To scale palliative care services into family and community settings where the need is greatest and largely unmet is the biggest challenged faced by palliative care specialists. In response to this essential public health need, SANJEEVAN (an initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society) offers palliative care and also organizes awareness programmes to raise sensitivity and responsiveness for the care of the elderly and dying in their families and community.

 On May 5, 8, 10 & 11, 2017, a painting workshop was conducted at Government Primary School, Velrampet, Puducherry, by the volunteers and coordinators of SANJEEVAN to raise awareness for this noble cause. The walls of the school were filled with beautiful murals and the colours filled the entire atmosphere with hope and joy. Apart from providing a visual relief, this workshop was also utilized to spread awareness with the following aims: 

• Sensitizing the students about the need of palliative care and the importance of community participation.
• Providing them knowledge about various ways in which they can contribute, such as participating in home visits, giving basic first aid or medicines, making the society around them aware through poster campaigns, street theatre, door-to-door distribution of pamphlets, etc.
• Making them aware of the positive results in psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care with familial support and love.
• Encouraging them to offer a support system to help patients and their families.
• Enhancing quality of life and also positively influence the course of illness with activities such as meditation, painting, music, etc.