Why everyone needs a Mentor!

Throughout my school years, I have benefitted from having great mentors. They have taught me important values such as the need to always work hard, to put in your best effort, and to reflect on your mistakes and correct them. I believe that I wouldn't have been able to learn these important values without these mentors.

This is why the recent launch of India's National Mission for Mentoring (NMM). by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 spoke to me. The NEP highlights NMM as a method for improving various factors of India's Education System. The orientation for this program recently took place at the Navodya Leadership Institute, Cancona, Goa. I am glad to see that this program is finally underway as it helps train teachers to be better mentors which has remarkable impacts on many students. These students then also spread what they have learned, which finally benefits society as a whole.

These Mentors also benefit students in many other ways such as giving them guidance on how to navigate life's challenges, while also lending them their wisdom whenever these students are confused on what to do. Many mentors have been able to help people widen their outlook - giving them hope and direction, while also teaching them the importance of giving back to society. I believe that mentoring can help the youth "flourish, unleash their potential, and fulfill their aspirations."

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/mentoring-fosters-the-spirit-of-learning-reflection-and-sharing/articleshow/95479390.cms

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/how-mentoring-helps-these-youth-to-overcome-hurdles-and-progress-further

Companies playing their role in the Journey Towards Sustainability: Environment Sustainable and Corporate Governance (ESG)

Due to the climate crisis worsening in the past few years, many companies have started embedding sustainability into the policies and strategies they make. One of the major ways to achieve this is by using technology to integrate business plans with Sustainable Development Goals.

Since the start of COVID, many companies have shifted to a hybrid work model - a model that has now become a part of their business continuity plan. This model has benefitted the company and the environment, as it has helped the company bring down costs and attract the best talent, while also reducing per-unit carbon emissions by 30 to 90%.

This article goes on to discuss how many industries are also addressing their sustainability targets in many different ways. Finally, it also states that sustainability is at the very core of our existence and that of our future generations. Thus companies should also be reporting their environmental impact to know where they lie and how much more work they have to put in to save the environment.

I believe that ESG is very important in today's society as the climate crisis will only get worse if many people remain oblivious of how they are contributing to it. I passionately believe this is a critical window for people to put on their thinking caps if they want to save the environment while it is still possible.

https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/sustainability-is-good-for-business-as-well-as-the-planet-11666286921604.html

Happy World Teachers Day! Celebrating teachers - the foundation of education.

On this year's World Teachers Day, I read many articles about education. I also thanked my teachers for helping me build capacity and become a better person. One article in particular that moved me talked about how "The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers." I related to this a lot as my teachers in school have contributed to my development and have been my mentors over the years. They have indeed shaped me to be the person I am today.

The article I mentioned also talked about how society needs more qualified teachers rather than just more teachers to achieve SDG 4. Along with this it also stated that teachers also need to partake in social dialogue and discussion processes to increase the efficacy of the education system. Finally, this article also provides information on how financing is necessary for the education system to grow.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/transformation-education-begins-teachers