Women’s Day Celebrated

Ganv Bhavancho Ekvott (GBE) celebrated International Women’s Day on 11th March 2023 with a short programme at the St Joseph’s Educational Institute hall where the school management, two women hailing from the twin villages and a well-known social activist were felicitated. Students from 7th, 8th and 9th Standard along with some of the staff members attended the programme.

  

 

 

 

 

GBE President and General Secretary with the persons felicitated and the citation and shawl that were presented to them

GBE President John Fernandes welcomed the gathering where he specially hailed the women members of the organization for its success.

St Joseph’s Educational Institute was felicitated for bagging the Wipro Earthian Programme award for the third consecutive year. Manager of the school Fr. Jean Ruby da Cruz e Fernandes before accepting the felicitation invited Thereza Furtado the teacher who guided the students in this activity. Sandeep Kalekar an active member of GBE and also President of Chandor Seamen’s Association did the felicitation.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Biula Cruz Pereira who is an ex-student of the school and grew up in Cotta, Chandor was felicitated for being the first woman from the village to have secured a Doctorate in Philosophy which was conferred on her in 2007 for her study on the use pf alcohol in Goan culture and traditions. Besides publishing her study in a book titled One for the Road Dr. Biula has also written another research book titled Food and Identity. She was felicitated by founder treasurer of GBE Darwin Cardoso.

 

 

 

Addressing the students she said it was important to select the time best suited to study and gave some tips on techniques of studying like remembering key words. While asserting that the degree is not a document to be used in the marriage dossier, she said it was paramount to keep in touch with nature instead of being glued to laptops or mobiles.

President of Goa Children’s Court Sayonara Telles-Laad who grew up in Jitlem, Guirdolim was felicitated for being the first woman from the village to become a District Judge. As she could not be present for the programme, her cousin Joseph Telles received the felicitation on her behalf which was presented by GBE Managing Committee member Serena Antao.

In her brief but very significant message Judge Sayonara stressed the need of hard work to achieve anything and said that one must be passionate about whatever they are doing.

Well known social activist and Bailancho Ekvott President Auda Viegas was felicitated for the work she does for distressed women and abused children. She was felicitated by GBE Treasurer Anand Shirodkar.

Speaking to the students, Auda stressed the need to know safe places and advised children to avoid going to unsafe places and immediately report any unsafe touch that made them uncomfortable. She lamented that technology and specially mobile phones has resulted in a spurt in exploitation of minor children and shared some of her experiences where minor children were brutally abused or exploited.

 

 

GBE member Jaret de Silva compered the entire programme in an exceptional manner and also gave an exercise to the students to find out the achievements of 10 women whose names were provided to them.

He also sponsored two prizes that were awarded to two students who named two women who were recognized for their special achievements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two students who won the spot prizes were Daren D’Costa who named the badminton player P V Sindhu and Ria D’Cunha who named Santosh Yadav the first lady in the world to climb Mount Everest.

General Secretary Francis Coutinho proposed the vote of thanks for this programme that had Julio D’Silva as Project Manager.

 

 

 

 

GBE members who managed the programme