On Tuesday 12th May 2015 members of FSL-India visited the tent school in Yedthadi to talk with tent school children parents about health & hygiene. In Yedthadi tent families are from Andra Pradesh and they speaks Telugu language because of that we had asked from camp leader for talk to the new families about basic hygiene techniques for their children to be more healthy and avoid the risks of infections

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Our volunteers and teachers works with the children on a daily basis teaching them basic English and maths with an informal approach to education, but they also emphasis the importance that hygiene has in these children’s lives to be more healthy and learn important habits that will help them in their future. Therefore, after a short session with the children in the tent school the whole group went to the camp where most parents had gathered to see what was all about. Both parties seemed to be open to communication but, unfortunately, after all, there didn’t seem to be much openness from some of the parents that still didn’t seem to fully understand the need and benefits of showering their children.

FSL- India staffs, teacher and volunteers that work in the school everyday tried to talk to some of the more receptive parents, but the majority of the men and women didn’t seem to take it very seriously, so they decided to call it a day and go back with the children to the school.

In spite of the general disappointment at the negative reaction from the adults living in the camp that day, the volunteers have seen an improvement in the children’s condition after the visit and discussions mentioned. The new children that recently joined the school are getting cleaned by their parents and seem healthier and happier now.

This is just a step in the long road that these and other volunteers and local educators in the area still have to go but at least they can feel and see that they can help to make a difference and that small changes one day can lead to better and bigger achievements in the long run.