Meera and Arwind Bondre of Pune faced an unusual problem when they wanted to send theirson to kindergarten 25 years ago. They found that while there were many organisationscatering to the development of mentally and physically handicapped children, theresurprisingly weren’t too many such institutions for ‘normal’ kids. So, tofill this vacuum, the couple set up an organisation, Arbutus. The choice of name—froman evergreen variety of strawberry—reflects one of their chief concerns.Arbutus’ aim was to help normal children develop their talents through environmentaleducation. "We think environmental awareness and preservation is the key todevelopment," says Arwind of Arbutus, now registered as an NGO.
For the first 10 years the Bondres held day-long programmes for school children onalternate Saturdays. Later, they changed to weekends and vacations. The first membersincluded their son and a few of his friends. The couple began to write to 30 schools inPune to send their children for these workshops. Slowly schools started to respond andstarted sending large groups of even up to 200 children to participate. They would debate,draw, and do skits all day. Today, while there’re 250-300 registered names, theBondres cannot put a figure to how many children have participated in their programmes.
To teach children about environmental issues Meera, an ecologist by profession, devisedher own study material, games and projects. Arbutus also tried to educate citizens throughhandbills on how even common practices like burning garbage and dried leaves hurt nature.The Bondres discovered that a major hurdle was that adults often sent a wrong message tothe child. A teacher say, would teach conservation, but ask a student to start everyanswer on a fresh page or an indulgent parent would buy loads of crackers on Diwali. Sothey involved teachers and parents to participate in discussions. It proved effective.Like the time they organised a workshop on air and noise pollution just before Diwali.Several participants did not buy any crackers that Diwali and the rest pooled in to buyjust about a fourth of their regular quota.
Arbutus organises two exhibitions a year on children’s work on environment.Typically, they send circulars to schools with a topic and advertise in the local papers.Children can draw, paint, write verse—all of which is exhibited. In ’85, theBondres linked up friends in Bremen in Germany to start an exchange programme whereinstudents from both the cities participate and the work is shown in Bremen and Pune.
While Arbutus regularly holds workshops on pollution, renewable energy andvermiculture, it was in the ’80s that the group took on the challenge of protectingone of Pune’s ecological wonders—a 100-year-old freshwater quarry lake. Spreadover an acre, this lake in the heart of the city was being eyed by the builder lobby,actively supported by the Pune municipal corporation. Meera, who did her doctoral thesison the lake and discovered rare life forms there, was determined to not let the lakedisappear. In 1985 Arbutus organised an open air laboratory for students and citizens.About 500 children and adults had a hands-on experience of concepts like eco-balance andinterdependence of life forms for about for two days and understood why the lake deservedto be recognised as a bioreserve. The public awareness created then has kept the raidersat bay till today.
Earlier, the Bondres funded their own projects, with some outside help. But now, foreight years they’ve been getting financial support from the State Office forDevelopmental Cooperation of Bremen. Now, as the Maharashtra Board has made environmenteducation compulsory, Arbutus has published a handbook for teachers and students anddeveloped a forum of professionals to evaluate school text books. The Bondres can becontacted at ‘Meghdoot’, Lane 12, Prabhat Road, Pune-4; phone: (020) 05677452.
