Child Group Story

September 2024

Time is constantly moving forward, and in keeping pace with this flow, it has been almost 12 months since we started running programs in our child group. We’ve been holding discussions twice a month, and these discussions have covered various topics. The impact of these meetings has shaped children’s practical understanding, which was the purpose of today’s meeting. The children were genuinely happy to participate. Actually, the duration of the program is 10 months, but due to various reasons we could not complete all meetings in a 10 months period as we had to stop during examinations and festivals. Therefore the program covered a 12 months period.

In today’s society, influenced by modernity, especially by social media platforms like Facebook and mobile apps, children have also been affected. Due to this, communal gatherings and fun games have gradually diminished, and the bond among children has weakened. But through our sessions, we’ve seen a growing sense of connection and increased self-awareness among the children.

We formed a circle and engaged in a discussion about what topics we have covered in our children’s group so far. The goal was to reflect together on the subjects we’ve discussed. During this reflection, two key topics stood out, and we encouraged them to act on what they had learned.

The first topic revolved around cleanliness and hygiene. For instance, some children mentioned how their uniforms and clothes were often thrown around the house, creating an extra burden for their mothers. After discussing cleanliness, they realized that if they do not maintain personal hygiene, they are vulnerable to various diseases, which not only affect them but also their community. Therefore, we emphasized the importance of staying clean to avoid diseases.

The second topic was about nutrition. During the discussion, the children acknowledged how they have been mistreating their health by consuming junk food, preferring outside food to homemade organic meals. We stressed that unhealthy eating habits could lead to serious health issues. They realized that eating a balanced diet is essential for staying healthy, which in turn helps them focus better in school and become good individuals.

We also discussed children’s rights and development, emphasizing that children should have the right to physical, educational, emotional, and moral development. They should also have the right to protection and participation, which are key to shaping them into responsible citizens. This led us to a conversation about their dreams and aspirations, where they reflected on their talents and interests.

The children also spoke about how the use of scrapbooks has fostered creative learning. They shared how scrapbooks have enhanced their interest in creative activities and learning in new ways. These discussions have helped develop a sense of collaboration and empathy among the children.

As the discussion came to an end, we raised the question of moving forward. The children proposed formally establishing a children’s club under the ward’s registration to help them engage not only at home but also in community activities, promoting their personality development. They were committed to this, and we decided to proceed with the registration process. With that, today’s discussion concluded, and everyone returned home with a sense of purpose and visioning to register their own child club.

Dear Readers,

I hope you are enjoying the stories from our child groups. I have learned that children don’t always need grand gestures to be happy; they find joy in the smallest things—something we can all apply in our daily lives. Working with the child groups has not only enriched their experiences but also taught me valuable lessons I can apply with my own children. I am continually amazed by how children perceive situations. When we shared with them the idea that every child is unique and should be supported rather than compared, it truly touched their hearts.

Saying goodbye to them is never easy, but I am confident we will cross paths again through future activities.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm regards,
Pabitra

August 2024

Time moves swiftly. Today, I was preparing for a discussion with the children on the topic of siblings. As I reflected on my own childhood, memories of the love and care from my elder siblings came flooding back. I remembered those precious moments when my brother and sister would carry me on their backs, running around the village, playing games, and sharing stories. As I walked, lost in these thoughts, I realized that I had already arrived at the meeting.

At the meeting, Pemba and Ishaan had brought along their younger siblings, which was quite fitting given today’s topic. As soon as they arrived, Ishaan proudly announced, “Miss, I’ve brought my brother with me today!” I smiled and told him, “That’s great! Keep him close to you.” The children seemed a little less energetic today, likely because they had been helping with chores at home or in the fields.

After welcoming everyone, we began our discussion. I started by asking each child about their siblings, starting with who had brothers and sisters at home. Nima was the first to respond, saying, “I only have my brother,” and then added, “If I had a sister, I wouldn’t have to search for friends.” Pemba, sharing his experience, said, “Even with siblings, you still get into fights!” Each child shared their thoughts, which led us to split into two groups to discuss what makes a good brother, sister, or elder sibling, and what behaviors should be avoided.

