Exposure visits are not always about visiting parks or fun places. The students of the Caritas Centre South Goa, along with their caregivers engaged in the paddy transplantation in the fields at Benaulim on 9th July 2027 as part of their regular exposure activity.
They worked alongside the parish youth of St. John the Baptist Church. Earlier, Fr. Malcolm Colaco explained the process of paddy transplantation and spoke about the importance of paddy farming and the hard work of farmers.
It was the first experience in a paddy field for all the students and their caregivers. They happily took part in plucking the rice seedlings and transplanting them. The activity gave everyone an opportunity to learn through hands-on experience while enjoying the nature.
Caritas Goa through its South Goa Centre reaches out to nearly one hundred and ninety-five students with various disabilities, including autism, intellectual disability, deafblindness and multiple disabilities. The Special Educators prepared a social story before the visit to help the children and young adults understand the activity and what to expect. This helped the students participate with confidence and enjoy the experience. Soraya Xavier, Coordinator, of the project shared about the excitement and interest of the children in knowing first hand of the process of how the food comes on their table, every day.
The exposure visit was a joyful and meaningful learning experience for the students, caregivers, and educators. It helped the students learn about agriculture, teamwork, and the importance of respecting farmers and nature.
