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Bhubaneswar, 8/2/2026 ( Odisha Samachar/ Rajat Mohapatra )-People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC), a leading voluntary organization in Odisha with 36 years of experience, organized a four-day “Eco-Venture Camp” from 5th to 8th February 2026 at the Rural Livelihood Training Centre, Kapundi, Saharapada, Keonjhar, in collaboration with Adoptionscentrum. 
The camp witnessed the participation of 60 youth members of the ECOSAVERS Youth Network from various districts of Odisha. The objective of the camp was to strengthen youth understanding of environmental protection while nurturing leadership, teamwork, and a sense of responsibility towards nature. The programme also aimed to deepen their connection with nature, enabling them to lead eco-friendly initiatives at home and village levels and mobilise communities for sustainable practices.
Shri Aswini Kumar Nayak, Tahsildar, Patna, stated that initiatives like the Eco-Venture Camp led by youth are essential for building environmentally responsible citizens. He appreciated PECUC for creating a platform that inspires young people to develop a strong and passionate commitment towards environmental protection and sustainable living. 
Shri Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, PECUC, said that the camp aimed to instil a deep understanding of environmental issues among youth through practical exposure to biodiversity and ecosystems and nurturing a passion for environmental protection at a young age empowers youth to lead eco-friendly initiatives and contributes to long-term sustainability. Shri Banabihari Sardar, Forest Officer, Patna, highlighted the critical role of youth in conservation and young people can significantly contribute to forest conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience at the grassroots level. 
Shri Niranjan Sethi, Forester, Patna, mentioned that connecting youth directly with nature helps build emotional attachment and responsibility towards forests and wildlife. Ms Anuradha Mohanty, Executive Director, PECUC, emphasized that youth leadership is key to sustainable development, and the Eco-Venture Camp is an effort to nurture young leaders who are passionate about environmental protection and capable of driving positive change through community engagement. Ms Ratna Dash, Treasurer, PECUC, gave the vote of thanks.
The Eco-Venture Camp, a youth-led initiative, engaged participants in a range of learning and experiential activities, including knowledge-sharing sessions and discussions on biodiversity, climate change, conservation strategies, leadership and the role of youth in environmental protection. As part of the practical exposure, participants visited Pichhulabeda village, where they took part in constructing local check dams on a stream for water, soil, and ecosystem conservation, and also created bird nests.
“This was a very unique opportunity for us. Our learning level on environmental issues was enhanced through local fieldwork, including constructing local check dams for water and soil conservation, creating bird nests, and forest walks where we learned to identify trees and understand forest ecosystems. We also exchanged knowledge with peers from different districts,” said Pabitra Sahoo (Kendrapada), Anita Mahanta (Jajpur), Miki Mallick (Khordha), Sambhu Munda (Keonjhar), Madhusudan Giri (Balasore), and Tapaswini Sahoo (Cuttack).
The camp also included forest walks, during which youth learned to identify plant and animal species and gained knowledge about medicinal plants and their uses. Participants interacted with local communities, gaining insights into their festivals, food habits, traditional medicines, and lifestyles. Cultural activities further enriched their understanding of local culture and heritage.
The camp was facilitated by Satya Narayan Mahanta, Puja Panda, Rashmirekha Sahoo, Anlita Barik, Upama Mohanty, Bishnupriya Mohapatra, Bamdev Jena, Draupadi Bej, Subhalaxmi Panda, and Narayan Das from PECUC.
