January 2025

Joy of Giving Week 2023–24 was marked by diverse initiatives that touched lives both within and beyond our campus. Key highlights included a Special School Visit in Panjim, an Old Age Home Visit in Bogmalo, and a collaborative Blood Donation Camp with Goa Medical College. The Meal of Joy fostered appreciation and camaraderie among campus workers through shared meals and interactive games. For our adopted communities in Zari and Lamani, Happy Street events offered joy through engaging activities and refreshments. Campus-wide efforts like Messages of Joy (anonymous notes to peers and faculty), the Wish Tree (faculty contributions to chosen charities),

Gift of Joy (contributions by all by buying stationary for our beneficiaries), Dish of Joy (donation by eateries of a portion of proceeds from selected dishes) and Collection Drive (collecting items such as clothes, stationary items and books as donations in collaboration with Goonj Organisation) drove active involvement and generosity. A notable new initiative, Craft of Joy, enabled students to anonymously gift handmade accessories from Samruddhi with messages of kindness. This not only spotlighted the work of the Self Help Group but also brought an element of mystery and delight to the campus—turning simple gestures into lasting impact. We also conducted Republic Day Celebrations in collaboration with Abhigyaan to keep the spirit of nationalism alive amongst our beneficiaries of Lamani area.

February 2025

Our recent initiatives created tangible academic, health, and social impact across our adopted communities. In partnership with Watson Academy, we conducted Aarohan, a talent examination for over 300 students from Lamani, Zari, and Birla. With guidance from volunteers and question banks developed by our Teaching verticals, students prepared thoroughly. High performers received bicycles, and certificates were awarded to all—boosting academic motivation. Our Health Operations vertical also conducted a well-attended Eye Check-Up Camp in Zari provided essential care to many of our beneficiaries. Additionally, Udaan - a collaborative sports fest with Special Olympics Bharat and BITS Spree offered specially-abled children a platform to shine in events such as sprints, long jump, javelin, and Unified Forces. These events not only fostered inclusivity and visibility but empowered every participant to rise beyond limitations.

March 2025

This Holi, our Employment Operations vertical took a step toward economic empowerment by organizing an on-campus Holi Sale of eco-friendly colors made by Samruddhi, a women-led Self Help Group. The proceeds from the sale were directed entirely to the group, directly contributing to their financial independence. The event generated significant engagement, offering Samruddhi both visibility and a meaningful income boost. Through this initiative, we not only celebrated a festival but also fostered community-driven impact and supported local women entrepreneurs in scaling their efforts.

April 2025

In a powerful display of community-driven action, Nirmaan volunteers came together for a Beach Clean Up at Sankval Beach, promoting environmental awareness and hands-on civic engagement. Simultaneously, our education efforts bore fruit as four students from Project Disha and Shiksha cleared the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Scholarship Test. This achievement paves the way for these students to receive high-quality, residential education at no cost—transforming their academic and personal futures. These milestones reflect our dual commitment to environmental sustainability and educational equity.

August 2024

We began our 2024–25 tenure with purpose and energy. Our journey started with a successful Rakhi sale—our first ever—led by the Employment Operations team in collaboration with Samruddhi, a Self Help Group from Birla. Soon after came EduSpark, a heartwarming celebration of technology and imagination. Children from Zari and Lamani explored science firsthand at a Tech Fair powered by ERC, Kratos, and SEDS Celestia, while Abhivyakti and Synchronoise brought joy through performances. As laughter and learning filled the air, EduSpark reminded us of the endless potential in every child. In Lamani, our Health Operations vertical ran a dental camp reaching over 100 individuals with care and compassion, supported by five generous doctors. It’s been a start filled with action, impact, and hope.

