13-year-old Pooja is now a child rights activist and a role model for other children in Borala village, Amaravati district, Maharashtra. Her life has taken a significant turn with the intervention of Child Rights for Change! project supported by IKEA Social Initiative.
Coming from a disadvantaged Dalit (scheduled caste) family, Pooja spent her early years as a child worker in the cotton fields and collecting firewood. She earned a meager wage of approximately Rs.20-50 a day for her family while missing out on schooling. She dropped out twice for long periods during her 5th and 6th years and stayed away from school until December 2009.
In rural India, many children like Pooja may be enrolled in school, but miss several months a year to engage in agricultural work. This leaves them vulnerable to dropping out of school altogether.
She was spotted by the local Development Activist, Milind Ingle, who persuaded her to join the newly formed Children’s Group in August 2009. Pooja’s participation in the Children’s Group over a four-month period made her dream about returning to school, which she finally did in December 2009 despite her father continuing to force her to go for work on the farm. Knowing well that working and attending school would make her once again vulnerable to dropping out entirely, Pooja shared her concerns with Milind who in turn used the village Child Protection Committee to convince Pooja’s father to allow her to work on her studies and not in the nearby cotton fields and to let her enjoy her childhood.
Today, Pooja is in the 7th Standard and is active in the local Children’s Group. She has taken a lead role in motivating other children to stay in school for their long-term benefit. She has grown in confidence and talks to parents about the rights of the children.
“I felt very sad, when I could not attend my school and watched other children studying,” Pooja said. “I want to become a teacher and I understand that one needs to be well educated to teach others. I feel good about the change that has taken place in my life; my efforts will be to help all children in the village complete schooling and have awareness about their rights. I feel very happy doing this with support of my Children’s Group members; without them, it is impossible.”
Contributed by: Siddhesh Gunandekar, Media and Comms Coordinator, Maharashtra
0 Responses to “Pooja’s Story: A Catalyst for the Children’s Group”