In the group activities, the children discussed various aspects of sibling relationships. They mentioned that even when you don’t have many friends, siblings can always be there for you to play with, help with homework, and sometimes, unfortunately, share a scolding. Despite the challenges, they agreed that it’s important not to hit siblings, to play and learn together, and to share food and help each other with studies. I shared a story from my childhood, pointing to a scar on my chin, and told them how my sister once took me to a neighbor’s house where I fell and hurt myself badly. My mother scolded my sister severely afterward. I explained that this incident taught me that we shouldn’t take our younger siblings to places where they might get hurt, as it could lead to serious accidents.

After that, we played a game called “Hand in Hand, Together Forever.” In this game, the rule was that you couldn’t pair up with the same partner you had before. Today, we had fewer participants than usual, so Pemba and Ishaan’s younger sisters joined the game. During the game, some children, who had initially teamed up with their siblings, ended up with different partners and realized that siblings could indeed be their best friends. This led to a discussion about how we should be able to get along equally well with everyone, and that if we have siblings at home, we don’t need to seek friends elsewhere.

Through this experience, the children learned the importance of getting along with their siblings, playing together, and helping each other with their studies. They made a commitment to respect and care for their younger siblings while also learning from and supporting their elders. With this understanding, the meeting came to a close, and everyone headed back home.

As I was about to leave, I thought of visiting Suman’s house to check on him and find out why he had  not participated in the meeting. When I arrived, I found out that Suman had gone to the fields to plant crops. After greeting Suman’s mother, I asked why Suman hadn’t attended the meeting. She explained that they had to go to the fields, so he couldn’t make it. I inquired about Suman’s studies and his daily chores, asking if he was keeping up with his schoolwork. Suman’s mother, who had recently taken him back into her care after leaving him with another family for some years, explained that she was now trying to teach him and help him catch up on everything he had missed (Suman lived in another place but last year he was brought back by his mother after she started her business).

Just then, Suman returned from the fields, greeted me, and I asked him how things were going. He told me he had been busy helping his mother. I asked Suman’s mother about any changes she had noticed in Suman since he started living with her again. She mentioned that he was now more responsible, helping with the chores, and taking his studies seriously, although he still struggled with math. I offered to help him with his math, and Suman’s mother was grateful. With that, they hurried back to the fields, and I headed home, feeling content with the day’s progress.

July 2024

As always, when I, Pabitra, arrived at the meeting, the boys and girls were eagerly waiting for me. Upon my arrival, greetings commenced as usual, filling me with happiness. It’s heartwarming how the children greet me with, “Miss Hello, hope you are alright,” showing the intimacy we share.

An incomplete scrapbook was brought in, which set the stage for our discussion. The first question posed was, “Who is your leader here?” The children exchanged glances, and after a moment, Samun confidently declared, “Miss, I am big; I can control everyone.” A girl quickly countered, “Then why am I not the leader if I am the greatest?” Laughter erupted, lightening the mood.

We dug into a discussion about what defines a leader. While most of the children agreed on certain points, they struggled to articulate their thoughts on the qualities of effective leadership, as they had no practical experience in leading.

To illustrate the concept of leadership, we played a game. The objective was to identify the leader within the game by observing how they managed tasks and directed others. therefore I asked Samun to go outside and wait until we asked him to return. Initially, Neha was in the spotlight, but she quickly shifted her approach to emulate leadership qualities. Then Samun came back and despite the challenges he identified three leaders successfully, demonstrating an understanding of recognizing and supporting leadership.

Through the game, the children learned that leadership is defined by actions and responsibilities, not just a title. We then formed two groups to discuss the qualities of good leadership. They identified traits such as treating everyone equally, collaborating rather than just giving orders, being unbiased, considering everyone’s interests, being literate, being patient in decision-making, being fearless, hardworking, having a sense of honest service, and valuing others’ opinions.

Each group presented their findings, which led to the creation of songs, poems, pictures, and other contributions to the scrapbook. The remaining work on the scrapbook was assigned as homework. I also tasked the children with identifying potential leaders among themselves and explaining their choices in writing.

As the session concluded, we expressed gratitude to the boys and girls, recognizing them as the future leaders who would carry forward these discussions. With anticipation for the next meeting, we all headed home, inspired by the day’s learnings.

June 2024

I was overjoyed to hear the children’s excitement as they spotted me. It warmed my heart deeply to witness their genuine affection and respect. Seeing more children than before join our gathering filled me with immense happiness.

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During our session, we explored into their achievements and commitments since our last meeting. The children shared stories of personal responsibility and growth, see-through subtle changes already taking root. Those who missed the previous session introduced themselves warmly, eager to join in. One by one, they answered the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Their responses varied from doctors to teachers, each instilled with dreams and aspirations.

