Keeping up with the motto that young people are the driving force behind change, a group of UNICEF-trained young reporters from Dibrugarh organised a 10-day summer camp at Pachim Gabhoru Pathar School from July 1.
The progamme was organised to create awareness among adolescents and young people about healthy eating habits, hand washing, hygiene, public speaking, yoga and so on.
The camp was organised under UNICEF’s Young Reporters programme concluded on Wednesday and witnessed the active involvement of a large number of young participants, teachers and parents.
The Young Reporters programme of UNICEF aims to increase awareness among adolescents and young people about child rights so that they can speak out and mobilise their communities to act.
The ultimate aim is to change social attitudes and promote a culture of respect for children’s rights.
The Dibrugarh district administration with support from UNICEF started the Young Reporters programme in 2017.
The young reporters who are trained by the UNICEF have been actively participating in various activities.
They speak about child rights, organise meeting in their locality to aware people regarding menstrual hygiene, nutrition, healthy eating with the help of Asha and Anganwadi workers.
Bharati Kalita, a 17-year old Young Reporter said, “The summer camps are important as they help to enhance the creativity of the children.”
“It is better to invest this time into capacity-building of the brain through various amusing activities,” Kalita said.
In the camps, children are able to learn much more in an imaginative way for which we usually don’t have time throughout the year, he said.
Talking about the broad aspect of the summer camp, principal of Pachim Gabhoru Pathar School Sabitri Gogoi said, “It is an opportunity where young children can grow in a creative way which will help in expanding their knowledge.”
The young reporters spoke on various issues related to school dropouts, washing hands, nutrition and child labour.
Talking about the programme, a UNICEF official said, “With the summer season on and schools are closed, children can use their time in creative activity instead of wasting their time. Else it can become a bit of challenge for parents to keep their children engaged and entertained at the same time.”