A First Step at Tugasi Government Primary School: Children Step Into Sustainability Through Play and Drawing

On 30th August, the Indiahikes team visited Tugasi Government Primary School, where 20 students participated in a special program. The session was coordinated by Varun and Sachin, along with the school staff.

This wasn’t just another activity on the calendar. For Tugasi, it was the beginning of something larger. The strong participation of both the children and the school made this start truly significant.

Starting with Introductions and Games

The program opened with an interaction led by Varun. He asked the children to introduce themselves and share what they want to become when they grow up. Their answers set the tone for the day.

To bring energy into the group, Varun led a game of Fire in the Mountains. The children played together, and it helped build a sense of comfort in the group.

A Lesson in Cleanliness

This was followed by a drawing session led by Rohan. 

He taught the basics of shading, guiding the children to draw a mountain landscape with tents in the foreground. 

In the first version of the drawing, the children showed plastic waste around the tents. They themselves noticed that it spoiled the scene. When Rohan suggested, “Ab isko saaf karte hain,” they erased the waste. 

The cleaner drawing immediately stood out. Through this, the children connected with the idea of keeping the outdoors free of waste. 

Learning About Sustainability and Fire Making

Aditya and Varun then introduced waste segregation. 

After a short Green Sweep around the school, they explained how to separate waste into different categories. The children actively participated and understood how such small steps can lead to a big impacT.

The next activity was on outdoor survival skills. 

The team showed how to start a fire using a flint and a magnifying glass, while also explaining the risks of fire in the mountains and why it should be avoided. They watched intently, absorbing each detail of the hands-on demonstration 

The session highlighted both the method and the precautions.

Reflections and Pledge

At the end, each child received a cookie and shared what they had learned. Several students said they would avoid creating waste and would segregate plastic. Others spoke about enjoying the drawing and survival activities.

The program closed with the children taking a pledge not to spread or generate waste and to keep their surroundings clean. Teachers and the principal welcomed the effort and suggested similar activities could be extended to the wider community.

I want to pause here to note this — what happened in Tugasi was not just another school activity. It went deeper. 

The conversations and exercises were not about delivering a lecture on sustainability. They were about experiencing it — about children noticing, questioning, and choosing to make a change on their own.

Change does not come from one-off sessions or quick interventions. It comes from these small, steady moments where awareness becomes action. 

And in Tugasi, on that morning, we witnessed exactly that.