One child, when asked the meaning of “Angel,” described it as “beautiful beauty,” while another explained “imagination” and “hypothesis,” highlighting the power of creative thought and deeper understanding. We discussed dreams as goals attainable through an open mind and perseverance.

Encouraged by their abilities and interests, each child set forth their future ambitions – some visioning to teach, serve in the army, heal as doctors or nurses, or even become YouTubers. Their enthusiasm was tangible as they proudly portrayed their dreams through drawings.

Following this, we embarked on a playful yet profound game: reaching the moon. Blindfolded, they navigated a rocket towards its goal, learning that precise direction and righteous intent are crucial to achieving any objective. The game’s essence rebounded our discussion: diligence and determination pave the path to success.

Afterwards, through scrapbooks decorated with pictures and songs, the children shared the challenges hindering their goals – laziness, disobedience, financial constraints, and more. Together, we brainstormed solutions, emphasizing the importance of diligence, study habits, and discipline.

To conclude, we listened to a touching story about a diligent student who, despite initial success, faltered due to complacency. The tale underscored the lesson: hard work and unwavering dedication are indispensable on the journey to achieving dreams.

Reflecting on these experiences, the children grasped the message: laziness is the enemy of progress. As I reassured them, I emphasized that with persistence and effort, their dreams are within reach.

When I asked the students about the message of this story, they came to the conclusion that they should work hard to achieve their goals.

May 2024

Today was the first day for me with the Child Group originally started by Andika. I, Pabitra, introduced myself and informed the children that I would be attending future sessions. To get closer to the children, I needed to understand their habits and behavior better, which I would have the opportunity to do now.

When I arrived at the meeting, I noticed that most of the children had come. As soon as they saw me, they greeted me enthusiastically, calling me “Our New Miss.” I chatted with the children about how they were doing. Although there were fewer participants compared to the previous week, their enthusiasm and warmth made me feel really good.

I asked the children about the behaviors they liked and disliked the most. They expressed that they disliked behaviors such as backbiting, teasing, harassing, quarreling, and not listening. Conversely, they enjoyed behaviors like helping each other, playing together, taking care of their own belongings, respecting elders, and treating everyone equally. I concluded by emphasizing that we should not engage in behaviors that we dislike, and everyone agreed with a resounding “YES.”

During the discussion, I shared a story about a father and son in a village. The son was always the top student at school. One day, the father fell sick and asked his son to bring him some water, but the son ignored him. The father became very sad and remarked, “My son studies well, but he is not a good person.”

After the story, I divided the children into two groups and asked them to list the qualities of a good citizen. The children eagerly participated in the group work, suggesting qualities like not lying, respecting elders, loving younger ones, doing their own work, completing homework on time, being disciplined, helping fellow students, and assisting others in trouble.

Then I facilitated a discussion on the qualities shared by the groups. They emphasized the importance of doing one’s own tasks and being responsible for their own actions, a point the authorities also highlighted.

We played a game where everyone sat in a circle and straightened their hands in front of them. I placed a chocolate in each child’s palm and asked if they could eat it without bending their arms. Some tried to eat it immediately, but most couldn’t. Eventually, they took turns feeding each other. I asked if this behavior was characteristic of good citizens, and they all agreed it was.

I handed out meta cards to everyone, asking them to write down a commitment to becoming a good and responsible citizen based on the day’s discussion. They were to note what actions they would take to start this commitment by today and will discuss it in the next meeting, which was scheduled for May 19th. With this commitment in mind, we concluded the discussion and looked forward to the next session.

Thank you,

Pabitra

April 2024

Today was my final meeting with my children. We have a very close relationship as we have met more than 15  times, not just the usual 3 or 4 times. It was very challenging for me to tell them that another teacher would be taking over from me. However, I mustered up the courage to inform them.

Today, during the meeting, I noticed that most of the children were present as usual, but something seemed off about their faces. It could be that today was my last day, or perhaps I was just feeling uncertain. During the meeting, we reviewed the previous discussions and evaluated whether the commitments made during those discussions had been properly and implemented. I was pleased to hear that each person replied positively.

After observing them, I noticed changes in their behavior. For instance, they were able to arrange their belongings, not excessively using mobile phones,  and they engaged in physical games.

