Children frustrated by being home-bound in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic now have an outlet to channel their energies.
The Women and Child Development Department and UNICEF have come together to launch ‘e-koottam,’ an online monsoon camp, to provide recreational opportunities to children amid the extended lockdown, promote creative use of their time, and emphasise the importance of literature and Malayalam language.
As concerns deepen over the impact of socio-economic changes brought on by the pandemic and the stricter mitigation measures in place on the mental and physical health of children, the lack of play and social connect and necessary social skills is also sought to be addressed by e-koottam.
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Minister for Women and Child Development Department Veena George who launched e-koottam and released its module said e-koottam was an important intervention by the department for children cooped up in their homes for months.
Registration for the three-day camp in which children from all districts will participate is seeing an enthusiastic response.
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The department has also launched Sargavasantham for children’s social and mental well-being. Sargavasantham, which will go on till the end of July, comprises a host of activities that help students develop a positive outlook.
Children can take up activities involved in #Sargavasantham2021 and #WeShallOvercome hashtag campaigns, shoot videos and share these on social media, and send a copy to district child protection units through whom the programme is being implemented to win prizes.
Colour of Future is a drawing competition (pencil), Let’s Dance Together a cinematic/fusion dance contest set to music, and Creative Kid requires children to use waste material to create novel useful products. Housefull is a videography contest about creativite activities in everyday life, and Prana about activities taken up with family that focus on sanitation and health during COVID-19.
Challenge a Family requires shooting videos of activities undertaken by parents and children together, and I Can is about exhibiting the skills of differently abled children with the support of their parents.
For details, visit the department website http://wcd.kerala.gov.in/