Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 19: The school children are going through a sense of disinterestedness and lethargy as there have been no classes during the last ten months on account of COVID19.

The urban students have facilities like online education, coaching, entertainment etc. But the students living in rural belt near the forests have no access to such facilities. They entirely depend on their schools to get knowledge and when the schools are closed, they do not have any avenues to improve their knowledge or skills. Dinesh Holla of Mangaluru-based 'Sahyadri Sanchaya' thought about them and planned 'Vana Belaku' camp for tribal children inside the forests.

People who liked his idea joined hands with them. The camp was started on December 3. The camp has so far been held in two phases near the protected forests of Uttara Kannada district. Understanding the moods of the children, organizing activities which they like, organizing games, plays and skits, etc under a tree or near the river are all part of the camp. In the natural environs, the children's moods are upbeat. The main emphasis is on blossoming of the minds that have wilted under the fear of coronavirus, Holla says.

Holla is supported by his team members Bhavan, Aravind Kudla, Mamata, Giridhar Kamath, Nagaraj Koove, artist Ganesh Somayaji, Yogeesh, Sudha Nayak etc. Panambur Vasudev Aithal and MCF Mangaluru have sponsored the programme and met some demands of the children. Holla says that with the support of several, the camp became extremely successful. He says that the faces of the tribal children are now lit with smiles.