I introduced Pabitra to the children even though they already knew her. I informed them that she will now facilitate their training. As we are close to finishing our training, we only need to discuss and register the child club, which Pabitra will take care of. Afterward, we played a game that the children enjoyed very much, as always.

It was time for me to say goodbye to all the innocent faces, and it was a difficult moment for me. I suggested to them that they should focus on improving their studies and always strive to be decent and respectful. We parted ways with fond memories and love.

Love

Andika

March 2024

After reviewing today’s session, I, Andika, informed the children about the Scrapbook; What it is and how to write it. When they heard the word Scrapbook everyone looked happy and curious and they immediately asked a lot of questions. For a while I was silent as I was not expecting them to have so many questions. But then I smiled and responded step by step. A Scrapbook is a method of preserving, presenting, and arranging personal and group history in the form of a book, box, or card. You can write, draw, or paint anything in the book regarding different themes such as a sports day, any festival, any visit or child group discussion, a family event, Saturday with friends, and many more. To reflect and review our memories or special days we need to express it and we can learn from each other’s feelings.

All the children looked very excited, and they didn’t want to wait – they just want to start immediately. Hence, I distributed all the materials like pencil, chart papers, colors sharpener, eraser etc. everything they need. All the children were excited, and they began to work with the Scrapbook. Some of the children were a little bit confused at first but then I explained it to them again. They were beginning to start in their own way and some of the children started with drawing, and some of the children were writing poems, and essays on the above-mentioned topics.

As an action plan, the children agreed to develop their Scrapbooks as per themes. And when they heard that they would keep their book – written by themselves – after the end of the session all of them looked very happy. Seeing their smiling faces, I felt so proud to be a trainer for them.

February 2024

Sonam Lhosar is celebrated by Tamang people and takes place at monasteries and homes and Sonam Lhosar marks the beginning of the Tamang new year. The day is celebrated by offering prayers at monasteries, homes, and visits to elders of the family to receive blessings. Tamang individuals keep their homes and environment clean to invite divine beings and goddesses. Pork, chicken, lamb, fish, and sweet desserts are devoured in the Sonam Lhosar.

This child group is in the Tamang community, and most children are Tamang. They also invited me to celebrate Sonam Lhosar with them. This time I got a chance to learn more about this festival in detail. So, I choose this topic for the blog. All the children were dressed well in cultural dress and were busy welcoming the guest. The Tamang people are famous for their music and dance performance, and all the children were participating in the program. Some were even playing the drum or dancing.

Lhosar is the celebration of people of the Buddhist faith, and people crowd up and visit stupas nearby to offer their prayers. The community has organized a program near the stupa. Some of them were dancing with masks to get rid of all the negative forces. Sonam Lhosar brings lots of delights and joy and it binds together the individual within the Tamang people group. People gather, share joy and sorrow, and enjoy the day with drinks, food, and dance. The spirit of the festival can only be brought together by brotherhood, togetherness, and enjoyment to the fullest.

January 2024

SWOT

Review of the latest issued-based-training on financial literacy.

I learned through interactions with parents and home visits that the children have been actively implementing the action plans formulated in our last meeting. They started doing saving by using their piggy banks, demonstrating a positive shift in their financial habits. There is a noticeable change in their consumption behavior, with a conscious effort to reduce spending on unnecessary items and refrain from indulging in junk food.

During this session, we decided to focus on SWOT training, centered around issue-based discussions. Prior to delving into the topic, I inquired about the children’s familiarity with SWOT. While some children had a basic understanding, others were entirely unaware. To make the learning process engaging, I introduced a game called “Mobilization of resources”. The children were instructed to create circles and, upon my command, run and touch a specific color with any part of their body. After playing many rounds, I asked them to touch the color white with their tongue. However, instead of touching their teeth with their tongues, the children ran around searching for the color white outside of themselves. Which lead to a realization that their focus had shifted externally rather than recognize the resources within themselves.

Eventually, I asked them how they felt during the game. They shared that they rarely think of what they have with themselves. They realized that they have so many resources within themselves. I encouraged them to conduct their individual SWOT analysis. They wrote down their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats separately. I told them to add their strong points, change your week points into strong points, grab the opportunities, and cut out all the threats. I guided them to integrate their strengths, transform weaknesses into strengths, seize opportunities, and mitigate potential threats.

