On 29^th October 2018, MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct an ‘Angels of Change’ Volunteer Training on Deceased Organ Donation to the students of Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET) at East Coast Road, Kanathur, Chennai. Around 44 students and 3 staff from Maritime Engineering, Business Studies and Commerce attended the session. Dr. Hemal Kanvinde and Mr. Siva Shankar conducted the MOHAN Foundation. Dr. Sree Sucharita, Community Medicine Department, Tagore Medical College was the external resource person. The training was organised by Mr. Ruban, In-charge Youth Red Cross for the Academy.

After the students registered, Dr. Hemal explained the value of the training and expectations from the volunteers. Training manuals and the CDs with presentations and films were distributed. Student volunteers from Youth Red Cross and NCC participated in the training.   A short game of mind mapping was played, followed by a video interaction with a recipient.  Siva Shankar gave a glimpse of the earlier trainings and the different outcomes. They were asked to read a donor story from the manual and write a thank you letter. This activity motivated them for the cause and they understood the value of a donation.

Dr. Sree Sucharita spoke to them about different forms of communication, the planning needed to give maximum impact so that the cause reaches to the intended public. She also spoke on the positives and negatives of using social media.

The group was divided in 5 batches and students from each batch had to get trained in public speaking, conducting surveys and planning events in their college. This training was done for two hours. Post the training students came up with their plans on how to take Organ Donation to the public, showed the results of their survey and gave mock presentations. The students promised to conduct their campaigns by the year end.

MOHAN Foundation thanks Dr. K. Duraipandian, Controller of Examination, AMET for giving this opportunity to train volunteers.