential for everything. It was very necessary while we made the covers for the well. All of us with our instructors made a detailed plan about how we will build the covers and what all things we will require. We also planned about what roles each of us will play. However, things turned out to be different when our plans were initiated. Frequent electricity cuts made welding and cutting a very time-consuming task. Hence, we had to do later chores quite quickly and efficiently to get our work done on time. This experience will surely help me in planning out things better in the future. Now I know how important it is to have contingency plans ready. 

LO5-. Demonstrate the skills and benefits of working collaboratively

No one could make such huge well covers alone. Hence, working collaboratively was a must. We were all divided into two teams and we had to make two well-covers. In our teams, we divided our work accordingly, so that the work is done faster. Working in a team is usually easy for me. However, when some team members didn’t work properly in our team, I become quite irritated. All of us then had to divide work according to our interest so that everyone stays occupied and satisfied. Self- Management skills were also required because we had to manage our own work with the pace of others. Working as a team makes work easier and quicker to do. 

LO6-Engagement with issues of global significance

Death of lions by falling into wells is a global issue. This has caused a significant decrease in their population. This could cause their extinction which would affect all the ecosystems in a severe way. Food chains will get disturbed. We were also taught about this in our ESS classes and therefore this task was an extension of our school learnings. This makes it very necessary to build such covers. Awareness about this issue made me realize the impact of human development on wildlife. I also developed a sense of responsibility in me towards nature. Building two covers won’t make a lot of difference, but it will make some difference.

LO7-Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

This CAS trip was optional. Also, I was facing a ligament injury in my hand at that time. Hence, I could have not opted to go for the trip. However, I opted to go for it because I wanted to contribute to preserving our environment. Also, I could have taken advantage of injury and could have not worked. However, I knew that all of us have been exploiting the environment for years and hence, it is necessary for all of us to contribute to preserving nature. We all are aware of human rights but only a few of us are aware of the bio-rights. Bio-rights preserve the rights of the animals and account them to be as important as humans. Hence, preserving nature is very ethical and dignified. Also, while nature provides us with so many things, it is our responsibility to protect it. This is an ethical issue.

This trip to Gir Forest made me realize how important it is for humans to protect wildlife. While so much harm is caused to the environment due to us, this small initiative has the potential to save the lives of many species in the forest. Moreover, I also learned how important teamwork is. All the work that was done during the trip wouldn’t have been possible without teamwork. Hence, it is very important for everyone to work collectively. This was one of the most significant learnings of the CAS trip.

(I was responsible for cutting the metal rods with others)

(I was a part of the team that was responsible to transport and fit the covers.)