October 2024

As part of our Health Operations vertical, we conducted a Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative in collaboration with the administration of our college, aimed at promoting early detection and proactive health practices among women in underserved communities. The initiative began with an awareness session held in Lamani, where over 50 women participated and engaged in conversations around symptoms, self-examination techniques, and the importance of regular screening. Following the session, 30 women opted to undergo a breast cancer screening facilitated at our college's medical center. This initiative not only empowered women with knowledge but also enabled access to potentially life-saving medical support—bridging the gap between awareness and action in communities that often lack preventive healthcare services. Our vertical Employment Operations also conducted a successful Diwali sale on campus for our students and faculty with the help of products made by Samruddhi - the self Help Group.

January 2024

During Joy of Giving Week 2024–25, the NGO conducted a series of meaningful initiatives, including visits to a special school and an old age home in Bogmalo, along with a blood donation camp in partnership with Goa Medical College. As part of the Meal of Joy, volunteers served food and organized games for campus workers, fostering a warm and joyful environment. Celebrations were also held with children from our adopted communities in Zari and Lamanai, featuring fun activities and refreshments.

Week-long campus events included Messages of Joy (anonymous notes to friends and faculty), the Wish Tree (enabling faculty to donate to causes of their choice), and Dish of Joy, where select eateries contributed a share of their proceeds to charitable efforts.

February 2024

Udaan- a sports festival for specially-abled children was held in collaboration with Special Olympics Bharat and BITS Spree, offering a platform for participants to display their skills and perseverance through events like the 50m walk, 100m race, and javelin throw, standing long jump etc. Embracing the spirit of inclusivity, this event created a day filled with joy and sportsmanship.

We also successfully finished a significant project at the Disha School in Panjim where we donated essential equipment like sensory mats, sensory therapy wrap, a support chair and so on for over fifty specially-abled children's occupational therapy.

March 2024

This Holi, the Employment Operations vertical advanced its mission of economic empowerment by hosting an on-campus sale of eco-friendly colors crafted by, now Samruddhi, a women-led Self Help Group in Birla. All proceeds were directed to the group, supporting their journey toward financial independence. The event saw enthusiastic participation, providing Samruddhi with increased visibility and a valuable income opportunity. Beyond celebrating the festival, the initiative promoted community engagement and uplifted local women entrepreneurs in their growth efforts.

April 2024

April marked a sweet ending of the academic year 2023-24 as we saw the results of JNVST examination, a scholarship test that provides free education to meritorious underprivileged candidates, and Nirmaan proudly celebrated the work of our Teaching verticals as their year long dedication finally paid off when 6 students- 3 from Zari and 3 from Lamani were selected and given full scholarship for their senior secondary education from a boarding school run by the government. The scholarship included tuition fees, study material expenses and living expenses of these students- which has made a truly lasting impact in their lives.

August 2023

EduSpark marked the inaugural event of the 2023–24 tenure, where children from our adopted slum communities in Zari and Lamani were invited to a Technology Fair organized in collaboration with campus technical clubs—AeroD, Kratos, and the Electronics and Robotics Club. The event aimed to spark scientific curiosity and introduce the children to the transformative potential of technology, fostering learning and inspiration. It was a day dedicated to education, empowerment, and joy.

September 2023

On the occasion of International Coastal Clean-up Day, the Nirmaan Goa Chapter, in collaboration with There Is No Earth B, organized a coastal clean-up drive that successfully cleared Sankval Beach and its surrounding areas of waste and debris.

Additionally, our Health Operations vertical conducted an eye check-up camp at SYSM School in Zari, benefiting over 70 underprivileged residents by providing free eye examinations. The initiative also facilitated the distribution of 21 subsidized spectacles to those in need.

November 2023

The Employment Operations vertical of Nirmaan organized a Diwali sale, where women from Birla—now part of our Self-Help Group Samruddhi—crafted and sold designer diyas and candles across the campus to students and faculty. The revenue generated from the sale was handed over to the women as their rightful earnings, promoting financial independence and entrepreneurial spirit. In November, Nirmaan BITS Goa also collaborated with PepsiCo for a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

Sixteen promising female beneficiaries from the Zari and Lamani communities participated in a cultural exchange program with global representatives from PepsiCo. The event included a creative cycle decoration activity and interactive discussions on cultural diversity. As a gesture of appreciation, each participant received a beautifully adorned bicycle, making it a day filled with learning, celebration, and empowerment.

