Rishita: A Teenager’s Mission to Teach and Inspire
She is spending her summer break leading a CAMaL Ka Camp for children in her village
For 16-year-old Rishita from West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, summer holidays are not just about fun and play. Motivated by her father, a vocational teacher, and her mother, a homemaker, she tries to use this break to learn and build new skills. Her dream is to become a police officer one day.
When she heard about Pratham’s CAMaL (Combined Activities for Maximized Learning) Ka Camp—a summer camp that supports children’s foundational learning—she eagerly volunteered. These camps are entirely led by local volunteers who conduct the learning sessions, and Rishita saw this as an opportunity to help children in her community.
As part of the camp, Rishita conducted a baseline assessment. She was surprised to find that many children in Grade 4 were unable to read simple texts meant for Grade 2. “When I saw they couldn’t read simple words, I knew I had to do something. I couldn’t just walk away," she says.
Rishita shares that initially she found it difficult to manage the group of 10 children but she didn’t give up. She divided them into smaller groups and encouraged those who were slightly ahead in reading to support their peers. Gradually, she found ways to make the sessions more engaging and participative.
Every afternoon, Rishita runs the camp near her home, dedicating around an hour and a half to teaching. She uses simple stories, warm-up games, and fun activities to make learning enjoyable. Her sessions include storytelling, word-building, picture-based exercises, and quick speaking challenges to improve language skills. In math, she revises basic arithmetic concepts through interactive activities like Number Circles, Scoring a Century, Breaking and Making Numbers, and Number Jumps.
The children enjoy the sessions and are becoming more confident. Some have even started leading activities themselves. They now look forward to attending CAMaL Ka Camp every day.
To manage her time, Rishita attends tuition classes in the morning, helps with household chores, and conducts the camp in the afternoon before returning to her own studies in the evening.
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. Parents from the village often stop by the camp and appreciate her commitment. What began as a learning opportunity has turned into a meaningful experience for both Rishita and the children she teaches.
Rishita’s journey shows how young people can take initiative and make a difference. With purpose and care, she is not just a student—she is already becoming a changemaker in her community.
