Rural Camp Report

Introduction

A seven-day rural camp to Wayanad, Kerala, was conducted from 19 January to 25 January
2025, for community uptake and social awareness along with hands-on field learning for the
students of 2MSW HR. The camp was organized by Shreyas, an organization working with
community upliftment and development. The camp revolved around aspects like understanding
rural life, conducting community surveys, a cultural extravaganza, visits to Self-Help Groups
(SHGs), tribal hamlet, and industrial visits.

The students experienced various aspects regarding rural livelihood like sustainability and
grassroots challenges. The camp encouraged students to interact with local communities and
understand socio-economic conditions while doing meaningful engagements through planned
activities. An industrial visit to Attikuna Tea Estate of Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu was a part of the camp
to provide insight on the workings of tea production and the life of plantation workers.

Day-wise Report:

Day 1: Departure and Orientation

The students departed from Bangalore at 7 a.m. and after a long bus journey they reached
Shreyas by lunchtime. After lunch, students were busy with their respective practices for flash
mob, mime, and street play to be performed later on during the camp. The evening session
included the orientation about Shreyas, the organization as a whole and its objectives, vision
and their role in rural development.

Orientation on Shreyas and Rural camp

The students were able to gain deep insights and understanding about Shreyas as an
organization and its various initiatives in the development of community as well as the impact it
makes on the community. The students also understood the key components of community
development and the functioning and project implementation faces along with the challenges
that organizations like Shreyas face.
Day 2: Visits to SHGs and the Documentary

The day commenced with yoga at 7am followed by breakfast. The main highlight of the day was
that the students were divided into groups to visit various Self-Help Groups (SHGs) that Shreyas
has made contributions towards and aided. This activity lasted from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. The
students visited three different SHG representations and interacted and engaged with various
women entrepreneurs who were the brains of these SHGs that Shreyas aided with a grant fund
to help them with their business. These SHGs were situated in the hills of malayavill near
Ambalavayil. The first SHG was a tailoring/clothing store, second was an ornaments and
handicraft store and the third was a confectionery which made and sold two sweet snacks in
bulk one of which was acchapam or rose cookies.

Shreekrishna garments

The students documented and recorded their struggles, capacity of labour, challenges and
success stories. They also came across an SHG leader who has been an active part of helping
and aiding women or needy and unfortunate women in their ways of personal and professional
lives.

Grace Bakery

Through this activity, students understood how SHGs empower women through financial
independence and the active role that Shreyas plays in their lives. Students also learned how to
create a documentary and content creation in making films to promote and market the
organization and its various works to the communities.

Day 3: Garden Preparation, Thrift Shop Preparation, and Inauguration of the Rural Camp

As is the custom, the day started with yoga and various stretches, followed by the students
working on building and clearing the area for a community garden and setting up the thrift at
Shreyas. The students working at the garden divided themselves into groups of two; those that
would be cutting the plants and those that would be clearing the waste. On the other hand, the
thrift shop initiative promoted financial sustainability through second-hand sales. The rural camp
was formally inaugurated in the evening with a performance to commemorate and the
welcoming of the chief guests.

In a nutshell, the learnings and impacts of the day were centered around teamwork, planning
and coordination, and a deeper understanding of how individuals can play their role in a circular
economy which means the sharing, reusing and recycling of existing materials and products.

Day 4: Street play, flashmob mime and survey

On the 4th day, community program initiatives, including surveys, flash mob, street plays, and
mime performances, were organized.

Flashmob

Streetplay

Mime
On this day, the students began the day with yoga, and they engaged in the community through
surveys and performances. They performed flash mob, mime, and a powerful and enlightening
streetplay, which addressed various social issues-most of them unrecognized, including
substance abuse and gender inequality-at the place of a bus stand. After a theatrical day of
performance, students were divided into groups and sent out to different colonies. Group 1 went
to Punchavayil to conduct a survey on women and issues within families and jobs.

The students learned data collection and community engagement skills and thus worked with
renewed vigor and confidence in performing social awareness acts.

Day 5

Industrial Visit to Attikuna Tea Estate, Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu, and Trek to Eddakal Cave

The students began the day with yoga before embarking on a long journey to Attikuna Tea
Estate for an industrial visit. The students were shown the tea production process, right from the
drying of the leaves after harvesting to packing in boxes. The discussion in the visit also
encompassed workers' wages, labor rights, export processe an employee informed that the
product has been exported to this country.

After the in-depth experience of industrial visits that gave enormous knowledge, the students
took a break for refreshments and lunch, and with renewed energy, set off for Eddakal Cave,
where they went scaling steep slopes to the top motivated as they were.
From this experience, the students understood the economic importance of tea plantations in
the area, learned about the labor-intensive nature of tea cultivation, and the importance of
fairness in wages thereof.

Day 6: Visit a Tribal Hamlet & PRA Activities

On the sixth day, the focus changed to understanding the life of the tribal community and PRA
techniques. The students arrived at a tribal hamlet called Manmathamoola, where they carried
out a survey with the farmers of the area to practice PRA techniques, with an aim to understand
what crops are grown in various seasons in the area and what challenges they face. Using PRA
tools, the students could assess the need in communities and resources, later concluding their
last survey in Punchavayil colony on that day.

Nightfall saw the complete gathering of the entire class around a bonfire, warmed, singing
songs, dancing, and never-ending laughter; it was the last night of the camp together. This
would be shortly followed by various performances, acts, and even plays.

Through the experiences had, students now have firsthand knowledge of tribal culture, customs,
and the challenges that beset socioeconomic development. They were also able to see how
PRA techniques support the rural development planning of a community or area.

Day 7: Closing & Feedback

Conclusion and Feedback Beyond what had been said throughout the days of camp, farewells
will include evaluation and reflection regarding the entire experiences of the camp. Here the
students shared their learnings, challenges faced, and personal growth with which they would
be returning. Everyone had a different perspective about the camp, whereas some pitched in
constructive criticism that was given special importance for future reference. Following
breakfast, the students packed their things in preparation for departure from Wayanad, winding
out an eye-opening experience.
The whole week-long rural camp at Wayanad was an enlightening experience for the students,
exposing them to rural life, allowing for discussion of pressing social and environmental
problems, and giving fresh vision to sustainability. Students interacted with SHGs, tribal
communities, and industrial workers, conducting flash mobs and Participatory Rural Appraisal
(PRA) activities while deepening their understanding of rural challenges and lessons learned
about community empowerment.

The industrial visit to Attikuna Tea Estate in Nilgiris was indeed one of the highlights of the
camp, explaining the role of agriculture-based industries and their impact on the economy of
that area. It actually worked to help nourish teamwork, empathy, critical thinking, and
problem-solving skills, all in an enriching learning experience for everyone involved.