A unique non-funding child care campaign spreading awareness about welfare of deprived children
When ‘Azad’ was rescued from a brick making bhattis, it was like one of the mission achieved. Similarly, when children who are engaged in child labour or beggary or just roam on the street reach Anganwadi (Child Care Centres) along with Raju, Debu, Sunita, Geeta, Sheela, Bhola, and many more names, KHUSHI spreads further for a bright future for these children.
Radheshyam and Prayag do not shout on poor children when they knock on their car’s door for begging or even scratch their car windows, instead they speak to them and try get more information about the reasons for their begging. Sunil Kumar engaged father of a begging child for cleaning cars in the colony on the condition that his small child will not be engaged in begging. Radhika Bai, who works in nearly 5-houses every day, now sends his child to school and has ensured proper immunization for her second child who is just 8 months old. She was motivated by the ladies of the owners of the flats she works. When an auto-driver went for adoption of a child, he never realized how much happiness he was giving to his old parents. Raju Driver now studies as his son asks him daily questions on maths and he does not know the replies.
There are many who have gone ahead and changed their lives because of some of us who where different from many and who took out time to educate, counsel, and spread the message of KHUSHI. It took few minutes of ours but the life has changed for many.
From our busy schedule, even if we take out some time to think about the millions of underprivileged children in India and how as an individual we can be one of the facilitator in resolving this mammoth and gigantic problem, we have done our bit. The KHUSHI would spread eventually.
400 days back this campaign was initiated with 7 people and today travelling across 65,000 page views on khushi blog at www.khushi-creatinghappiness.blogspot.in, it has been able to get the attention of millions of people through 28,000 khushi facebook members. The Government of India substantially increased the budget allocated for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to Rs. 1,29,000 crore for the 12th Five Year Plan this year. Large Corporates like Vedanta Group are coming forward to adopt government owned child care centres to strengthen infrastructure, provide nutrition, education and overall development of deprived children.
But there are many miles of travel left ahead and it cannot be reached unless the message spreads further. ‘Join the campaign’ says Pavan Kaushik, Head of Corporate Communication at Vedanta Group, who has conceived ‘KHUSHI’ campaign, ‘we all need to be united to ensure the 200 million deprived children in India get proper nutrition, education and primary health benefits.’
“KHUSHI” is a campaign that connects people of similar minds and thoughts. People who are genuinely connected with the development and growth of country and willing to put that extra bit to either churn out new strategies or bring the cause to the notice of common people and policy makers. All one needs to do is spread awareness and take self initiatives at his level.
Become a member join the KHUSHI campaign at www.facebook.com/groups/vedantakhushi. Be Different – You are Born to be Different..
