Fun, frolic and education: Children of Lyari let loose at summer camp

The five-day camp includes sessions on singing, dancing and learning English language.

Traditionally, libraries are strictly a silence zone but on Friday, the defunct hall of the Old Vision Library in Kalakot was abuzz with excitement as children of the neighbourhood let loose at the five-day summer camp organised by the NGO Right to Play.

Singing, dancing and learning were the themes of the event whose participants included over 70 children of different age groups from Lyari. Even space limitation and power outages couldn’t hamper the spirits of the excited bunch - a few of whom were wearing their school uniforms while others were dressed in more conventional outfits, such as shalwar kameez and Sindhi caps.

“Our focus is education, not just sports. We want to play a positive role in resolving conflicts and want to see our efforts materialise,” said Najma, the supervisor of the Right To Play project in Lyari.

Najma told The Express Tribune that 13 trainers of the NGO have been appointed in 27 government schools of Lyari, out of which five trainers engaged children in multiple activities, such as drawing, dancing and singing. When the lights went out, singing and dancing would come to a stop but as soon as electricity was restored, cheers louder than the loudspeakers would follow.

The trainers also focused on leadership skills and English language at the camp.

Afshan, an English language trainer, said that the sessions were designed to focus on basic skills - reading, writing, speaking and listening. “I want to bag the first position in my class which is why I am at the camp,” said 11-year-old Fatima.

The leadership and counseling trainer at one of the sessions, Mahpara, said that it was difficult to assess the effects of change on children’s mind. “Most of the kids were inclined to join the army or other forces as they believe it’ll give them power,” said Mahpara.

Shaping young minds

“Education is a combination of many things, it isn’t just reading and doing homework,” said the Lyari Resource Centre Chairperson Habib Hasan during his visit to the camp. “Children learn as much as they see and explore.”

According to Hasan, the organisers were instilling confidence and discipline in the children while also increasing their consciousness by holding such sessions. “Lyari is an institute and we can make it prosper by engaging the youth in education and sports,” he said. One of the trainers of Right To Play, Mohammad Fahim, shared the views of many that Lyari should not only be portrayed as a violent place - instead, people should know that it is as safe and vibrant as any other part of the city.

Jihand Shaukat Ali, president of IDEA club where the camp was organised, said that the dynamics of political change in the area were influencing ideology of the children, adding that engaging them in educational and extra-curricular activities was the only way forward.

Najma said that she keeps praying that a blast or any other incident of violence doesn’t take place as it would break the trust of the community members who send their children to such programs. “If I could save even one child from becoming a gangster, I will consider that all my endeavours have paid off,” said Najma.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.