// Year 14 // Issue 31// 31 December 2021 Oasis Periodical (Newsletter-Cum-Magazine)
Oasis at.... Kashmir!
A Hearty Oasis Kashmir Annual Celebrations 2021!
Oasis Kashmir Annual Celebrations 2021 event was organised on 3rd November'21 at MPML School, Srinagar. It included the felicitation program to honour 40 young winners of Oasis Misaal competition (to recognise and prepare social leaders for future) from schools & colleges across the Valley.
This event also showcased the journey of beneficiaries of various other Oasis programs over the last 2 years despite the pandemic. Through Misaal program, Saamarthya Life camps for girl empowerment and Self development programs under Jyotirdhar for Head of Institutions (HoIs) and teachers, Oasis covered over 20 institutions in 6 districts of Kashmir engaging more than 2300 participants in 2021.
The entire Event was hosted by Romana Qazi (Principal, MPML HSS, Srinagar & Oasis Facilitator) and M.M. Gulzar (Director, Oasis-J&K) with the help of local Core Team of Principals of Oasis J&K. M A Beigh( Principal, BHSS, Lar) presented Vote of Thanks.
Representatives from Oasis central team, Vadodara present on this occasion were Founding members Sanjiv Shah, Sheeba Nair & Preeti Nairalong with young team leaders Aatmaja Soni, Avadhi Shah, Binit Shah, Dinkal Gayakwad, Jay Thakkar & Shailesh Agarwal.
Tassaduq Hussain Mir (Director of School Education, Kashmir) graced the event and expressed his satisfaction about DSEK supporting life oriented programs of Oasis.
"I think, the decision of going ahead for this (Oasis) program was our good decision. The programs about heart, life, friendship - these are very elaborate and complex things."
Misaal Celebrations & Glimpses of Events:
Felicitation of Misaal Winners from all over the Kashmir Valley
Youths are sharing their journey and what they aspire to do in the process of creating positive change in the society.
Afifa Qureshi (Principal, GHSS Amirakadal & Misaal Coordinator) briefing audience on Misaal program
M M Gulzar (Director, Oasis JK) briefing on Oasis program impact in Kashmir : 2020-21.
Reflections by Young Misaals of Kashmir...
Misaal Inspires Positive Change in Society!
3rd phase was very exciting in Misaal. While doing this project I asked a little girl what she wants to become when she grows up? She replied that she wanted to become a doctor so I asked her why , she answered ‘because I want to help others.’ I realized that no child has inbuilt thinking that ‘I want to fight, kill people, harm others.’
- Huraia, Student, Misaal Winner
For me, Misaal is a great program as it taught us to bring change.
I would like to say that to change the society we have to change ourselves first.
- Dua Hashmee , Student, Misaal Winner
Magical Key of building confidence & looking at life positively
Group Dialogue था, जिसमें अलग-अलग स्कूल से आए हुए बच्चे थे, जिन्हें मैं पहचानती भी नहीं, जिनको मैंने कभी देखा नहीं था जिनकी सोच भी अलग अलग थी, जब दूसरे बच्चों ने बोलना शुरू किया, तो धीरे धीरे मेरा आत्मविश्वास तूटता गया क्योंकि वो सब मुझ से अच्छा बोल रहे थे। मुझे डर लगने लगा, कि मुझसे कहीं कोई गलती न हो जाए।
जब ब्रेक के बाद हमें बाकी बच्चों के टॉपिक में से जो बोलना था, उसमें मैंने देखा कि, कई सारे बच्चे मेरे टॉपिक में से मेरे points बोल रहे थे, उन्हें मेरे points अच्छे लग रहे थे। ये पल मेरे लिए बहुत ही खूबसूरत पल थे, क्योंकि उस समय मुझे जो एहसास हुआ, वो आत्मविश्वास का एहसास था।
- Aynoor Shabir, Student, Misaal Winner
मिसाल के तीनों स्टेज के बाद एक दिन का लाइफ केम्प था जो सबसे ज़्यादा खूबसूरत था। उसी दिन कुछ और करणों से मैं थोड़ा डिप्रेशन में था।उस दिन हमें एक कहानी सुनाई जिसमें वो लड़का हररोज़ शीशे के सामने देखकर बोलता था कि आज पूरे दिन पॉज़िटिव रहना हैं या नेगेटिव, खुश रहना हैं या दुःखी ये मेरे ऊपर हैं। तब मेरा नज़रिया ही बदल गया और लगा कि खुश रहना मेरे ही हाथों में हैं जैसे! वो पल आज भी मेरे दिल और दिमाग में ही हैं कि इतना अच्छा मुझे सीखने मिला।
- Aftab, Student, Misaal Winner
Launch of Urdu work of Oasis Publication on Covid Awareness
From Right to Left : Mr Tassaduq Hussain Mir(DSEK), Mr. Manzoor Ahmad Kumar, (C.E.O, Srinagar), MM. Gulzar and Romana Qazi launching the draft copy of translation of Oasis work on Covid Awareness. (Far left) They were joined on stage by Sanjiv Shah (Author of this book) & Sheeba Nair.