At the end of the day, the children formulated action plans, intending to reinforce their strengths, address identified weaknesses. Home visits will be conducted to monitor their progress and provide support as needed.

December 2023

During a discussion on the previous topic of nutrition, I informed the parents about the progress of their children after taking a session with us. I also conducted a home visit to discuss it further with them. The parents seemed very happy and grateful towards us as they noticed positive changes in their children. After the session, the children started to eat all kinds of vegetables and began taking homemade food on their school lunch. Additionally, a significant change in the children was that they encouraged all the family members to have three types of food.

During our session, we talked about financial literacy, as I learned from the situational analysis that children do not have the habit of saving money. So, I wanted to focus on this topic. Before diving into the topic, I asked the children if they had any knowledge about finances. They mentioned that they earn money from different festivals and receive tikka and money from elders. However, they give their money to their parents, and they are unaware of where their parents utilize their money. Some children save their money in their piggy bank, while others waste their money buying junk food, toys, and other things.

After listening to the children, I suggested different ways to save money, such as saving the money that they usually spend on buying lunch. I advised them to stop using their money on junk food and unnecessary toys because it can lead to various health problems. I recommended that they should ask their parents to buy them a piggy bank to start saving their money. However, it’s better to open a bank account to save money and earn interest. They can save a small amount of money regularly and invest it in shares or businesses. They can use their savings to purchase things they need, such as stationery or school bags. They can also buy a chicken and raise it to produce eggs, which they can eat or sell. Lastly, they can use their savings to cover their future education expenses.

As an action plan, the children agreed to start saving their money and ask their parents to open a bank account for them. They also decided to stop wasting their money on unnecessary toys and junk food. I will monitor their progress during the next home visit and talk to their parents as well.

October 2023

After the recent issue-based training session on time management, the children have been improving daily and are doing well with daily routines and taking them seriously.

For the upcoming issued-based training session, the topic chosen is nutrition. This decision was made because it has been observed that most of the children are consuming junk food and not having a balanced diet consisting of 3 types of food.

Prior to commencing the session, I enquired with all the children about their dietary intake in the past 24 hours. Most of them mentioned rice, dal and some vegetables. Based on their responses, it was evident that the children weren’t receiving adequate nutrition. I explained to them that the food they were consuming was insufficient for their bodies and that they should consume a balanced diet throughout the year instead of eating seasonally. For instance, if the bean season starts, they should not limit themselves to just beans but also consume other nutritious foods. I inquired about the children’s understanding of nutrients and, based on their responses, provided an explanation about nutrition. We talked about the fact that there are three types of food: energy-giving food (such as bananas, sweet potatoes,  rice, maize, sugar, potato, millet, buckwheat, oil, etc.), body-building foods (such as meat, dairy products, all kinds of beans, fish, egg etc.), and foods that protect us from diseases (such as mango, papaya, tomato, broccoli, vegetables, fruits, citrus, green vegetables). Concerningly, many children eat junk food at school. I explained its negative effects and the potential diseases it can cause. I encouraged all children to make a change in their eating habits. The body requires 20% of protein to function, and it produces 12% of this protein itself. The remaining 8% must come from the food we eat. If we fail to obtain this 8%, the 12% provided by the body will be lost. Therefore, it is crucial that we eat a balanced, nutritious diet and avoid junk food.

To assess understanding, I suggested we played a game. When I asked if they were interested, they all responded eagerly with a resounding “Yes!” I then divided them into three groups: the first group focused on energy, the second on bodybuilding, and the third on protection from disease. I placed all the cards with pictures of food on the floor and instructed them to pick up the cards that matched their group. It was a fun game that helped recall what they learned.

Finally, the children discussed local food availability and seasonal changes, pledging to do their best to eat at least three different types of food and to refrain from eating junk food. I will discuss this further with their parents during the next  home visits.

September 2023

Reviewing the last issued-based training session focused on sanitation. During the home visits about sanitation, children shared everything they had learned in the session with their family members and urged their loved ones to incorporate these practices into their daily lives. They began to make changes in their daily routines. I observed improved hygiene among the children and cleaner households compared to before. They started taking care of their personal hygiene, household cleanliness, and environmental hygiene. They set up two types of bins in their homes, one for biodegradable waste and another for non-biodegradable waste. Moreover, they are planning to participate in their village’s environmental cleanup program during the upcoming “Dashain” festival vacation. Their parents remain as appreciative as before, expressing gratitude towards me and requesting regular classes for their children. Witnessing the positive transformations in my group of children and the parent’s response fill me great satisfaction and joy.

