Well
it was time to see how this 3 day camp (shibhir) was going to work out. The
kids were coming from 19 different slum areas (vastis) where there are
afterschool programs called abhyasikas every day run by older kids who are also
from the slum. We got to the campsite in the afternoon and about half of the
kids had already arrived. Mass chaos. Kids running all over the place, whistles
blowing, people yelling. I paused for a second and laughed to myself at this
sight, this was actually going to be so much fun! I absolutely love working and
interacting with kids, but I also realized then that handling 300 kids aged 10-16
was going to test my limits. But flexibility and enthusiasm were essential to
ensure this camp was a great experience for the kids.
After
interacting with the kids and listening to their discussions during various
sessions, I was very shaken by hearing about the conditions that they live in
and the issues they face. Imagine being the oldest sibling in a family. Your
dad drinks and is unemployed. Your mother is the breadwinner of the family and
always has to be out working and comes home exhausted. You must take care of
all your younger siblings and all the household tasks. This very common
situation robs children of their childhood and often their education as well. Boys
may be influenced by their peers and fall into bad habits and stop going to
school. Girls are married off at around 14 or 15 and stop going to school. They
may face harassment from men from the community and even from their own
household. But that’s not all, due to lack of education and awareness there are
poor hygiene habits, malnutrition, dirty water, and trash strewn all over the place.
In
one session where the kids were split into groups by vasti, they were asked to
talk about the conditions they live in. The kids spoke about all these things
so casually because it’s all that they’ve ever known. I was sitting in a group
holding back tears just listening to them describe this. It hit me that for
them to come to a camp like this and run around, play games, and socialize with
their friends was a treat. They got the chance to be who they really are. When
they were all out on the field playing games, joking around, and laughing, you
would never be able to tell whether they were kids from slums or the suburbs.
The
weekend went by so quickly, and before I knew it they were all waving and
saying “Bye Tai! Majhya ghari naki ye!” (Bye big sister! Make sure you
definitely come to my house!). Little did they know how much their words and
big smiles had pulled at my heartstrings. It took a little while to process
what I had experienced this weekend and I was so thankful for everything that I
have. Suddenly the hostel, traveling by bus, washing my own clothes, and having
to spend so much on bottled water seemed like petty issues. It just takes one
weekend to put your life into perspective.
The pictures from the camp can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101205498181339945161/ChildrenSPersonalityDevelopmentSummerCampMay2012
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The pictures from the camp can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101205498181339945161/ChildrenSPersonalityDevelopmentSummerCampMay2012
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Nice writeup Amruta. I could picture it as if I was there. Perspective - its so elusive too, right? These defining experiences will give you strength in trying times.
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring! All Hindu youngsters from outside Bharat should spend time on these projects which would open their eyes and minds to the different world they havent seen. It definitely adds value to life as we get into different dynamics of thought process.
ReplyDeleteWow, Amruta, this was really touching! I had tears in my eyes after reading this post. Living in America, we complain about small things all the time and make that into a huge deal. Little do we know what the conditions are elsewhere; And what we do actually know of the rest of the world, we tend to forget. Your posts act as a reminder to everyone reading that life is fragile; life is like a piece of glass. A minor crack will continue growing and growing until the glass shatters. These poor living conditions have such an influence on the children. You are shaped by your surroundings and the circumstances you face daily. If these kids keep growing accustomed to believing what's wrong is right, their whole life will be a downhill tumble of ignorance. I think what you and the SEWA organization are doing for these children is absolutely wonderful. Through these camps, these children get to learn in a very positive environment with such great role models. Hopefully, they will take back what they experience and learn to live a healthier life.
ReplyDeleteAmruta, thank you for what you're doing and thank you for writing these blog posts! I feel like I'm on this journey with you too!
Keep it up...
ReplyDeleteNice writeup Amruta. I can imagine real Bharat through your writeup.
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring to read your posts Amruta! You are writing so nicely, instantly taking us there in the vastis. I am sure these experiences will remain with you life-long. Keep it up and all the best for your upcoming weeks in Pune and later in Hubli.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up Amruta!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Amruta!! I am very proud of you :)
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