For 139 Standard Six students from SGM Kuala Lumpur, the two-day holiday camp on December 5 and 6, 2008 at the SGM Culture Centre, Cheras was a memorable event before they entered the secondary school.

Further laying down the foundation of future happiness, the camp also helped to strengthen their faith in Nichiren Buddhism and better understanding of the humanistic philosophy practised by SGM. Important values such as friendship, courage and trust were inculcated in their young minds through various games and activities which will remain as their golden memories for many years to come.

Every activity of the camp including meals, taking baths and sleeping were imbued with educational values and togetherness, turning seemingly mundane chores into fun. Getting to know SGI President Ikeda’s life and struggles from a board game certainly made it more exciting and memorable for the children. Various innovative games emphasising hope, courage and friendship further drove home the importance of cooperation and concern for other people – essential soft skills in life.

One of the participants Lai Ying Mun shared, “I learned many things here, in particular about the Gohonzon, the life and struggles of Nichiren Daishonin and the three Soka Gakkai Presidents…. The games, especially the one on Tatsunokuchi Persecution where Nichiren Daishonin was nearly beheaded, enhanced what we learned about his life history in a practical way. I learned that we should not be afraid when facing problems and that if we were to have fear in our hearts, we would not advance so dynamically towards victory.”

Steven Chung Tze Yen, a youth volunteer at the camp, shared that, “I was anxious about my ability to handle the children as I had never done so before…I learned many things here and find that each child has different character and personality. As SGI President Ikeda says, I should respect and treat them as individuals.”

SGM Melaka also organised a two-day Junior Division camp on November 21 and 22, 2008 at its culture centre. A total of 47 boys and girls took part in programmes that included some interesting and interactive sessions. One of the highlights was a sketch based on a Buddhist parable entitled “Birds who suffer from the cold.” From the sketch, they learned the importance of not putting off their immediate tasks. They also learned about the Buddhist principles of the “ten worlds.”

In Johor, the Junior Division camp was held on November 15 and 16, 2008 at the SGM Johor Culture Centre. A total of 70 boys and girls from Standard Five and Six were divided into nine groups, where they learned, exchanged and took part in the games. The group with the best team spirit was given an award.