Video Glimpses
An overview of Oasis Programs at J & K in 2021 amid pandemic situation.
Oasis Kashmir Annual Celebrations 2021 event was organized on 3rd November'21 at MPML School, Srinagar.
Oasis Kashmir Executive Team Meeting
After the celebration, the team conducted an executive meeting where everyone discussed future aspirations for Kashmir. The meeting was led by Sanjiv Shah & Sheeba Nair.
Around 29 members were present which included youth beneficiaries, volunteers, Principals & teachers of Srinagar.
Celebrating Oasis Stories at Kashmir
I can say on behalf of myself and all HoIs that it was a heart and life changing experience.
I have always been a good person in my life but Oasis made me really a better person. There are so many components here that you introspect after you go through this workshop. It happens gradually in a way that you not only imbibe it yourself but it percolates down to everyone you interact with as well.
So when you become a better person…not only your school, teachers or students but the whole community is benefited by it.
- Romana Qazi,Principal, MPML HSS, Srinagar; Oasis Facilitator
In my service years, I have been associated with many other organizations, NGOs, institutes. Among them the most effective organisation is Oasis. The association with Oasis is not just mentally, but it is by heart.
I was very excited and I got a lot of great experiences by attending these leadership programs. We saw that the principles taught in the program are practically implemented by the facilitators too.
I can see the laboratory which produces the character, values, principles and leanings and its importance. I can say that these people are what they talk about in reality.
- Mir Mohammad Gulzar, Director, Oasis Movement, J & K
मुझे लगता हैं ज़िंदगी का जो ये बड़ा मकसद मुझे मिला हैं, वो भी इस प्रोग्राम के झरिये मुझे मिला हैं। शायद को मकसद मेरे अंदर कहीं था लेकिन उसकी पहचान मुझे अब हुई हैं। मकसद को पूरा करने के लिए जो हिंमत और हौंसला था, वो मुझे इस प्रोग्राम से मिला।
ईमानदारी से कहूँ तो जब सबसे पहले प्रोग्राम में मैंने मिशन स्टेटमेंट भरा था तब अंदाज़ा नहीं था कि वो मिशन स्टेटमेंट मेरी ज़िंदगी का मकसद बनेगा। मैं अपने दिल, जान, दिमाग और अपनी रूह से उसके लिए काम करने के लिए अब तैयार हूँ।
आज मैं यहाँ खड़ी हूँ वो भी ओएसिस की वज़ह से हूँ वर्ना ना आई होती आज। मिसाल के जज होने के नाते मैंने जज कम किया हैं मगर सीखा बहुत ज़्यादा हैं. हले मैं बहुत गुस्सेवाली थी, मेरा स्वाभाव भी थोड़ा चिड़चिड़ा था।
लेकिन मुझमें इतना बदलाव आया हैं कि मैंने बच्चों को जज नहीं किया बल्कि बहुत कुछ उनसे सीखा। ओएसिस का बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया!
- Ramanjeet Kaur, Teacher Baramulla
Magic of Kashmir! Reflections by young project leaders of Oasis...
I understood that humans cannot be divided by region or religion. The loving nature & dedication to spread happiness of Kashmiris was really so admiring & inspired me to do more selfless work.
Misaal winners were also so enthusiastic for making positive change in society. I am very thankful to whole team of Kashmir for organizing this wonderful opportunity.
This was my first visit to Kashmir. Contrary to what we get to hear many times, I experienced the beautiful side of this region and it’s people.
I was inspired by the youths of Kashmir as they are so energetic and really want to change the society. They believe that humanity is the highest religion, above anything else.
I would like to work for bringing positive change in the society together with them.
"No religion is higher than humanity" - Abdul Sattar Edhi.
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” - Mahatma Gandhi
We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers. - Martin Luther King Jr.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them. - Mother Teresa
Aatmaja Soni, Riya Shah, Jay Thakkar Jolly Madhra, Sanjiv Shah, Sheeba Nair
You receive this newsletter because you may be one of the participants of Oasis activities or may have been referred by our core friends or you may have given your email address to us. Please feel free to share this newsletter with your friends, family, and co-workers. You have permission to use this content in your newsletter or email system as long as you do not edit the content and you leave the links and this resource box intact. We will be happy to receive a copy of the same. If you wish that this newsletter is dispatched directly to your contacts, you may recommend the same to us along with their key details. Incase if you do not want this Newsletter, you may unsubscribe it.