December 2023

Our Health Operations vertical conducted a Menstrual Health Awareness campaign where 80+ students were benefited by understanding about menstrual health and garnering awareness and breaking the stigma around it.

January 2023

As part of Joy of Giving Week 2023–24, the NGO organized several impactful events, including visits to a special school and an old age home in Bogmalo, as well as a blood donation drive in collaboration with Goa Medical College. The Meal of Joy saw volunteers serving meals and playing games with campus workers to create a cheerful atmosphere. We also celebrated with children from our adopted slums in Zari and Lamanai through engaging activities followed by refreshments. Campus-wide week-long events included Messages of Joy (anonymous notes to peers and faculty), the Wish Tree (faculty contributions to chosen charities), and Dish of Joy, where eateries donated a portion of proceeds from select dishes.

March 2023

In collaboration with Special Olympics Bharat, The Sarvodaya Collective, and BITS Spree, a sports fest for specially-abled children was organized, providing them a platform to showcase their talent and determination through events such as the 50m walk, 100m race, and mini javelin throw. This event also marked the revival of Udaan, held for the first time in three years following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2023

A dental check-up camp was organized to promote oral health and hygiene among underprivileged communities. Conducted in collaboration with qualified dental professionals, the camp provided free consultations, basic treatments, and awareness sessions on dental care. Beneficiaries received individual assessments and guidance on maintaining long-term oral health, making the initiative both preventive and educational in nature.

• Vertical Updates: Nirmaan Goa Chapter operates in three major domains - Knowledge, Health, and Employment, and we are elated to share that each of the domains has made exemplary progress. COVID-19 had forced us to shift our activities to an online mode and this year marked the complete transition back into an offline mode. The Health Operations organized a free Eye check-up camp for the people of Zari (Apr 2022). The Employment Operations successfully hosted a Diwali Sale for the products made by women from two Self-Help Groups from Zari and Birla (Oct 2022). Thanks to the support of all Students and Faculty, we were able to accomplish record sales this year. The Knowledge Operations successfully started teaching more than 100 students from all standards in an offline mode. The Knowledge Operations, namely our Shiksha and Disha Verticals, who guide students for the JNVST examination, achieved an exceptional accolade, as 4 of our students got shortlisted through the exam. Out of these four, we are excited to share that Sumit from the 9th standard was one of only three students from South Goa to have cleared the exam.
• The Joy of Giving Week (Mar 2022): COVID-19 disrupted our flagship event, Joy Of Giving Week, but this year marked the restoration of the beloved event. With a motto of "Time to bring a change", Nirmaan was successful in spreading wholesome energy across our campus. We hope the following year marks an even bigger event!
• Vocational Training Camps: We at Nirmaan are strong believers in Women Empowerment, and to facilitate the same, we are elated to share that the Nirmaan Goa Chapter successfully set up Vocational Training Camps. These Camps will empower more than 60 women by giving them free but reliable knowledge in the domains of IT, Fashion Designing, and Beauty Salons. We surely hope they will benefit from the same and will be able to become independent and help other women to achieve their dreams!
• Installation of Sanitary Pad Dispensers (Dec 2022): Menstrual Health is still taboo in some parts of rural Goa, and as an attempt to change the dynamics of the region, the Nirmaan Goa Chapter installed a Sanitary Pad Dispenser at Multipurpose High School in Madgaon, Goa. The dispenser is equipped to hold and dispense up to 40 sanitary pads and we hope to have created a positive impact to help all the girl students at the school and reduce the Taboo surrounding it.
• Velsao and Hollant Beach Clean-up (Sep & Nov 2022): We at Nirmaan understand the importance of Cleanliness. As a result, Nirmaan undertook two major Beach Clean-ups drives of beaches near our campus. On International Coastal Clean-up day, Nirmaan Goa Chapter took part in a nationwide coastal cleanup drive and helped clean Velsao Beach in association with the Coast guard of Goa. A Guinness World Record for more than 7500km of coastline, cleaned simultaneously with more than 75,000 volunteers all over India, was attempted, and in Goa alone, 5300+ volunteers cleaned 26000+ kilograms of waste on the Goan Coastline. Nirmaan Goa Chapter also hosted the Hollant Beach Cleanup in association with "There is No Earth B". More than 20 volunteers, which included BITS Goa students from first-year undergraduate degrees to PhD Scholars, helped clean the scenic beach and cleaned almost 162 kilograms of plastic from Hollant Beach.
• Mental Health Camps (Oct 2022): We are excited to share that this year, the Nirmaan Goa Chapter conducted three Sessions regarding the betterment of Mental Health. Two sessions were conducted in association with the Art of Living. One of these was an Online workshop for Breathing and Breathwork, and the other was for Breathwork and Meditation. Nirmaan also conducted a session on positive psychology with the founder of "Towards a Better You" as the main speaker and in association with Waves'22.
• Installation of Fences in SYSM School (Dec 2022): Nirmaan Goa Chapter successfully installed a fence around the SYSM School in Zari. The installation was of paramount importance for increased safety in and around the School premises.
• Drone Show for the local kids (Sep 2022): In order to instill scientific curiosity among children, we invited kids from Zari to our campus and showed them how drones work. It was a teacher's day celebration event.

