Adventure camp for the blind | kanthari

"Why adventure? Don't they need to study Math and science?" It is not so easy to convince conventional educators how important adventure can be when you are a child that is highly overprotected, just because you are blind. The adventure camp, organised by kanthari catalysts and graduates on the kanthari campus offered a six days journey of exploration, in which children, 15 blind and 9 sighted, enjoyed exposure to technology, tree planting, swimming, boating, trekking in the jungle, jumping into a waterfall, and taking part in a treasure hunt which lead them through the local village. Each of the blind children received a white cane as a gift. The gift came with the condition to use it to walk independently. Some had difficulties and felt more secure when guided, but others were excited and felt free to move around with ease. Soon, every one of these children felt the same freedom and were not allowing their parents to guide them. On the final day, an unusual Christmas celebration was organized by the children. They performed a musical with theatre, dance and songs and were not shy to conduct speeches in front of complete strangers. One of the mothers who had observed all the activities, overheard one of the children saying: "Now we know that blindness is not a disability." And the final song demonstrated their newly discovered self-esteem: "Life is sometimes bad, Everyone seems mad! Rain is falling, but happiness is gone! Give me a high five, and I will survive, Till my other self is newly born! Yes! Always look on the bright side of life! Always look on the bright side of life! ..." Links of the kanthari graduate's websites

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