“Haritham” ,Exhibition cum Sales Programme held on 31st July ,2018
The P.G Department of Economics N.S.S College Ottapalam organised “Haritham” an Exhibition cum Sales of Eco-friendly products made by the students on 31st July 2018 at the Seminar Hall of NSS College, Ottapalam
The programme drew up the curtains with the inauguration of the programme by the honourable Principal,NSS College, Ottapalam at 10.30 a.m. The event was also attended by the faculty and non-faculty members of the college. It tried to generate awareness on environment protection and the need to restrict the use of plastic. The students of our department exhibited a range of hand made products from showcase items to mobile stands, flower vases, wall hangings and earrings. ‘Haritham’ also carried a social message by providing venue to a differently able person and a woman entrepreneur to exhibit and sell their products. The capital investment to make the products was very meagre amount as it was mainly household products and students own contribution. The students decided to part with one fourth of the proceeds towards donation. Apart from that the department faculty also contributed a sum towards the expenditure towards the exhibition.
The hall was divided into several stalls of pens, doormat, umbrellas, wall hangings, bags, purses, pots, painting, paper files, showcase items, food, bangle stands, pen stand, CD stand etc..The items were displayed and the visitors; students, teachers office staff and other guests also attended in huge numbers after the Inauguration. The visitors were registered at the counter. The stalls were so organised that the crowd would move on in a smooth way. The total number of participants attended was 617 and a system of feedback was also incorporated. The students, teachers, office staff,i.e. non faculty members of different departments were the major visitors who attended the exhibition which was held from 10 am to 2.30 pm .These visitors not only praised the exhibited items but also showed a great positive response by purchasing many items and even giving orders for more of the articles. There was even stall for homemade food by a student of cakes, pastry, traditional Vellappam etc. The products were mainly made by investments made by students themselves of the household articles they had and small amount of donation by them individually. Therefore they planned that a 25 percent of the price of articles sold by them would be donated to charity. So out of the proceeds and with a certain amount contributed by the woman entrepreneur of clay ; Smt. Anitha of Palappuram and the umbrella seller Shri Suresh of Palappuram and the department faculty an amount of Rupees four thousand was contributed as a charity to an old age home Saranalayam at Koonathara, near Ottapalam
It was a great success as it had a great social outreach as we could even give a helping hand to an disabled person and women entrepreneur named Mr Suresh, a local umbrella, doormat and bag seller and Mrs Anita, a pottery seller respectively of the nearby area. The exhibition provided them a gateway to sell out their products and also provided them a platform to exhibit their talents. It helped them to sell their products within a day which otherwise due to their limitations could never have been possible. These beneficiaries themselves have commented the same.
The exhibition was incorporated with an aim to create a message on general awareness regarding environmental protection and restricting the use of plastic. It gave the way to express the creativity, the confidence of students to exhibit their talents and the experience to organise programmes. There was also a message to help those who are economically downtrodden and physically handicapped.
