The skill of Self-defence is an asset to cherish and bears significance for people of all ages, particularly for children. The ability to defend oneself is crucial in situations where potential threats or dangers may arise. Moreover, self-defence empowers individuals by instilling confidence and providing essential skills in threatening situations. This tool for empowerment can be valuable for children, to deter bullying at school or any malicious threats t in their day-to-day lives. Additionally, self-defence training emphasizes situational awareness, encouraging individuals to be alert and responsive to potential risks. Beyond physical protection, self-defence contributes to overall well-being by promoting physical fitness through regular exercise.

To enhance the safety awareness of the community, and impart basic knowledge on self-defence, a three-day self-defence camp was conducted in the village of Godpada, Bhudhar in Udaipur district of Rajasthan.

Mr. Mayank Shrimali, a seasoned self-defence expert and senior trainer since 2007, led the training session. He imparted essential self-defence techniques to children, that they can employ to protect themselves from potential dangers. The training’s objective was to provide children with the necessary skills to respond effectively in unforeseen incidents. A total of 202 children enthusiastically participated in the initiative under Mayank Shrimali’s guidance, with 94 girls and 108 boys grasping valuable self-defence tips.

“While going through the training I realised that I was quite uninformed about the reality of self-defence. Due to lack of awareness, I could not counter any threats, but the training instilled some confidence in me. This will help me in protecting myself.” said Jyotsana Kumar. I thank Kushaal Bachpan for organising this training and I hope the programme is continued till we are trained on all aspects of self defence.
Anjana Kumari, of 8th standard described her experience and said “I attended this three-day self defence training camp with a lot of excitement to learn about the art. We learned the 9 steps of self defence and a lot of tips and techniques that I think will help me to protect myself. I am looking forward to teaching these skills to my siblings”.

The successful completion of the three-day self-defence camp in Godpada, Bhudhar, Udaipur reflects a positive step towards enhancing the safety awareness of the children and the community. The training conducted was at basic level, to build on this initiative and ensure sustained impact, an advance level training will be held for the same children. More such training sessions will be organised for the cluster of villages in order to further train other members from the community.