LED bulbs made by students of AEMA UP School, Moorkanad in Malappuram
Each bulb costs about Rs 38 to make and sells for Rs 50, yielding a profit of Rs 12. Some have saved up to Rs 720 through this initiative,” Shyam said. We have registered the initiative in the school’s name so that we can also approach e-commerce platforms to sell these products,” Shyam said.
“We wanted to teach students a new skill and the importance of financial self-reliance,” said Shyam Vengalloor, a maths teacher at the school. “We have so far sold over 800 bulbs assembled by the students,” he said. We can then harvest them,” he said. Shyam said some children had a natural aptitude for crocheting. Parents also join in on weekends to help them,” he said.
Kochi: Students of this Malappuram school are learning more than their lessons under LED lights. They assemble and sell bulbs under their own brand, saving the profits for themselves. It all began with a workshop on assembling LED bulbs at AEMA UP School Moorkanad during last summer vacation. Keen to turn the lesson into a practical learning experience, teachers encouraged the children to hone their skills during free time and holidays. As they grew more proficient, the school helped them launch their own brand, M-Light, named after their hometown, Moorkanad. An expert conducted the initial workshop, after which the children were divided into teams to practise assembling bulbs. The school procures the components, and the children assemble the bulbs. “The entire profit is credited to the students as savings. Encouraged by the response, the school has expanded the programme to include crocheting, agarbathi making, mushroom farming, umbrella assembly and other activities. “We already have a WhatsApp Business account with a catalogue of products made by the students. The school also recognises the children’s efforts with titles such as Entrepreneur of the Week. For Anirudh VT, a Class VI student, assembling bulbs and tube lights has been a fun learning experience. “I have assembled three or four bulbs. Mushroom farming is also very exciting. It is not at all difficult. We just put the seeds in a grow bag and spray water. Later, we poke holes in the packet, and the mushrooms sprout. “We started teaching them during art education and work experience periods. Interested students take part in the programme on Saturdays as well. The school is now planning to invite parents who make homemade cakes to teach the children the skill ahead of Christmas.