COVID flipped a lot of businesses upside down, especially tertiary sectors like the travel industry. Digital nomads stranded in foreign countries, mass layoffs, and vacant inventory in peak season were scenarios that no one had anticipated. While a lot of businesses shut down, others rebranded, adapted, and became nimble on their feet.
In most cases, transitions caused a lot of pain but there were a few unexpected pleasant surprises as well; Decreased levels of pollution, cleaner rivers to better hygiene levels among the masses in general. Travel patterns also changed as travellers became interested in outdoor and nature-based destinations, such as national parks, beaches, and mountains, where people could avoid crowds and enjoy the fresh air. Tourists urged more flexible booking and cancellation policies for airlines, hotels, and car rentals also became the norm.
At Svanir we hope to attract these new-age travellers who want to explore, immerse, and interact with the local community. We are very happy when travellers leave the itinerary planning to us. Apart from helping the village indirectly by employing women workers from the village community, we also encourage guests to contribute directly to the villagers. One of the activities that we suggest involves the village school.
Traditionally interaction with a village school is limited to guests dropping into the school, maybe handing out some books and stationery. But we want guests to have a more meaningful experience. Just dropping in unannounced with a few gifts does nothing more than disrupt the classroom and flow. We feel that traditionally how guests are made to interact with school children lacks the mutual benefit and respect that such establishments deserve.
Given ample notice, we work with the village ashram school to organize a ‘Girls’ Day Out ‘. Our selection process is also a little different. We want to give equal opportunities to all kids, not just those who are academically strong. The last time we did such an event we specifically asked the village headmaster to send us children who are not doing well in the classroom.
On the day of the event, we ushered students between the age of 6 and 8 years to Svanir. I think the village school also waits for these days as the teachers also have a day off. The girls who work at Svanir have passed out from the same school so these kids are familiar with them and don’t have to be chaperoned by their teacher.
For guests, it’s such a wonderful feeling to see young kids bubbling with excitement and enjoying themselves. First, they are taken into dreamland by a professional storyteller who narrates a story on why it’s important to protect the flora and fauna around them. After the storytelling session, the kids got their hands dirty with colors and made artwork related to the story they had just heard. The day’s session ended with a demonstration of how to wash hands. Finally, after such a trying day, the girls had lunch which was prepared in-house. At departure, they were handed out stationary and an umbrella (practical gift as it was monsoons) and dropped back to the village. Their smiles were probably the best gifts that our guests took back with them.
We would love to conduct more sessions like these for guests who want to give back to the community in a more meaningful way.
So when are you coming to help the students have another day out?
written by: Soumya Mukherjee
