Where it all started
From 2007-2019 and in January 2025 (after a long break due to COVID) survivors living in different shelter homes were invited to attend an adventure camp. They were treated to four days in the wilderness, a way to escape everyday stresses, anxieties, reminders of the past.
We found fresh air, gentle streams, and rolling hills were such a balm on their broken and weary souls. Sessions were a mix of outdoor activities; trekking, swimming, kayaking, rappelling and indoor activities; arts and crafts, games and some sessions on some serious topics. Sessions and activities were designed to help survivors develop friendships, teach them teamwork, how to have a positive outlook towards their future and go back home with goals and plans that they would put into action.
Hey there Sahasi!
The theme of the camp was Hey there Sahasi (warrior). From 15 survivors, we dropped to seven survivors, one backing out the day she had to leave for the camp. We were a little discouraged as none of them had any solid reasons for backing out and because we had such an exciting schedule awaiting them; fun outdoor challenges and activities, art therapy sessions, dance therapy sessions, a deep dive session with a motivational speaker, sessions with a specially appointed camp counselor and a special session on health led by a gynecologist.
Freedom Firm teams in Kolkata, Nagpur and Prayagraj (UP), accompanied survivors from their homes to the railway station where they would finally reach the campsite in Bangalore. Two of us proceeded to Bangalore a few days earlier to purchase materials for the resource people (papers, scissors, paints, pens, pencils, sketch pens, folders..) and a surprise kit for survivors (a light jacket, walking shoes, a comb, a tooth brush, tooth paste, soap, facewash…) all this would be kept inside a large tote bag which survivors would receive as a welcome gift as soon as they arrived.
Camp Schedule
The first day was light – survivors shared their expectations – to learn, to leave stresses behind, to have fun, to play games, adventure…
Morning Motivation – While survivors were waking up, everyday the Freedom Firm team and resource people would meet and one person would share a message of encouragement.
Workout – Every morning between 8:00 am – 8:30 am, the Breakthrough team led survivors in a light workout session.
Breakfast – At 8:30 am, we all met for breakfast. Every table was lively with survivors coaxing their friends to eat more (or less!)
Session 1 – At 9:00 am every morning, Doris Kurapaty, the camp counsellor led the first session. Her sessions were deep and focused on identity, self worth and resilience. One the last day she had every survivor create a vision board- a serious exercise to help them visualise and put their dreams down on paper. Doris also spent one-on-one time with survivors who openly shared about their issues and struggles.
Activity – Every day at 10:30 am, a Freedom Firm staffer would lead a fun jumping, dancing, moving and grooving kind of activity – the chai break was a welcoming reprieve
Session 2 – At 11:30 am, Srabasti Ghosh, a Dance Therapist led the dance therapy sessions . She led survivors and staff in warm up exercises, dance movements, colouring activities… Each activity, step and movement were designed to provide a way for survivors to deal with trauma.
Lunch – Meal times were always fun- survivors who were from the North and East of India got to sample South Indian food – their feedback, delicious but too spicy.
Session 3 – Meghna Girish was the art therapist at the camp. Her specialisation is dealing with victims and survivors of trauma. While the rest of us saw pictures, sometimes bright and sometimes dull, Meghna was able to gauge survivor’s feelings and emotions through the colours and designs.
Everyday after some chai and biscuit, Team Breakthrough led survivors through all kinds of challenges – from ziplining, walking on a rope, plank walking, indoor games.. Survivors learned about teamwork. After every activity the Breakthrough team would sit with survivors and ask them what they learned through the activity. Survivors were only too eager to share!
Deep Dive was was led by motivational speaker Jaison James – He taught survivors how to get rid of negative labels, draw boundaries, and how to make decisions and future plans.
On one of the days we had Dr Anita David, a practicing gynecologist in Bangalore lead a session on reproductive health, pregnancy, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases…there were no blushes, only serious questions about personal health issues survivors were facing.
After a day full of learning and listening, drawing and dancing – survivors enjoyed some down time – the first two days we all sat together and watched Sitaare Zameen Par (Stars on the Ground) a movie about a coach putting a basketball team made up of differently abled teens together to win various competitions.
Team Breakthrough organised a bonfire on two days. On the first bonfire evening, survivors had a blast dancing around the fire – even the shy joined in with some dance moves while two survivors who loved dancing had a kind of dance-off.
One the second evening of the bonfire, the last evening, survivors huddled together. The mood was poignanty sweet. Over the warm glow of the fire, survivors shared what they learned, what they would be putting into action, and a word of appreciation for other survivors.
Survivors were gifted a picture collage filled with special moments of them in the camp and along with a group picture in their specially designed Hey There Sahasi camp t-shirts.
What makes every Freedom Firm Adventure Camp so special is the sweet bonds of friendship that are forged during the camp and the transformation of each survivor by the end of the camp. Every survivor made their way to camp a little hesitatnly and shyly but were returning home filled with plans, dreams and hopes that though they may be survivors, they are also Sahasis and will embrace it proudly.
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