This summer Vision Rescue’s School Support Program (SSP) team and 119 students from Municipal Schools of three localities in Mumbai were up to something sporty at Summer Fest 2023. The heat-wave in Mumbai was strong through the summer but our children’s will to learn something new was stronger.
Our team of 7 coaches and 4 interns designed this two-week camp for two hours everyday from May 2 to May 19, 2023. The participants were children living in high-risk slum communities of Shivaji Nagar, Cheeta Camp and Kalwa.
Rather than hanging around in ‘gullys’ (by-lanes) of their slums or lonely corners of the dumping ground where they’re prone to exploitation and harmful peer influences, these children aged 12 – 16 years attended our Summer Fest 2023.
Here they learnt life-skills through sports like kabaddi, football and self-defence. Students not just played the sport but learnt valuable lessons on teamwork, coordination, communication and gender equality through games.
Kabaddi had 50 participants, football had 51 and self-defence had 18. Football and kabaddi coaches aimed to teach life skills through different techniques of the game.
In the self-defence classes, participants were taught self protection in different situations. Students were taught that both genders were capable of playing sport and progressing in all walks of life. This helped break through the mindset that girls are inferiors to boys.
The camp culminated with kabaddi and football tournaments between teams. These energetic young ones from three localities came to one common ground, put their best foot forward, showcased team spirit and took home certificates to show for their new skills.
“Our children are happy to receive certificates,” said one parent. “My child woke up early just to go for the sessions,” said another, expressing joy!
The camp ended in May 2023 but the SSP team is now planning for the new academic year in the 14 Municipal Schools it covers. It largely aims at engaging children in education through sport, alongside creating libraries, computer-labs and providing training to strengthen the public education system. This ensures that students don’t drop out of school due to lack of support.
This year the SSP team is conducting workshops for teachers and parents on ‘Staff-Child Interaction’ and ‘Parent-Child Bonding.’ Through this we hope that students find close-knit support systems within the bounds of family and school that will help them stay engaged and sustained in education.
Thank YOU for your donations that help us reach at-risk, vulnerable children even in the midst of heatwaves, and help them sustain in education!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Vision Rescue exists to rescue children from all forms of exploitation by engaging and sustaining them in education. We are a registered NGO for child education under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950.
You too can partner with Vision Rescue to empower people to find their purpose, enjoy their rights and live with dignity
Join us as a volunteer – www.visionrescue.co.in/volunteer
Partner with Vision Rescue as a donor – www.visionrescue.co.in/donate