RURAL EXPOSURE PROGRAMME
“CHRIST COLLEGE IS A NURTURING GROUND FOR THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY”
INTRODUCTION:
Centre for Social Action – the developmental center of Christ College – is a students’ initiative for Child Centred Community Development. The center aims to facilitate holistic development of students by involving them in various social activities and programmes. Among the activities, rural exposure camps help in creating awareness among the students on the life in rural India
THE CONTEXT:
Concept of rural India for most of us, the so called “ outsiders” is a nostalgic one. We think of villages as a peaceful heavens where people live simple lives, where the air is pure, and the land is green as far as the eye can see. Some of those images are indeed true, but the realities of day today life for a majority of the rural people are not that beautiful. Rural literally means that part of India which is rural in nature, its about 70% of Indian population, who is living under poverty and underdevelopment. It’s a life where hope for a better future is as distant as the burning sun and nothing that happens around them, including the so called ‘IT revolution’ brings about solace.
When this picture of rural India appear as strange and surprising, we also hear about an “emerging India” with an ascending economic trajectory, rising foreign exchange services, reducing inflation rates, global recognition of technological competence, energy of 540 million youth and the interest shown by developed countries to invest in our engineers and scientists, including new R&D centres. Government also have been emphasizing economic development by ensuring growth rates of seven- eight per cent annually, enhancing the welfare of farmers and workers, unleashing the creativity of entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers.
ROLE OF STUDENTS
Student community – the next generation of professionals, bureaucrats and the judiciary have an important role in empowering rural India. For that the academic communities have to experience the life of rural India and get opportunities to understand the problem and issue faced by the marginalized people in the villages. These community based learning experience will help them to relate themselves with the situations and to come up with decisions resulting in the holistic development of our nation. These experiences will also result in making learning more student and community centred and in bridging out the gaps between academics and the applicability.
CSA AND THE RURAL EXPOSURE CAMPS
Right from the inception in 1999, CSA had been using rural exposure camp as an effective method to create awareness among the college students and to motivate them to involve in social action .It is an attempt to make social responsibility a culture among all students and to expose them to problems faced by rural children and the families. Here, the students from the urban background get an opportunity to learn and understand the life of rural India.
Our experiences have shown that the students perceive the problems and articulate the ways by which they can contribute to the poor now and the future. A good number of students sponsor children and a few join in CSA after the camps.
Nikita (2005-08 batch student) shares “the manual work, long village trips in a tempos, surveys….have helped me relate myself to an unknown world. I have made the best of my friends, not only among the Christ College students but in the villages as well”
For Alex (1999-2003 batch student), the rural exposure camp was much above a pleasure trip. It was an experience that helped him to channelise his life in social action and to priorities CSA during his college life.
ACTIVITIES OF THE CAMP
The camps are organised in the rural project areas of CSA in weekends. Usually the various departments of Christ College fix the dates in advance for graduate classes. Students along with the faculty member in charge of a particular class participate in the camp. Simple accommodation arrangements are made in the campsite. The camp is planned such way that the students get an opportunity to come together in a non-formal environment and interact with the children, rural poor, village leaders, women and the youth. Students also look in to the different methods and strategies used to address rural issues and take up some programmes in the villages.
The major activities carried out are;
1. Orientation Programme
A brief orientation on the objectives of the camp, the activities taken up, the rationale behind and the rules and regulations are provided to the students. It helps the students to understand the importance of the programme they have taken up and participate in an effective way.
· Ice- Breaking session
· Orientation on importance of understanding villages in the context of Indian development; issues and problems; role of students and youth in addressing these issue; interventions taken up by Christ College in this regard.
· A few guidelines regarding the village visit in the evening, the aspects to be observed are explained.
2.Village Visit
Students travel to the villages on a truck and visit the village in small groups. They conduct home visit, interact with children and youth and organise cultural programmes for the villagers. The purpose of the visit to understand the general background of the Indian villages and to find out the issues and problems persistent in the area.
3. Dinner
The rural camp is also an opportunity for the students to come together in a non-classroom environment and share their thoughts and feelings. The joined dinner in a serene village environment will definitely increase a kind of bonding and unity with in the students and with the faculty participating in the programme.
