Date: 31-May-2023
Location: 12 Project villages
SARVAM Summer Camp 2023 in a Nutshell
- 500 Students from 12 villages
- 5 Professional trainers, 25 SARVAM AuroSakhis and Coordinators and over 30 Volunteers from the Project villages
- Over 6 hours camp daily
- More than ten activities including character building, Ethics, Yoga, Art & Craft, Life skills, Computer, Storytelling, Public speaking, Martial Arts, Group Discussions, Patriotic song practice, Dance, Drama, Sports and Skill game activities
- 15th successful year of SARVAM summer camp
Objectives of Summer Camp
- Instilling self-confidence in children, as well as ethical & life skills, leadership skill, developing character & changing perceptions
- Life skills through indoor activities
- Group discussions with various topics
- Engaging students in various sports, workshops, and cultural activities
- Providing exposure visits
Pre-Camp Report | April 23
- Staff, camp coordinators, and volunteers, prepared themselves for two weeks before the program began, including choosing a suitable location in the villages.
- This orientation period stressed the need to protect and guide students from vulnerable backgrounds while focusing on specific skills needed at summer camp.
- The camp coordinators received detailed information about the camp and opportunities to establish relationships with community members.
- It was determined that the coordinators would have to be skilled, mature, and emotionally stable, as about 75% of them had previously attended the camp, while the others were new to it. Although they came from different villages, keeping the students’ well-being be a priority, they were work together as a team in order to accomplish that.
Camp Report | May 23
The 15th SARVAM Summer Camp was once again an enormous success. This was due to organizers, presenters, volunteers, and parents providing fun and engaging experiences for roughly 500 students, many from remote villages. The camp included workshops covering topics such as Soft skills, art, Yoga, Music, and Traditional sports.
The students also had opportunities to bond with each other and learn about different new things. It was a memorable experience for all involved.
Every year, SARVAM Summer Camp provides a fun and educational experience to children from 8-17 years of age. The camp offers a variety of activities such as sports, Yoga, arts and crafts, computers, soft skills, group discussions, team-building exercises, Martial arts and physical exercises. Furthermore, practicing patriotic songs and creative cultural events made them happy. It also gave them a sense of belonging and pride in their nation. It was a reminder of the important values that unite them. This shared experience brought them closer together.
Camp also provides educational opportunities such as workshops and field trips. It is a great way for kids to make new friends and learn important life skills. The camp also offers a safe and nurturing environment for kids to explore, and develop their self-confidence. Every camper is supervised by experienced and trained coordinators, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
A total of 30 volunteers from the villages helped in the camps, along with five professional trainers, and 25 SARVAM coordinators. The two sessions covered 12 different village locations and spanned over four weeks.
SARVAM’s Summer Camp offers student’s motivation and support that helps them realize their dreams, with great benefits for their everyday lives, future, and rural parents and villages.
In addition to the Divine’s Grace, the camp’s success was entirely dependent on the full engagement of the students, Volunteers and community, and the children thoroughly enjoyed the sessions.
Special Activities
Special Visitor
With her dance, Ms Alokananda Roy, a jail reformer who worked in all the jails in West Bengal as well as a few jails in the USA and UK, made the children happy. She taught them to express their feelings through dance and to use it as a form of communication. The children, who were previously scarred by their experiences, began to open up and connect with each other through the joy of dance.
Martial Arts
A SARVAM alumna, Ms Kothai conducted martial arts classes for the students and shared her experiences during her time at Sarvam. She encouraged the students and also shared that Sarvam trainings had helped her achieve her goals in life. The students were inspired by Ms Kothai’s story and took away valuable lessons from the session.
Painting
Children enjoyed painting with cloth and working with colors made them happy It was a great way for them to express their creativity and be in tune with their emotions. Through the process of painting, they developed an appreciation for art and the beauty of colors. The end result was always something they were proud of. In different colors, they made greeting cards and presented them to their mothers.
Theatre
In order to act as characters, the students decorated themselves, and it was a joyful moment. Everyone was in high spirits during the activity. The students felt empowered to be creative and be someone else for a while. The moment was filled with laughter and joy.
Group Discussion
For the first time, students participated in group discussions on a variety of topics They were encouraged to express their opinions and share their ideas. The discussions were fruitful and all students were actively engaged. This was an invaluable learning experience for them.
Soft skills
With the help of activities, topics such as communication skills, team building, leadership, time management, goal setting, and confidence building were addressed. The activities helped students learn and grow. They also helped create a strong sense of camaraderie and trust among team members. The activities were fun and engaging, which made them even more effective.
Yoga and Physical Exercises
In order to motivate students to live a healthy lifestyle and to improve their flexibility and balance, yoga and physical exercises were practiced. Students found this experience calming and energizing, and some even reported improved concentration and academic performance. The students also enjoyed the social aspect of the practice, as it gave them a chance to connect with each other in a more meaningful way.
Computers
Rural children learned and enjoyed creating small computer games with movie soup and scratch. These activities helped them to gain essential computer skills. The children were introduced to the basics of game design and animation. They were also able to express their creativity through various designs.
Cultural Activities
The students participated in a variety of cultural activities and showcased their talents. They sang, danced, and acted, as well as presented artifacts and works of art. They shared stories and experiences from the camp and creating an atmosphere of understanding and appreciation.
Exposure Visits
A major highlight of the summer camp was the exposure to the old temple and gardens, as well as the ancient sculptures. The children were fascinated by the intricate carvings, and the stories behind them. They learnt about the culture and history of the temples, and got to appreciate and understand the importance of preserving our heritage.
Conclusion
Program success is measured by the children’s responses, as well as their enthusiasm and joy each day at camp The results of the program are evaluated by observing the changes that the children exhibit in their behavior and attitude. The staff also measure the success of the program through feedback from the parents and guardians. Finally, the level of engagement and excitement of the children throughout the camp is an indication of its success. The children’s enthusiasm was a testament to the success of the program, and it is a reminder that the hard work of the camp staff was worth it.
Despite the challenge of hot sun, the camp was still able to provide a meaningful and enriching experience for the students, which was highly appreciated by rural parents and villagers.
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