Transform the Lives of Children in Gujarat, India

The summer in Bhavnagar is characterised by the sweltering heat which lasts until the start of the monsoon. It slows down the pace of the city. However, for Shaishav and the children with whom we work; the summer means school vacations and our busiest time of the year.

A number of children from the communities in which we work are pressured to support their household income by working during these holidays. This sometimes results in them dropping out of school when the new term begins. We use this time to organise fun and educational activities to engage children and ensure they better understand and enjoy their rights. More importantly, we strive to ensure that children do what they are supposed to during the summer, i.e. enjoy themselves!

Our work with Balsena (Our Children’s Collective):

Over 300 children from Balsena participated in our Summer Vacation Camp which ran throughout the month of May. Children engaged in sports, creative classes like pottery and took educational trips around the city. An additional 45 active members from Balsena who had already taken a level of responsibility in their respective groups attended a leadership camp split over two weekends. This was organised by members of Tarunsena (our youth collective) who mentored the children, took them trekking and engaged with them on themes like leadership, management and teamwork.

A celebration on World Environment Day was also organised, in which 60 children participated. The children spent time discussing environmental issues relevant to their communities. They also designed posters and recycled paper to make bags which they then distributed across the city to raise awareness.  

Our Campaign Against Child Labour in Bhavnagar:

A city-wide campaign to combat child labour was launched. Performing in public spaces across the city, members of Balsena and Tarunsena joined staff in organising plays on child rights and related issues. Awareness was further increased by distributing literature, putting up posters and engaging with the public at various events. A petition against child labour in Bhavnagar was also launched which was subsequently signed by the Mayor and Assistant Labour Commissioner. Over 5000 people were actively engaged and involvement of children and youth dramatically increased public interest. Finally, an activity camp for non-school going and/or working children was organised for 46 children. The activities were so popular that a number of children in fulltime education also attended. Their interactions with the participants was monumental in increasing awareness about children’s rights and the importance of education amongst the working children from the city.

Other Work within Bhavnagar:

As part of our drive to make Bhavnagar a safe city for children, our Childline team trained 175 police officers from the Bhavnagar Railway Division in child protection, relevant government acts and mental health issues related to their work. They also resolved 12 cases of children who required assistance reported via our child helpline.

Our Work outside Bhavnagar:

Shaishav partnered with Suraksha Setu to train 1155 children (from Surat and Valukad) on children’s rights, issues affecting adolescents and child sex abuse. We also entered a new partnership conducting an activity workshop with vision-impaired children from the Divyajyoth Trust in Maandvi. This was both a challenging and rewarding experience and we hope to further this partnership in the coming months.

Affecting Wider Change:

Shaishav has been taking an increasingly active role in bringing about wider change through advocacy, publishing our learnings and research and creating a strong collective voice by developing networks of like-minded organisations. This summer, senior staff attended a Regional Meeting regarding the Juvenile Justice Act and a public hearing for the Right to Education Forum. At both meetings, we relayed the on-the-ground realities faced by children and their communities and the effectiveness of these policies in safeguarding children’s rights. Our Voice of Children report which showcases the opinions of the children that participated in Child Rights Week 2014 (a state-wide celebration organised by Shaishav) was also published this summer.

On behalf of everyone at Shaishav, all the children of Balsena and their elder peers at Tarunsena, I would like to thank all of you for your generous support. If you have any questions or want further information on any of our programmes feel free to get in touch or have a look at our website.

THANK YOU!