4. Exercise and Morning Prayers
The students prepare their body and mind for the day’s programmes and activities. They participate in simple exercise or yoga and prayers in the morning
5.Discussion and Preparation for the Village Programmes
Students initiate discussion based on their observation in the village visit. Based on their observations the students plan awareness programmes for children in the villages.
- Discussion and sharing based on the village visit
- Preparation for the programmes (in small groups / as a whole group)
6.Working with the children in Village schools
Students visit the primary school of the village. They interact with the teachers and children and organise awareness programmes for the children. The students get exposed to the education system in Indian villages as well as take up small initiatives to address the problems that they have observed.
7. Working with the Children’s Clubs in Villages
Students join with the children’s clubs in small groups. They interact with the children and organise programmes for them. The opportunity to interact with the children will be a positive step in strengthening the children clubs in the villages and to create awareness among them on different issues.
8. Evaluation and Feedback
Students along with the CSA staff evaluate the programme. This to bring out the learning they have made during the programme. This will also help them in taking a few decision in life related with developmental issues. For CSA the feedback will help in implementing the intervention programmes in more effective way.
GUIDELINES FOR OBSERVATION AND LEARNING
THE VILLAGES
CSA organise the rural exposure camps in two of its project areas. The villages are located in Hoskote and Kenchenpalya areas of Bangalore.
The 14 project villages in the Hoskote area, with central village Thagalihosahalli are around 45Kms from Bangalore. There are 1500 families in all the villages and 70 % of them are Dalits. The other set of villages are located around 35Kms from Bangalore in Kenchenpalya area. CSA work in 10 villages in the area. The project focus on the development of children through community based programmes. In spite of being close to Bangalore it is unfortunate that these villages have been severely neglected in terms of social and economic development.
FEW GUIDELINES FOR OBSERVATION AND LEARNING
One important way of getting ourselves sensitized about the poor and the oppressed is to see the disparities that exist between the cities and the villages. Here a few guidelines are given which will help us to understand this. It is important to be empathetic and perceptive to the village people while interacting with them. This will help us to get sensitive to the needs of the children and the village people.
You may observe the following indicators of human development that are basic to the survival and dignity of any human being;
1. Preschools/Anganawadi: Nutrition and health care services rendered to children below 5 yrs.
2. Education: School buildings, number of classes, number of teachers, supplementary education centres, services given to children for promoting education etc.
3. Health: Primary Health Centres, services rendered to children, women, Antenatal and Post natal care of mothers, community health nurse.
4. Economic Conditions: Means to livelihood, wages, irrigation etc.
5. Status of Women: Self Help Groups of women, Education, profession and involvement in village affairs
6. Social Composition: Religion, caste, language etc.
7. Infrastructure Facilities: Conditions of Roads, water supply, Electricity, housing, sanitation etc.
These indicators can be observed and learned through;
1. Family visits of sponsored and supported children: The primary means of learning about the community will be through personal interaction with the families
2. Discussions with the village leaders/VDC: A meeting with the elders and leaders of the community will act as a platform for discussions. This will also help us to understand how the village people are taking initiatives through village development committees to important their villages.
3.Discussion with Self Help Groups of women: This will help us to understand how village women are taking initiatives to work for their family’s children and the village through their Self Help Groups.
4. Reflection Session: This will be helpful to briefly share and analyse our observances. It will also help us to reflect on what we can as students do now or in future for the development of the poor.
5. Socially Relevant Cultural programmes: Short presentation of cultural programmes like skits, mimes, folk dances, songs, skits etc.
Programme Schedule
| Arrival at campsite | 3.30Pm |
| Orientation Programme | 4.15Pm – 5Pm |
| Village Visit | 5.30Pm – 8.30Pm |
| Dinner and Camp fire | 9Pm – 11Pm |
| Wake up | 6.30Am |
| Exercise and Prayers | 7.30Am – 8.00Am |
| Breakfast | 8.00 Am – 8.30Am |
| Discussion and Preparation for Children’s Programme | 8.30Am – 10Am |
| Working with Children | 10Am – 12.30Pm |
| Lunch | 12. 30 Pm – 1.30 Pm |
| Evaluation and Feedback | 1.30 Pm – 2.30 Pm |
| Departure | 2.30 Pm |
