Children from slums in Berhampur have become major participants and awareness builders in the six raahgiri days observed till this Sunday.
Every Sunday, more than 500 children -- under the banner of ‘Children’s Federation’ comprising of various ‘child clubs’ in slums -- participate in the raahgiri day.
Activists of the Youth for Social Development (YSD) are behind their active participation.
According to Bibhu Prasad Sahu of the YSD, they are utilising the raahgiri day to pass on the message that slum children are no different from other children and despite their lack of resources, they can play a role in social development.
‘No investment needed for good health’
On this Sunday, the slum children got together to pass on the message that good health can be maintained without any investment. From early morning, these children performed Surya Namaskar, which, according to them, is the easiest exercise. “Well-to-do people who run after costly health clubs and gymnasiums at times look less healthy than slum dwellers as they do not understand that simple exercises and physical work can do miracles for our health,” said Nilima.
The Children’s Federation collected pledges from persons regarding protection of child rights. Children drew the people’s attention towards various laws against evils like child trafficking, child marriage, child labour etc. “Since the fourth raahgiri day, these children have collected more than 800 pledges from citizens that they would never endanger the rights of a child,” said Ratneswar Sahu of the YSD.
On every raahgiri day, these children come up with some entertaining activity come with a new social theme. On April 24, they had demonstrated scientific way of garbage collection, and sanitation, an idea that the ‘Children’s Federation’ has implemented in a few slums of the city.
Although the Berhampur Municipal Corporation has not yet implemented it, these children demonstrated how at their initiative in some slums like Ambapua Bauri Sahi slum and Phulasundari Sahi, garbage is being segregated and collected in colourful community dustbins. The blue colour bin is meant for food wastes, green for wastes that can be recycled and red bin is for hazardous waste.
On the first raahgiri day on April 10, they had held a painting session to depict their dream city. They made paintings on the city’s burning issues like drinking water crisis and sanitation as well as suggestions to alleviate them. Enthused by the children, several elders had also sat down on the road to draw along with them.
On April 17, these children had showcased their journalism skill by displaying selected pieces of past issues of their wall magazine being published in over 20 slums of Berhampur for a year.
