Thursday, January 15, 2015

Winter sports camp a hit with kids and parents in Namchi

NAMCHI, 15 Jan: Winter Sports Coaching cum Children and Adolescent Development Programme being undertaken here by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs is proving a hit with children with enrollments going up every day and having reached a handsome 285 children as on the tenth day of the camp on Thursday. The Department’s South district office had started this camp looking to engage children during their winter holidays in sports, adventure courses and recreational programmes. The camp had begun on 05 January with 247 children. The number now stands at 285.
Camp Commander Suren Chettri affirms that children are enjoying the experience and also learning something new every day. He informs that apart from daily sports like football, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, boxing, archery and kho-kho, the camp is also providing sessions on integrity building, inculcating a sense of belonging, imparting health and hygiene tips, developing camaraderie, public speaking and developing leadership skills.
The participants are also actively participating in cleanliness drives organized by DAC Namchi. In the next phase, the children will be provided a basic adventure course and engaged in other social activities, Mr. Chettri informs.
Joint Diretor Doma T. Bhutia thanked the members of Drishti NGO of Namchi, coaches and staff of SYA Department for their respective roles in making the camp such a delightful engagement for the young. She also urged other NGOs and associations in the area to come up with other programme to include in the camp to further expand the exposure of the participating children. She highlights that the Department has made this camp free for all children of South district and hopes for more contributions and volunteer support from the civil society and educated youth.    
Endorsing the success of the camp, 11-year-old Nisha Chettri of Namchi shared that she feels very happy when she gets up in the mornings and prepares to leave for the camp. She informs that she is in the Khangchendzonga group and enjoys playing badminton and taking part in the afternoon sessions of recreation.
12-year-old Phurba Lepcha of Ghurpisey further adds that while he likes to dance, he has never performed before and is excited about dancing in his group at the camp now. He says that he has made 35 new friends from different places at the camp! He looks forward to the adventure course phase of the camp coming up. 
Apart from the participating children, their guardians are also enjoying the camp with many of them joining the children in the aerobic exercise sessions. Simran Pradhan of Namchi comes daily with her 10 year son and exercises with him. She states that she had seen such exercises only in television fitness programmes. She registers her gratitude towards the department for bringing such opportunities to children of the area and that too free of cost. 
[PURAN TAMANG]

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