Community members at BITS Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus launched an initiative, together with Nirmaan - Goa Chapter to help migrant workers and other labourers in Zuarinagar. The initiative has raised funds through donations and has been able to provide more than 300 families dry grocery packs. We also helped many labourers and families access cooked food and dry rations provided by the government. Faculty members who are part of the initiative helped more than 100 migrant labourers register for travel on Shramik trains and many are also being provided a small sum to support them through the journey. We are also collaborating with the Primary Health Centre at Cansaulim (which covers the Zuarinagar area) in training trainers to raise awareness and bring about behavioural changes to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

NIRMAAN volunteer wishes to thank everyone who came forward to donate and spread the word about the initiative.

• SESSION ON FEMALE HYGIENE AND MENSTRUAL CUPS
  NIRMAAN-Goa Chapter conducted a session to spread awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene. The session was open to all students and faculty. It was organized in collaboration with the Upasana Society. Miss Dipti Kashalkar, the speaker, educated the audience on the importance of menstrual hygiene and the use of menstrual cups.
• FIRST-AID AWARENESS SESSION
  On the occasion of Children’s Day, NIRMAAN-Goa Chapter conducted an awareness session on First Aid and its implications. This was conducted at SYSM High School in Vasco Da Gama. The children were taught about the first aid and its importance through interactive exercises. This event saw a large number of kids in the session and not surprisingly, it was also attended by many of the parents.
• BLOOD DONATION AND EYE-CHECK UP CAMP
  In the month of August, NIRMAAN organized its first health camp for blood donation. Over 150 people attended the camp and donated blood for the needy. It was conducted at the Student Activity Centre in collaboration with Goa Medical College. On the 17th of November, Nirmaan-Goa Chapter in association with Eye Fye held a free eye check-up camp. This camp was held at Sharada Mandir in Zari and more than 75 adults and children came for the check-up.
• MAHINDRA OPEN DRIVE COLLABORATION
  Be it Women Empowerment or Better Employment, NIRMAAN-Goa Chapter has its consequences everywhere. Recently our NGO partnered with Mahindra Open Drive to support over 100 women. The event was a fundraiser for rural women and it involved five levels of donations based on the amount. The event happened on the 8th & 9th of November.
• JOY OF GIVING WEEK
  With the slogan of “A Small Spark Lifts The Dark”, NIRMAAN-Goa Chapter was back with another edition of the Joy OF Giving Week. The week consisted of a plethora of events ranging from clean up drives to fun-filled activities which were conducted both inside and outside the campus. s. These events witnessed participation from all age groups. From children, students, faculty members, supporting staff, adults to the elderly, this week had something for everyone.
• TEACH FOR A DAY
  Teach For A Day was an event for the freshers to make them understand a part of the work that NIRMAAN does throughout the year. Conducted for over 5 days, it was a chance to become someone’s tutor for a day and teach the children of Zari and Lamani. The first edition was conducted in August. The second edition was conducted on the occasion of Children’s Day, 14th November. Combined the event witnessed a participation of over 200+ volunteers.
• STREET PLAY
  In today’s competitive college environment, an individual’s mental health often takes a backseat in the list of priorities. To start a conversation about this issue, NIRMAAN conducted a street play in collaboration with M-Power on the topic of Mental Health Awareness among college students. Performed in front of an audience of 300+ students the play encouraged them to take action for mental well-being and health.