Noticing that most of the time the children in my group were engaged in play while their parents were being occupied with their own tasks, I decided to conduct the next class on the topic of time management.

Before delving into the subject, I posed a question to all the children: “What is the one equal resource that nature has provided us all?” In response, each child provided different answers based on their reasoning, but none of them thought about time. Perceiving their confusion, they turned to me for an answer. I explained, “Time is the equal resource that nature has granted to all of us”. Upon hearing this, they all grasped the concept and seemed satisfied. I then posed another question: “What roles have we been playing so far?” Once again, everyone gave varying responses. After hearing each child, I prompted them to consider the connection between time and these roles. In response, the children shared their opinions. I emphasized that each of us has distinct roles within our families, and it is our responsibility to fulfill these roles accordingly. We cannot juggle different roles simultaneously. Therefore, we must manage our time for every relationship we have. I stressed the importance of communication, urging them to talk to relevant individuals and discuss problems. I emphasized the need to share both the positive and negative aspects of our lives and our future aspirations with our parents; only the can we strengthen our bonds further.

September 2023

Reviewing the last topic about Child Rights, children have made changes. During the follow up home visit on Child Right, children excitingly shared with me what they learned in previous IBT (Issue Based Training) session and how they have shared with their family and friends. Even their parents said that their children have started to help them in the household, some have started to follow the daily study routines they made and some that they are showing increased obedience and responsibility. The parents expressed their gratitude towards us, as they were glad seeing a change in their children. Personally, I had a good feeling as these changes were in line with the commitments they had outlined while making their action plan. I feel proud that children from my group are taking their words and converting them into action.

Due to the widespread of Malaria, Lymphatic Filariasis and other communicable diseases in the community, we collectively decided to conduct our second IBT session on Sanitation. This choice was made as many of these diseases are caused due to improper sanitation.

Before getting into the topic, I asked children what they already knew about sanitation. They shared their knowledge based on previous experiences and what they had learned from their homes, communities, and schools. After listening to their inputs, I explained that sanitation is taking care of hygiene and cleanliness of not only ourselves but also the environment; it’s about understanding the inter relations and affects. Although they had heard the term “sanitation” before, but when I explained its importance in detail, they told me that they now realize it is a very serious issue, needing their attention. We also discussed about various communicable and non-communicable diseases, how they are they transmitted from one person to another, and the preventive measures against these diseases.

The children shared with me that they had taken lightly on sanitation. But after the IBT, they realized that it is extremely important, especially because of the diseases spreading in their community. Not just malaria and lymphatic filariasis, but also in the context of the global COVID-19 outbreak, which has affected the entire world and might have been reduced with proper sanitation.

We also had a conversation about taking care of our personal hygiene, in-house hygiene, and environmental hygiene. I focused on management of different waste product of our household. Biodegradable wastes, such as food scraps and paper can easily be decomposed and turned into compost manure. Non-biodegradable wastes like plastics and glasses which takes thousands of years to decomposed can be buried under a ditch. The key message the children took away was that all types of waste harm the environment and all forms of life that depend on the Earth. It also reflects how seriously we take our responsibility.

It was now time for the moment the children had been waiting for: The GAME. We played a game, which energized the environment. After the game, we reviewed our discussion. The children said that they had appreciated the opportunity to learn about sanitation in detail and understand it’s importance.

The children said that they would take the learnings seriously and made a commitment make it a change in their lives. Furthermore, they made their individual action plan for maintaining personal hygiene, proper waste management and to share this information with their friends. I will monitor their progress during my next home visit.

August 2023

The children were excited for the today’s meeting because I told them that we would have class on a specific topic so they arrived before me at  the location of our meeting. This was the 1st session with children on the topic child rights.

I asked the children “What do you know about child rights?” Half of the children were aware of the topic and half of the children were confused. It is really sad to know, that there are so many children who are unaware of child rights.

Everyone needs to realize their rights. I made them clear about child right. Every child has the right to name and birth registration along with their identity. Every child shall have the right to education, health, proper care, sports, entertainment, and overall personality development from the families and state.

Then I asked them “Have you got all your rights?”, “Did you ever realize, or recognize your rights and responsibilities?”  Most of the children were aware of this and had all the rights. However, some of the children were unaware because of the poor economic condition of their families.  They don’t have the proper maintenance and time from their parents.

