Background
The GNRC Sri Lanka Team organized their second Children’s Camp in Pathakada, Ratnapura (Sabaragamuwa Province) from the 1 to the 3 February with the participation of fifty kids representing fifteen villages of the Ratnapura District. The camp was held at the “Pathakada Bikku Trainging Centre” in Ratnapura.

The Children gathered on the 1st (Friday) after school at the at the Centre and had the inaugural session around 5.00 p.m. in the evening where they had a couple of ice breakers and a short introduction to the camp.

Similar to the previous children’s camp in Wallawaya, the life tree exercise gave them a insight to their own lives and also made them comfortable being safe with in each other as every one of them were open and honest and understanding the other person by getting in to their shoes.

Special
As the words “respect”, “responsibility”, “empathy” and “reconciliation” were the key words for the camp and once the GNRC Team brought the kids to a level where they started understanding what each word mean, they started to build on from the point we stopped and they simply went forward by adding more value to it. They depicted what they grasped when they acted out small skits and role plays. The kids them selves realized that every person should have those qualities in order for this world to be a peaceful and unique place, thereby making it, a place where everyone would love to live in.

One more thing special about the whole camp was the GNRC Team it self stared building up on our previous experience of the camp held in Wallawaya.

The Cultural night was done in a bit of grand scale, coordinated by the children them selves was very well organized, its a fact that they learnt a lot from each other.


Outcomes
1. Children learned to share things without any hesitation.
2. They started to understand the value of time and putting in to practice.
3. They were able to think beyond what they were and what they can do.
4. They showed a very positive attitude in receiving what the GNRC Team had to give.

Future plans
The children, when the got back to their village groups and later presented to all, a bunch of suggestions which can be self sustained and carried forward. These were similar to the suggestions came out at the previous children’s camp in Wallawaya.

Learning points
1. The absence of parents and other adults made the children much open and forward.
2. Case studies and real life examples make a huge impact than explaining each and every thing.

To have a look at the photos please click here
For more information please email us at n.muthaliph@gnrc.net

Other Children’s Camps conducted under the Ethics Promotion Campaign;