Varduhi, 11, from Karchaghbiur, a village in the region of Gegharkunik, is one of the more than 100 participants at the World Vision Christian Summer Camp in Aghavnadzor, Gegharkunik. The ten days she is spending at the summer camp are the highlight of her summer, which otherwise would have passed solely by helping out her parents around the house.

“I love being here in the camp. I have made many new friends, have fun, while learning lots of new stuff,” says Varduhi. “I love being part of our camp group and my most favorite activities are the Bible studies and the health education.”

A typical summer day for Varduhi usually starts and ends by helping her mother with the chores, while her older brother helps their father in the fields.

 At the summer camp, Varduhi took part in the healthy lifestyle educational games. “This was fun. In particular, I loved the game of drawing personal hygiene possessions blindfold,” she says.

For many years, 12-year-old Ruzan from the village of Arpounk, Gegharkunik, has been looking forward to coming to the summer camp. “My older friends used to tell us about their days in the camp and I always wondered when my turn would come. Now I enjoy every moment of the camp,” Ruzan says.

Ruzan is the oldest child of a family of six, and, as is with the case of most of the children living in the villages of Armenia, has to help out her parents around the house and take care of the younger siblings. “I learnt a lot about how to take care of our bodies and our health. I have also learnt new games. I am proud that my friends and I knew well all about healthy lifestyle and did well in the games,” Ruzan says.

“We believe that the children learn more easily and permanently when the learning procedure is carried out throughout games etc.,” says Araksya Hovhannesyan, WV Armenia health expert.

This year all World Vision Armenia Christian summer camps organized educational games on the topic of healthy lifestyle.