It is not just about picking up the nuances of drawing. Cartoonist B. Hari Venkataramana’s free summer classes paint a child-friendly picture to those aged above six years, assist them to differentiate between good and bad touch and understand the implications of exploitation that most children are subject to, through a series of cartoons.
What started off with a simple summer camp a decade ago in one of the dingy lanes of a slum area in Kancharapalem has now turned into an annual session that primarily focuses on educating the little ones about the impact of child abuse, child marriages, child labour and exploitation through the images of cartoons. The cartoonist, who is also associated with the Visakha Child Rights Forum as secretary, says that remedial measures in dealing with child abuse cases also form a part of the lessons taught at various camps. “With child sexual abuse and child rape cases growing at an alarming rate, it is imperative to communicate the hushed up subject to children in a sensitive manner that catches their attention, makes them to stay alert and guides them to seek immediate help when situation arises sans any trace of fear or guilt,” narrates Mr. Hari Venkataramana while taking a break during the cartoon class held at St. Anthony’s High School in collaboration with the District Central Library.
Participants were paying rapt attention when the cartoonist was explaining the implications of child abuse. Shifting uneasily in her seat, a 10-year-old girl, who took part in the session, recalled her dark experience. “I thought it’s my fault to visit my uncle’s place who tried to get close to me when I was alone. I was so scared to share the incident with my mom but not anymore,” she conveys. “The whole idea of tying up with the libraries and NGOs is to reach out to larger sections, help children confide their fears to their parents or a trusted adult about any embarrassing experience that often leaves them confused,” Mr. Hari Venkataramana told The Hindu .
Social issues
In addition to hosting cartoon drawing sessions in government schools, slum areas, libraries and community halls across the city, Mr. Hari Venkataramana also trained students in workshops that focussed on social issues in Kurnool, Hyderabad, Anantapur.
