Aradhya had a truly remarkable summer vacation this year, thanks to her participation in the CAMaL Ka Camp, a summer camp that left a lasting impact on her. At the age of 11, she is a grade 6 student hailing from Seehmai Karirat village in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Aradhya was eagerly looking forward to spending her summer vacation at her maternal grandparents’ place, but when she heard about CAMaL Ka Camp, she felt torn, thinking she wouldn’t be able to join her friends since she had to leave in just 2-3 days.

As the camp started, an enthusiastic volunteer – Shiva, began with a fun warm-up activity that all the children thoroughly enjoyed. Watching her friends engrossed in the activities, Aradhya couldn’t help but feel curious. Her friends and the volunteer convinced her to participate, even if it was just for two days. Persuaded by their excitement, Aradhya agreed.

In the first two days, Aradhya and her friends wholeheartedly participated in the learning activities and games that created an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Among the highlights, her favourite was the ‘Kahani Train’ stories, a daily audio story that ends with an interacting session. These stories captivated her imagination.

As the second day came to a close, Aradhya found herself feeling upset about leaving the camp to visit her grandparents. She had grown so fond of the camp and its experiences that she didn’t want to miss out on any more fun.

In a touching display of camaraderie, Aradhya’s friends decided to intervene and approached her parents. They made a request and pleaded to allow Aradhya to stay and continue participating in the summer camp instead of going to her grandparents’ place. Delighted by the children’s enthusiasm and their daughter’s eagerness to learn, Aradhya’s parents readily agreed, cancelling the holiday plans.

During her time at the camp, Aradhya made remarkable progress in her reading abilities. Although she could initially read only simple words, by the end of the camp, she had advanced to reading simple stories—an incredible achievement!