UDAAN

On 23rd February the volunteers of Nirmaan - a student-run NGO - successfully organised Udaan in association with Spree - the sports festival of BITS Pilani Goa Campus. Udaan is a sports festival for the differently abled children across various schools in Goa. The event was organised for students with physical and mental disabilities. Udaan 2019 witnessed participation of over 150 students from 4 different schools from Goa. It was held in collaboration with Special Olympics Association Bharat - Goa and Paralympics Association of Goa.
The session began with different categories of judo whose participants were hearing impaired children. The afternoon session started with fun filled games, activities and dance as a warm up for the children. Sports such as football, softball, bocce and athletics followed. After the completion of all organised sports the volunteers celebrated with the students - playing with them, enjoying themselves, clicking pictures at a photo-booth set up for the children. The event came to its conclusion with the prize distribution ceremony. The ceremony was graced by chief guest Prof. Dr. G . Raghurama, director of BITS Pilani who conferred medals and certificates upon the winners. He praised the participants as well as the volunteers for making this event a phenomenal success.

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AWARENESS

On 6th February, Nirmaan - Goa chapter organized an awareness session on the topic of menstrual hygiene and its understanding. The discussion and the presentation revolved around lifestyle disorders like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and alternative feminine hygiene products like menstrual cups. It was conducted by Dr. Jansi Satyanarayanan and Mrs Suman Nikhil Sharma from Samriddhi Sharma Foundation, an NGO in Goa.

ITI INITIATIVE

It had come to our notice over these years that many students would drop out of their schools after class 10, and not undergo any further education, or even if they did, some would find the subjects too difficult and not make it through.To counter this, along with ITI Vasco, we conducted an awareness session in two nearby schools, Keshav Smruti, Alto Dabolim and Shree Yallalingeshwar Sharda Mandir, Zari on the 8th of March. In all, over 100+ students of class 9 and 10 attended the sessions and were acquainted with future vocational training options at ITI.

BANKING INITIATIVE

The team of Nirmaan - Goa chapter, decided to hold a banking informative session for the non-teaching staff on our campus that included the gardening staff, the security staff and the staff that works in our messes. This session, which was conducted by personnel from SBI, included informing the attendees about the procedure for setting up an account, deposition of money, withdrawal of money, use of ATM cards, slip-less cash deposit facility, printing of passbooks, application of UPI and the use of SBI's YONO application.

GMS PROJECT

A number of schools that lack the basic amenities that constitute a good schooling environment. One such school was Government Middle School, Dabolim. With the help of Mrs Alka Damle, the leaky tiled roof was replaced with cemented asbestos sheets. The faded external walls, as well as walls of classrooms, the school kitchen and the office premises, were plastered and repainted to provide for a more welcoming environment. Other than this, the school's water tank was repaired and cleaned and a water filter was reinstalled after proper service. Repairing of electric connections, fitting of new bulbs and tube lights in the school premises were also undertaken.

COMPUTER INSTALLATION

In April, Nirmaan Goa chapter installed a full set of 5 computer systems to Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Vasco. The donation was facilitated by BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus. We’re thankful to the administration of our college in supporting in this initiative which helped the school set up aComputer Lab for special kids. We’re grateful to have had this opportunity to give back to them and nurture our relations further with the school.

