Under Asha’s joyful learning initiative, Asha organized excursions for over 2,000 government school students this year. Here is a report on their fun experiences.
STUDENT EXCURSION 2026
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As part of Asha’s Joyful Learning initiative, excursions have become a cherished tradition for students in schools we support. This year too, children from across our geographies- Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvarur, and Chennai -set out on exciting journeys to various destinations, combining joy with meaningful learning experiences.
Each trip was carefully planned with the necessary permissions secured from schools, ensuring that not only students but also their teachers and headmasters could participate. To avoid disrupting regular classes, excursions were scheduled exclusively on weekends. We primarily included students from Classes 4 and 5, as younger children in Classes 1 to 3 are too small to manage long trips and less likely to fully enjoy the experience.
Over the years, we have found that managing two to three buses per trip is ideal. Anything beyond that severely limits the venues we can take the children to. Coordinators often began their day as early as 3 a.m., traveling across school locations to pick up students and ensuring that everyone returned safely by night. Their dedication, along with the support of volunteers, made these trips possible. This year, we organized 11 excursions, engaging 31 buses and reaching more than 2,200 students.
These excursions are funded by Amazon under its Amazon Future Engineer program. While most of the participating schools were supported by Amazon, some neighboring schools directly supported by Asha also joined in.
Throughout the day, students were well cared for. Snacks or breakfast were served in the morning, a proper lunch was provided in the afternoon, and snacks or dinner rounded off the evening. Transportation, entry tickets, and drinking water were all arranged, and no money was ever collected from the children. Everything was free, allowing students to simply enjoy the experience without worry.
Conducted in batches until early March, the excursions gave thousands of students across different locations the opportunity to explore, learn, and grow.
Project Sangamam (Thiruvallur)
The highly anticipated student excursions officially commenced on January 25, 2026. The first batch of students were from our Project Sangamam in Thiruvallur where they embarked on an exciting one-day trip to Chennai. Traveling in three buses arranged by Asha, the children started their journey as early as 5:00 AM! Children were filled with excitement, singing, and dancing along the way. The carefully planned itinerary included visits to the Birla Planetarium, Guindy Park, and Besant Nagar Beach.
At the Birla Planetarium, the students were struck with awe during their first-ever visit to the Sky Theatre. The projections and push-back seats which provided a unique viewing experience of the overhead dome thrilled them! They also got to enjoy the 7D show and the Sphere show at the planetarium. After visiting the various exhibits at the planetarium, the students took some time to play in the park. Throughout the day, Asha ensured the children were well-nourished by providing water, morning and evening snacks, and a hearty lunch.
After lunch, they were taken to the Guindy Children’s Park and then the Besant Nagar Beach. The beach is where the children find their greatest joy. They happily played in the water, enjoyed beach snacks, and bought souvenirs for their families back home.
Over the next 4 weeks, Asha coordinators took batches of students from different schools supported by Asha to these one day trips. Mr. Rajaraman Krishnan, Asha volunteer and Coordinator, visited the children during a couple of the excursions and spoke to the children about their trip.
Project Poornavidhya (Chennai)
Around 120 students from Project Poornavidhya embarked on an educational excursion in Chennai on February 28, 2026. Their journey began at the Birla Planetarium in Kotturpuram, which is the fifth B. M. Birla Planetarium in India and is located within the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus.
The children were completely captivated by the virtual tour of the night sky and planets projected onto a specially perforated hemispherical aluminum dome in the Sky Theater, as well as an engaging 7D show. They also spent time exploring various museum exhibits and playing in the science park. Following a lunch provided by the accompanying Asha coordinators, the group headed to Guindy Park. There, the students explored the Snake Park and enjoyed playing at the nearby Children’s Park, rounding off a safe and memorable day filled with learning, fun, and discovery.
Project Cauvery (Thiruvarur)
Our students from Project Cauvery in Thiruvarur enjoyed an enriching trip to Pudukkottai in February 2026. Their first stop was Chithannavasal, a renowned Jain cave and archaeological site dating back to the 7th–9th century, where the students were fascinated by ancient Jain beds, a cave temple, and magnificent rock paintings. Next, they explored the historic, 400-year-old Thirumaiyam Fort. This hill fort built in 1687 offered the children a direct glimpse into Tamil Nadu’s rich history and its significant role in the Palayakaar Wars.
The excursion concluded with a relaxing visit to the scenic coastal beauty of Manora Beach. Throughout the journey, the children were well cared for with breakfast and lunch provided by Asha, and they were accompanied by project steward Ms. Komalavalli, the project coordinator, and dedicated teachers from Thiruvarur to ensure a safe and memorable experience.
Project Pearl (Thoothukudi)
Students from the Thoothukudi project participated in weekend excursions organized in batches starting in February 2026, traveling to Kanniyakumari and Madurai. The batch that visited Kanniyakumari enjoyed boating and explored several prominent landmarks, including the Kannadi Palam, Vivekananda Rock, Thiruvalluvar Rock, and the historic Vattakotai Fort.
Another batch of students traveled to Madurai, where they had the rare and thrilling opportunity to visit the Madurai Airport. For the government school students, watching airplanes take off was an extraordinary, joy-filled experience outside of their everyday lives.
They also visited Keeladi museum dedicated to the archaeological findings at Keeladi, a site along the Vaigai River dating back to the 6th century BCE that reveals an advanced, literate, and urban civilization. The students toured the Museum in Sivagangai to see excavated artifacts, including ancient pottery, jewelry, and iron tools. Because the trips required an early morning start, the Asha coordinator meticulously organized the buses, entry tickets, and all meals, providing the children with breakfast, lunch, and snacks for a thoroughly enjoyable trip.
Project Thulasi (Thiruvanamalai)
Nearly 270 students from Asha supported schools in Thiruvanamalai went on excursion in March, 2026. They visited Vedanthangal and Mahabalipuram in Chennai. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Madurantakam taluk of the Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu is a sanctuary where than 40,000 birds have been recorded during the migratory season every year.
Mahabalipuram is a premier UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its 7th- and 8th-century Pallava dynasty rock-cut architecture. Just 55 km south of Chennai, this coastal gem offered the students a perfect blend of ancient heritage and seaside charm, making the trip both educational and delightfully fun.
