A group of underprivileged children attended a summer camp organised by an NGO.

The summer camp by Calcutta Rescue engaged these children — from pre-primary to Class X — in various activities that helped them to learn and enjoy.

While for the affluent, a summer camp is a distraction for these slum children it is a protection from circumstances that surround them that make them vulnerable, said an NGO worker.

Almost all the children are first-generation learners who live in small one-room houses.

While it is summer vacation in their formal schools, their parents, mostly daily wage earners or domestic helps, are out during the day.

“The children are left at home unattended. They wander about in the neighbourhood without any adult supervision. Some of the smaller children or adolescent girls are vulnerable to abuse as well,” said Ananya Chatterjee, education administrator, Calcutta Rescue.

“Some of them have their houses along the railway line. Some of them wander about and try a smoke or any other substance. Our objective is to keep them away from all of it,” said Chatterjee.

The one-week summer camp that ended on May 24 was held in Tala Park and Goabagan — two of the NGO’s centres.

About 220 students attended the camp at Tala Park and 180 at Goabagan.

“When their schools close for summer vacation our responsibilities grow because their daily routine is disrupted,” said Chatterjee.

“We keep counselling and educating them which has raised their awareness level but given their age or circumstances they are not always discerning,” she said.

At the camp, the smaller ones were engaged in fancy dress and drawing and the seniors did ramp walks, non-fire cooking, learnt music and made bird feeders.

“We cannot keep doing their syllabus. If we do that they will lose interest. So we arranged for a summer camp that they hear about from social media,” said a teacher.

Class IX girl Simran Mubarak, who lives in Mechua, cooks at home, yet making a salad at the summer camp was interesting.

“It is not the regular meal that I cook every day. It was a group activity that I did with my friends and in a hygienic way,” she said.