In addition, I told them that they should not expect everything from your parents: It is your responsibility and obligation towards your parents. To love and respect them. Obeying your parents. Protecting and taking care of them. Asking for parents’ permission and blessing. Helping parents work. Keeping the good name and child’s mandate of parents. Coming immediately when your parents call. Just like parents towards us, we as children must also pray for the good of the world and hereafter. You can pray for the health and overall matter of your parents, and ask for protection at every step.

If we want to protect the next generation, we have to think about the children’s rights.

In conclusion, I told them to make their own action plan. And I informed them that I will come to see them at their home and see how they are doing in their family. Also, I will talk to their parents.

They were all excited to welcome me in their house and ready to work as per their action plan. Also for the next session.

July 2023

We began the meeting with a review of the last meeting. The children shared everything that they learned in the last meeting and what they had shared with their families and friends. I told them about today’s meeting objectives. Before starting the programme, we needed to conduct SSA with them where we should focus on issues at their home, school, and communities. Hence, I clearly explained to them the objectives of the SSA and informed them that we would maintain privacy and do not disclose the name to anyone so that they can discuss it without any stress.

Problems in the family:

• Quarrel between mom and dad
• Work pressure from family- needs to do most of the household chores
• Do not have a proper environment for study
• Time not given by parents
• Financial crisis so they don’t get pocket money

Problems in the community:

• Bad friend circles
• Discrimination between low cast and high cast
• Dominating behavior of well-off families
• Calling by bad nicknames

Problems in school:

• Inappropriate touching from teachers
• Lack of sanitation especially in the toilet
• Lack of proper drinking water
• Bullying
• Calling by bad nicknames
• Forcing them to do bad behaviors such as beating and stealing
• Teachers are not coming on time
• Unfair treatment from the teacher

In addition to collect all the problems from the children, I requested them to categorize their issues into “Now”, “Soon” and “Later”. Everyone agreed to address the issues from family, school, and community.

This Child Group  is located in Shale Dhamelikuwa. It was my 1st meeting with the children. Altogether 25 children were present in this 1st meeting.  We began with an introduction but most of the children knew about us allready and they were saying our names in loud voices: “We know you!  You are our mom’s trainer, right?  Are you also going to teach us ?”  They know about our organization and program and they also know the objectives of our program through their moms. This makes us feel proud as LPLs. They share how they feel when their mother joins the WAWCAS Group and what their mothers share about WAWCAS with them. They were excited to join the WAWCAS Child Group.

I asked them how they learnt of today’s meeting and most of the children got to know through their mothers. Some of the children said they had invited friends because we teach new topics and new games. The friends just want to learn together. Some of the friends were missing but the children asked me to please give them a chance to be with us in the next meeting. I asked them to explain all we discussed to their absent friends as well as with their family members.

I told the children about the objectives of our program and what a Child Group is in detail. After listening to everything, they were so excited about the next meeting. And they were requesting me to conduct a class for them on their every holiday. This is of course impossible for us to conduct meetings on all holidays, but I promised them that I will call a meeting with them as much as possible.

I asked them what kind of name will be good for our group.  They were saying so many names, but I wasn’t satisfied. Then I asked them how they would feel if we named our group “we all are one”, and they all agreed with me. I proposed this name because some of the children were feeling shy and nervous just to do the introduction. And some of the children were bullying other children. Therefore, just to make them feel well I explained that we all are one and we are equal. When some children are bullying other children, I told them that we will discuss their right to protection/safety. They have a right to a protected childhood and in this bullying is clearly prohibited. But we will discuss this in detail next time. All of them seem anxious.

In addition, they were requesting me to play games with them, as we do different games with their mothers. Some of the children already practiced the games with their mothers and some of the children shared stories which we have shared with their mothers. I asked them what their expectations were, and they came here to learn new things, different types of games, quiz, handwriting, and awareness of the program as well. So, we decided to discuss this in detail at the next meeting.

In conclusion, the children participated so actively in this 1st meeting. The meeting went very effectively. The children were very excited to share today’s activities with their families and friends and they were looking so much forward to the next meeting.

From my side, I am overwhelmed to see the enthusiasm among the children. Especially I am so satisfied to know, how the women share everything they learned in training with their families. Now I will try to give as much time as I can to the children.

Proudly LPL

Andika Pun