BLOOD DONATION & EYE CHECK-UP CAMP

In January, a blood donation camp was held in the Student Activity Centre where approximately 170 people donated blood. The blood was collected by Government medical College, Goa. In February, Nirmaan conducted the second eye check-up for the workers and non-teaching staff at BITS, which benefited around 70 people.

CLOTH COLLECTION DRIVE

In To wrap up another eventful semester, united in the spirit of giving, Nirmaan- Goa Chapter and Abhigyaan conducted a Cloth and Notebook Collection Drive. The collections of this drive were donated to Goa Welfare Charitable Trust for distribution amongst the needy. We would like to thank all BITSians who contributed to this drive for sending a truckload of happiness to the underprivileged.

STREET PLAY

In With the aim of creating public awareness about issues pertaining to our daily lives, volunteers of Nirmaan - Goa chapter conducted street plays throughout the state of Goa in February. With a total of 8 versions of the play that ranged from issues like drug abuse and domestic violence to the flaming topic of voter awareness and registration and the menace of unhygienic surroundings, the actors expressed themselves with an appealing vigour. These street plays were performed with the idea to plead to the audience's humanity and to make them realise the change that we all can bring, once we set our minds to something.

JoGW - Turn the frown upside down:From 16th to 23rd September, Nirmaan conducted Joy of Giving Week (JoGW), the festival of joy, an event of sports and fun-filled activities for children from around the campus and to spread a sense of joy among BITSians as well. With an aim to inculcate happiness, Nirmaan volunteers visited an old age home and a school for special children. Along with this, events like Evening of Joy and Meal of Joy helped introduce on-campus students to the “art” of volunteering. Events like the beach-cleanup drive were conducted to provide students with an opportunity of contributing towards the society.

#DoItForKerala:To help people of Kerala who were fighting against the floods, Nirmaan, in association with the Alumni Relations Cell organised #DoItForKerala as a small contribution to the people. For every 5 glasses of karela juice which the students had, a medical kit was sponsored by the alumni. This event was mainly for the students who wished to support the paradise when it had fallen during some adverse times. Along with this, Nirmaan Organization’s central team also contributed with volunteer work in Kerala with an initiative, Operation Sahaaya.

Soch: Discussions on socially prevalent topics involve putting your point-of-view forward and understanding other's view so that we can reach a consensus. With this motive, Nirmaan held an open discussion on the topic, “free speech.” The topic explored the effect of dank memes on the crowd that views it and the discussion was aimed at understanding various viewpoints on the same.

Street Play: Any sort of change in society is brought about only when those affected by it realise the worth of that change. Awareness that is spread through various actions reaches a large crowd and leaves a long-lasting impact. Talking about the adverse effects of drug abuse, Nirmaan took the responsibility to throw some light on the same and tried creating awareness by the means of a street play.

Teach For A Day:Every day, the joy we get by teaching kids in Zari is immense. With an aim to spread this joy and to make people realise the worth of their small efforts, Nirmaan organised “Teach For A Day.” This event, which saw a participation of nearly 75 volunteers over 6 days, introduced students out of Nirmaan to the education-related work done by our organization.

Eye check-up camp:Be it childhood or old age, vision plays an important role and people need to act to keep their sight healthy. Keeping this in mind, on 30th September, 2018, Nirmaan, in association with Eye Fye, organised a free eye check-up camp at SYSM High School, Zari. Around 70 kids and 40 adults from Zari were given a free eye check-up where some of them were detected with having a high power anomaly. Doctors and the volunteers were able to provide correct guidance and support to the people.

Diwali sale and stall:On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, Nirmaan volunteers, with the help of Ashadeep (SHG from Zari) managed to sell diyas and decorative candles to students, faculty and staff members. Along with this, similar items created by the self-help group were also sold by volunteers on the cultural fest of our college, Waves. The students who came from across the country gained important insight into the work that Nirmaan does.