Bidding goodbye to 2022, we welcomed 2023 with 70 adolescents & youth from different bastis and villages across Thane District – at a residential training camp, on 31 December and 1st January.

1st January is not only Shaurya Din but also the day when Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule started the first school for the deprived in Pune, and thus opened the doors of education to them. We together paid homage to these great leaders of our present democratic times.

This camp saw good participation from youth of NT-DNT tent communities. Similarly Adivasi, rural and dalit youth participated. In these two days, we handled topics ranging from Understanding journey of Adolescence to Youth, Media gaze, Addiction and their social, political, family related analysis, Mental Justice, Social movements in history and their Democratic and Human values, and Constitutional Values and Duties.

Most importantly, the facilitation of these trainings were carried out by first line youth leaders who have been connected with Anubhuti’s processes. They first attended a full day “training of trainers”, where they learnt about the subjects that they were to facilitate over the 2-days camp – from the perspective of adolescents.

These youth facilitators connected their lived experiences and ground truths to give an impactful turn to the residential camp process.

Along with the amazing fun during camp fire, we passed into the new year with discussions, presentations, debate, games and intellectual meetings.