Students of Northeast Institute of Social Sciences and Research during the rural camp at Chandalashung New village, Ralan sub-division in Wokha district from January 28 to February 6. (Photo Courtesy: NEISSR)
Dimapur, February 9 (MExN): Northeast Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR) recently organized a rural camp at Chandalashung New village, Ralan sub-division in Wokha district from January 28 to February 6.
Rural camp is an integral component of Masters in Social Work (MSW) curriculum, informed a press note issued by the NEISSR.
A total of 48 students from second semester and two faculty members participated in the rural camp. The camp was organized with the objective to help the social work trainees understand rural realities and village dynamics. It included Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and activities such as, awareness programs, medical camp and cleanliness drive. The camp focused on facilitating rural denizens in the social and resource mapping of the village spreading awareness about health and sanitation, imparting knowledge among rural youth on culture and life skills. Additionally, it was an exercise to help the trainees experience group living, sharing and working with fellow students.
On the seventh day of the rural camp the social work trainees of NEISSR jointly organized a medical camp with Eden Medical Center in Chandalashung New village on February 3. The trainees highlighted the ill effects of alcohol consumption through a play. Tokupu Chophy, one of the trainees spoke on the problem and adverse consequences of alcohol abuse especially among Naga youth. During the course of the rural camp the trainees conducted a one day sport event at Chandalashung New public ground in which the young and old from the community participated along with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB). On the tenth day, the trainees conducted a cleanliness drive with an aim to promote cleanliness and enhance their collective effort for community development.
The rural camp enabled the trainees to learn about the problem faced by the community such as lack of dispensary, scarcity of water, dismal educational facilities and unreliable tele-communication. The trainees learned to appreciate the strength of the rural people in meeting various challenges on a daily basis with very little support from outside the community. The lack of basic amenities such as education, good roadsand healthcare facilities, clean and regular supply of drinking water was prominently visible. The trainees were overwhelmed by the generosity and pro-active participation of the people of Chandalashung New village in the activities of the rural camp.
The trainees were skilled in participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA): the students had done the social mapping of the village, social resource mapping, problem analysis, seasonal calendar, time line etc., As a whole the professional social workers had enhanced their knowledge and skill to live in a rural setting with a minimum facilities.
