FSL’s work camps usually last between 2 to 3 weeks and are held across India in some of the most historically significant and culturally vibrant parts of the country.

The month of September saw 4 work camps being held across 3 Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Take a look at just some of the things we got up to in our work camps.

Yoga, Ayurveda and Culture in Kerala

Volunteers to this camp dedicate their mornings to teaching children at schools, while the evenings are spent in Yoga and Ayurveda classes. The intercultural learning involves interactions with local families from the area and exposure to various cultural traditions. Kalaripayattu, for instance, is an Indian martial art form, originating from the state of Kerala; volunteers get to view and witness the famous ‘Theyyam’ dance, performed by local artists.

Teaching children in Kundapur

Kundapur, located in the state of Karnataka, is a coastal township in Udupi District and has also one of FSL’s 5 offices. In this work camp, volunteers were involved in raising awareness on environmental topics among a total of 40 children in the school of Vidhyanikatan. They were also involved in painting the school and cleaning the school ground.

Dharamshala

 Current residence of the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala is also the headquarters of the exiled Tibetan government. Activities in this work camp involved school renovation such as school wall painting and extension of the playground. They were also involved in environmental protection activities, cleaning the Baghsu waterfall and Dharamkot square in the locality. The Dharamshala camp usually ends with a trek along the Himalayan foothills.