Preparatory Camps

During survey of 6 to 8 years old children under Every Child Counts campaign, volunteers and field staff come across communities living in highly fragile environments. All elder members in the family are out earning, while children of very young age are often left to fend for themselves. There is even ignorance towards health and hygiene of the children, let alone their education. The children of all ages are seen loitering or picking rags.

At such communities, "Preparatory Camps" are conducted by Door Step School. The objective is to help children get interested in "school", a concept they have never seen or experienced. These camps are conducted in temporary shelters set up closer to the communities. The teachers gather children from huts and shacks, and keep them engaged for two to three hours a day. Since these camps are run for very short time (during May and June, till the schools reopen for next academic year), very few educational tools are available for children. Most of the activities involve singing, story telling, and interactive games. These Preparatory Camps are also used to set up a dialogue with parents in the community and to create awareness about importance of education and provisions of Right To Education Act.

Last year, 20 such camps were conducted in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and on the outskirts, reaching out to around 500 children.