Winter camp bestows healing touch to children

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 10: In an endeavour to bolster resilience, facilitate healing, and nurture cultural identity, Naoyok Naokon Foundation organised a structured 7-day non-residential winter camp for children from January 3 to 9.
The camp delivered extracurricular and psycho- social services tailored to the needs of children, especially those hailing from communities affected by the conflict.
The services included instruction in indigenous mar- tial arts (Thang-Ta), moral education, meditation, mental health support, and re- creational activities, all designed to mitigate the ad- verse impacts of disrupted education, chronic stress, exposure to violence, and social fragmentation.
The camp’s trekking programme also played a pivotal role in teaching children about spiritual con- nection with nature, emphasizing prayer and permission from the mountain’s deity, alongside practical lessons on environmental stewardship through tree planting and avoiding plastic litter.
The Department of Social Welfare provided trek suits for the participants. Well-wishers and some like- minded NGOs also provided financial and material support for the camp.
Clinical psychologists, social workers, and community leaders contributed to the camp by providing relevant sessions.
Writer and columnist Mutum Shanti, who attended the closing ceremony as the chief guest, emphasised in her speech the importance of protecting internally displaced persons and cautioned against using them as human shields during public protests, given their already torn lives and dire circumstances. She said parental resort to verbal and physical abuse stems from their inability to serve as role models.
She further expressed concern about parents’ financial stability in supporting their children’s wellbeing, and added she is planning to launch an income generation initiative for them in the heart of Ema market.
Dr Th Suraj, Senior Neurologist at RIMS and guest of honour, expressed admiration for the effective programmes organised for children, which could serve as community benchmarks.
Th Sunita, general secretary of Naoyok Naokon, called on the Government to fund more programmes for children in relief camps, and suggested that longer-term residential camps would yield better outcomes.
The closing ceremony was attended by guardians of participants primarily from relief camps. Time was allocated for the children to share their thoughts and feelings, with many articulating their joy and the positive impact of the programme. Dignitaries distributed certificates to participants and contributors, including instructors and volunteers. The programme concluded with a brief talent show featuring participants, children and instructors.