Summer camp adds cheer to underprivileged kids’ holidays

Students of Pudiyador, an NGO that organises after-school activities for children from underprivileged backgrounds, have been eagerly waiting for their summer vacation. 

The reason – a 10-day summer camp where they will get a chance to try their hand at various activities and have fun. “The students have been studying with us for more than a year and they eagerly wait for the camp, where we give them exposure to new skills such as art and craft, music and dance, and career guidance. On the last day, there is an art mela with competitions such as dance and other cultural activities. 

“The goal of the camp is to ensure that the children (aged 11 to 15) gain exposure, as the curriculum is designed based on their interests. If they want a fun beach or movie session or an art and craft class, we create activities based on their interests to keep them excited,” said Jayashree Selvam, project coordinator at Pudiyador. 

Madhan P from Ithika Trust runs a camp for teenage students in Mogappair, where children from government schools learn an array of skills. “We have volunteers from colleges teach various arts such as Bharatanatyam and Silambam to acquainting the students to life-skills needed to thrive in the society. The children are thrilled to get the experience and parents are happy too,” he added. The students from the camp will be working on two projects – one where they will design a human powered washing machine using discarded plastic and other materials – as many of the participants work part time during after school hours in mechanic shops. Another group will create awareness using shadow puppetry (which they have been taught) to create awareness on a social issue among their local community. 

The Aruwe Foundation conducted a week-long camp in the juvenile home in Kilpauk and for slum children in Ayanavaram. “The activities include music, etiquette training and art and craft. For children from juvenile home, we organise a mela on the last day inside the facility, with popcorn and other such features, ensuring that they have a good time,” said Rosy, a member of Aruwe.