Penned By Communications Manager, Ms. Aditi
At Sharana, our summer camp is more than just an annual program—it’s one of the most awaited times of the year. It’s when school routines pause, giving way to a season of play and friendships for the children; for our team, it’s a chance to nurture, engage, and celebrate the spirit of childhood through meaningful activities for the children.
Since 2004, Sharana has been conducting camps every year, each shaped by thoughtfulness, care, and shared enthusiasm. This year was no different—or so we thought.
The camp had just begun. On Day 1, we welcomed 125 children into our space, which was abuzz with excitement. The team was prepared, the halls were welcoming, and the children were thrilled to begin their holidays in a space filled with games, stories, art, and music. The day went by beautifully, filled with laughter and connection.
Then came the unexpected.
On the evening of May 5th, as we were closing for the day and preparing for the next, we received a notice: a scheduled power outage was planned for the following day—from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A full nine hours without electricity.
No electricity meant no running fans, no lights, and most importantly, no access to pumped water—for drinking, washing, or even cooking. It felt like the camp might come to a halt before it had even begun.
But we weren’t ready to give up.
That very evening, the team came together for a quick planning session. We assessed the situation carefully. All the water tanks were filled in advance. We checked our drinking water stock. The layout of the building, with its high ceilings and excellent cross ventilation, meant that indoor spaces would stay reasonably cool even without fans. Most of the next day’s activities were already designed to be low-resource and conducted indoors.
Crucially, we had invited an important external resource person—Inspector Dhanasekaran—to conduct a much-awaited awareness session on the POCSO Act. The session had been confirmed weeks in advance, and there was no way to postpone it. Come what may, it had to take place. With this in mind, and with all our groundwork laid, the team rallied together to ensure everything was ready. And despite the power cut, the session unfolded seamlessly—well-attended, well-facilitated, and deeply meaningful.
Police Inspector, Mr. Dhanasekaran during the awareness session.
On the morning of May 6th, the children arrived, full of energy. The first half of the day unfolded smoothly. The POCSO awareness session took place as planned, and the children remained engaged as they moved from one activity to another—all with ease. We encouraged them to use water responsibly and involved them gently in the reality of the day. The rooms stayed airy, the mood was cheerful, and the team was attentive.
Children doing clay work at the camp
But by lunchtime, challenges began to surface.
The last few glasses of drinking water had been poured. We were slowly running out of running water—and there was no way to refill the tanks. Without losing time, we placed an urgent order for five cans of filtered drinking water, each with a capacity of 25 litres. That gave us some relief.
However, another issue quickly followed: how were we to wash the plates and utensils after lunch?
Our women staff picked up buckets, pots, and large vessels and stepped out into the neighbourhood. They knocked on doors, requesting households to allow them to collect water. Many were sympathetic but understandably cautious—the power cut had affected everyone. Still, we managed to gather around 20 buckets of water—just enough to wash the lunch vessels and maintain basic hygiene.
But that was all we could get. The neighbourhood couldn’t spare more, and our reserves were not enough to sustain 125 children and staff through the rest of the day. The sun was beating down, the heat rising, and without water—for drinking, washing, or even cooling off—discomfort quickly set in.
After assessing the situation carefully, we made the decision to close the camp for the rest of the day.
The children may not remember every detail of this day—but they will remember that they were held, cared for, and considered. And they will remember that even when the power went out, the joy never did.
Because at Sharana, that’s what summer camp is all about.
