Changemaker Camp

What is Changemaker Camp?

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Changemaker Camp is our flagship program, a 2-night, 2-day residential camp designed specifically for students in Grade 5 to Grade 10 (ages 10-16) from rural and tribal areas. Since October 2021, we have successfully conducted 27+ camps, transforming the lives of 2,000+ students.

The camp was created based on our 13 years of experience working with rural and tribal students. We identified three critical needs: confidence building, STEAM exposure, and 21st century skills development, particularly self-directed learning.

Why Changemaker Camp?

Addressing the critical gaps we identified in rural and tribal education

Confidence Building

Many students from interior areas lack confidence and have limited horizons. We help them expand their thinking, explore achievements, and build aspirations aligned with current Indian and global opportunities.

STEAM Exposure

Students get hands-on exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, understanding how these fields are essential for their future careers and professions.

21st Century Skills

We teach self-directed learning - the ability to learn independently using internet, YouTube, and digital resources. This skill levels the playing field for rural students.

Contributory Personality

Through value education and change maker mindset, we inspire students to become contributors to society and nation, not just beneficiaries.

Camp Structure: 2 Nights, 2 Days

An immersive experience designed for maximum impact

Day 1 - Arrival & Engagement

Morning: Ice-Breaking & Team Building

Students arrive and participate in ice-breaking exercises. We form 5-6 teams (50-60 students total) with students from different schools and villages, ensuring diverse learning experiences. Each team has leaders, deputy leaders, and assigned duties.

Campus Tour

Students explore our foundation campus, including the Maker Space, Digital Studio, Computer Labs, and Library. They understand the facilities available for their learning journey.

Aspiration Mapping

Students write down their aspirations, what they want to learn, and why they came to the camp. This helps us adapt the program to their specific needs and interests.

What is a Changemaker?

Interactive session explaining what a changemaker is, how India has been shaped by changemakers, and how students can become changemakers in their own lives and communities.

Role Model Sessions

2-3 local changemakers from the same area share their stories (Pothani - My Story). These role models come from similar backgrounds, making their journeys relatable and inspiring.

Afternoon: Art & Craft Sessions

Hands-on creative activities including tribal arts, design thinking exercises, and individual projects that encourage students to think about bigger futures and iterate on different possibilities.

STEAM Workshops

Robotics and technical sessions where students learn self-directed learning. They use mobile phones with internet to search, try, fail, and succeed - understanding that they can learn anything by themselves.

Evening: Cultural Program

Each team prepares and performs dramas, dances, and cultural programs on assigned themes. This is often the first stage experience for many students, building confidence and teamwork. We also train student anchors for the program.

Gratitude Dinner

A silent dinner where students practice gratitude, cherishing what they have received and being thankful for the experience.

Day 2 - Learning & Reflection

Morning: Nature Walk & Spiritual Discussion

Students go for a trek to a beautiful spiritual place where we discuss the purpose of life and how to think about their lives for a longer, bigger period. This is followed by campus cleaning activities, teaching responsibility and care for the environment.

Values-Based Life Stories

Special guests who have lived their lives with certain values share how those values helped them succeed. This session emphasizes the importance of values in personal and professional life.

Innovation Process Workshop

Building on their Maker Space visit, students learn the innovation process. They participate in "Pain Point" activities where teams identify challenges in fields like farming (thinking about their parents' work) and explore how innovation can solve these problems.

International Role Model Sessions

Online sessions with students from USA, UK, and other countries who started from humble backgrounds (government schools) and are now studying or working abroad. They share that aiming high and working hard makes anything possible.

Technical Sessions

Hands-on electronics sessions where students learn about circuits, sensors, inputs, and outputs. Activities include creating origami horses and simple circuits that demonstrate cause and effect.

Final Session & Certificates

Local changemakers share final inspiring stories. Students receive certificates and share their own stories - what they learned, what they look forward to, and what Changemaker Camp means to them. Some students record their reflections.

Departure

The most emotional moment - we see the change in students' eyes, the sparkle, the confidence, and the hope for a brighter future.

Key Activities & Learning Outcomes

Team Building

Students from different schools and villages work together, learning collaboration, leadership, and respect for diversity.

Robotics & Self-Learning

Students learn to use mobile phones and internet to teach themselves, understanding that learning is in their hands.

Design Thinking

Students identify problems, brainstorm solutions, iterate, and create prototypes - learning the innovation process.

Cultural Expression

Drama, dance, and performances build confidence, creativity, and public speaking skills - often a first-time experience for many.

Program Evolution & Continuous Improvement

Since our first camp in October 2021, we have continuously evolved the program based on experience, feedback, and best practices from around the world. Here's how we've improved:

Language & Communication

We've refined our language, word choices, and dialect to ensure effective communication. Thanks to our mentors and teachers, we now use words that students understand, making learning more accessible.

Structured Sessions

We've stabilized session timings and structure, placing activities at optimal times (morning, afternoon, evening) for maximum impact and engagement.

Standardized Content

We've developed ready-to-use session content that any good teacher can deliver after brief training. This includes procedures, questions, examples, and activities tailored to rural student backgrounds.

Food & Comfort

We've adapted our menu based on student preferences, ensuring they enjoy the food while maintaining nutritional value. Comfort and well-being are priorities.

External Audits

We invite external experts to observe our camps for 2 days, providing feedback on structure, flow, pedagogy, and delivery. This third-party input helps us continuously improve.

Special Programs

Girls-Only Camps

We've conducted 5 specialized camps for girls, including one at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Kalakhetra, a very interior tribal area. These camps address specific needs and create safe spaces for girls to learn and grow.

Community-Specific Camps

We've conducted 8 camps outside our campus, including one for CRPF community students. We adapt our programs to meet specific community needs and contexts.

Kalam Fellows Program

TGHBF is first to unearth students having special potential or interest in areas like Making, Tech, Creativity, Writing, Art, etc. from the rural-tribal underprivileged sections. During camps, mentors identify these gifted students, hard workers, and those with specific interests. Once identified as Kalam Fellows, we provide direction, mentorship, connections, and resources to help them develop their talents further.

Alumni Network & Follow-Up

Staying Connected

We maintain strong connections with all our camp alumni through WhatsApp groups for each camp. Parents are also part of these groups, ensuring continuous engagement.

Regular Follow-Up Activities

We invite alumni to participate in fairs, Maker Yatra, and other activities, keeping them engaged and continuing their learning journey.

Alumni as Volunteers

Many alumni return as volunteers, taking leadership roles in camps. In our second camp, we had 78 alumni volunteers. This creates a cycle of giving back and leadership development.

Future Changemakers

We envision that after 5-10 years, our alumni will become changemakers themselves, guiding the next generation of students and creating a multiplier effect.

Support Changemaker Camp

Help us reach more students and create more changemakers. Sponsor a camp, volunteer, or partner with us.

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