Vidya student helps Kunnamkulam school to manufacture paper pens

As part of the implementation of the Student Empowerment for Environmental Development (SEED) initiative of the Malayalam newspaper Mathrubhumi, students and teachers of St. Joseph’s & St. Cyril’s Higher Secondary School, West Mangad, Kunnamkulam, decided to implement a scheme to reduce the use of plastic pens. This was part of a larger project of reducing the use of plastic products in general. To reduce the use plastic pens, the students and teachers decided to manufacture paper pens. As many as 53 students, who are members of the Mathrubhumi SEED initiative, started manufacturing paper pens. Training in the manufacture of paper pens was provided by Sarath Sasikumar, a student of Vidya.  Vidya also provided the required raw materials for the process. Each student manufactured 10 pens. With the help of their teachers, these pens were  made available to their fellow students. Students were also encouraged to use cloth bags instead of plastic bags. A team of teachers, led by Principal Jiji Varghese, also pledged their support to this initiative.