Sowjanya: Bringing Learning to Her Community this Summer
Her creative use of simple tools and learning methods is helping children fall in love with learning
When 32-year-old Sowjanya is not busy teaching at a private school in Telangana’s Karimnagar district, she is thinking about the children in her community and how to improve their learning levels. She lives with her husband and two children, her son is in Grade 6 and daughter is a Grade 4 student.
When she heard about Pratham’s community-led CAMaL Ka Camp, she decided to join as a volunteer and make use of her summer break.
CAMaL (Combined Activities for Maximized Learning) Ka Camp is Pratham’s large-scale summer learning initiative. The goal is to ensure that all participating children are able to do basic arithmetic, read fluently with understanding, and express their thoughts both orally and in writing by the end of the camp.
After attending the orientation conducted by the Pratham team, she began running the camp for 13 children in her community. She first assessed their current learning levels and then used simple games and activities to help them improve at their own pace. She found the methods both enjoyable and effective, not just for the children, but for herself too.
Her own children are also part of the camp. “They enjoy learning here so much. They never want to miss a single day,” Sowjanya says with a smile.
Inspired by what she learned during the orientation, Sowjanya even created her own teaching materials using straws and cardboard by watching videos online. From word cards to letter games, she used these tools to make learning language skills more engaging for the children.
What makes this experience special for Sowjanya is the happiness she sees on the children’s faces. “The way they connect with the activities and gain confidence is encouraging,” she shares.
She’s also looking forward to taking these methods back to her school once the summer holidays end. “I used to think I needed a lot to teach well, but now I’ve learned that simple things done the right way can make a big difference,” Sowjanya shares.
“I thought I was here to teach children, but in the process, I ended up learning so much myself.”
