Education Camp @ Kolkata (December 2014)

Around 60 students of class 9 and 10 were in Kolkata till 30th Dec 2014. These students are our Vanvasi brothers & sisters who belong to 8 different hostels run by VKA in South Bengal.

 Youth volunteers came forward in full support in coaching Basic Mathematics , English, Skill and Personality Development at Kalyan Bhawan, Kolkata.

Some snaps are shared as below. Follow us on facebook.com/vanvasi  or feel free to write to us at workforvanvasi@gmail.com

SHISHU MELA 2014

SHISHU MELA 2014

“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.”


An annual event dedicated towards the children of the various Shishu Shiksha Kendras, the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram youth wing celebrated its 6th SHISHU MELA on the 30th of November, 2014 in chunanakhali,sundarbans, near Kolkata. The event garnered huge response this year as a team of more than 75 volunteers from Kolkata participated. Two buses were deployed near Ultadanga for transmit, and the entire team departed for chunanakhali. The gracious occasion vitalized all the volunteers to bear with the long journey that was lying ahead. A great bond and enthusiasm was visible among the youth as they travelled through the roads. With a small halt for breakfast in a ground along the way, the buses finally reached the destination village at around. The venue was a ten-minute’ walk from there as the buses couldn’t ply further. The seniors and kids took rickshaws while the youth walked to the location with the  stuff that was brought along including prizes, balls, school bags etc. It was a picturesque location as the venue,a local school had a huge grass field which was surrounded by large salt-water lakes.



The villagers and school masters-acharyas welcomed all the volunteers with their traditional style of tilak and flowers. The excitement among the small boys and girls showed as they all lined up in front of their guests. Soon, they all were divided into groups and taken for the various games that were planned for them. It included flat race, balance race, ring game and ball-into-bucket game. There were prizes for each game, and the kids hopped from one game to another to grab those prizes. The games saw not only the students, but also the school masters participating in them. The prizes included some common utensils, handkerchiefs etc., while balls were also distributed as consolation prizes to all of them. The games were followed by lunch which was collectively prepared and served by the school staff and fellow villagers. The khichdi and chutney in the lunch was itself a taste of the Vanvasi tradition and was much appreciated by every individual. Post  lunch, the volunteers from Kolkata distributed school bags,slates,colouring books,crayons,biscuits among all the kids. The happiness on their faces upon wearing those new, cartoon-printed bags was unmatchable. The VKA team concluded the event and departed from the village . The buses returned to Kolkata , and each volunteer bade goodbyes with magnificent memories of this wonderful day.

“There is nothing better than being able to bring a smile to someone’s face and hear their laughter.” 

Shishu Mela gives an opportunity for the Youth volunteers to interact with the Vanvasi “shishu” and cater towards giving them a day of happiness. The kids are sensitized towards creative and skill development activities and few of their necessities are provided for through this initiative. The Mela also facilitates the aim of increasing participation and promotion of the Vanvasi culture. With the immense response and participation this year, Shishu Mela 2014 was a grand success.

“To know that atleast one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.”
Thanks & Regards,
Anurag Agarwal