Serious Fun

Fun is as essential to Camp Sizanani, as it is to any other camp. But it is not sufficient. Equally vital is the program of life skills, where kids learn how to protect themselves from a deadly disease and how to defend themselves from addiction, exploitation, and abusive behavior.

In life skills classes, campers in the throes of adolescence learn facts about sexuality and have the chance to speak openly about it. Myths about HIV/AIDS are replaced with objective knowledge, and understanding helps mitigate social stigmas. Kids who are infected learn how to live longer and more productive lives. Boys learn to respect girls, girls to respect themselves.

Life skills learning flows into the larger camping experience through arts and crafts, storytelling, poetry, theater, and other activities that to the campers appear to be pure fun. As campers develop trust in their counselors, a variety of settings lend themselves to uncovering and healing scars of abuse.