Childhood At Stake
Sometimes we see things happening around us but tend to ignore due to lack of time or concern. You can’t do this now! With our campaign #Childhoodatstake we are aiming to take some concrete actions by creating awareness around the issues concerning young lives in our country. Join us!
2018 is coming to an end and India probably has celebrated all its major festivals by now. India is a country, which boasts its unity in diversity theory in all its glory. We Indians are definitely proud of it and feel extremely happy to build our emotions around this wonderful philosophy. Thus, we get excited on every festival and celebrate it with full fervor. But do we see around those kids who sell flowers on Diwali, Santa caps on Christmas, Rakhi’s on Rakshabandhan? So, what’s the fuss about it? Why are we discussing this at all?
We are living in a stratified society, which is also dominated with social economic classification, as the economy does not work for all but for privileged few. Extraordinary explosion of wealth and an economic expansion has definitely made India world’s fastest – growing economy. Nonetheless, millions of people still live in extreme poverty. The enduring struggle against poverty is clearly visible in the number of schemes and plans its Government plans every year.
In the era where our lives are surrounded with hi-fi gadgets, supersonic speeds, and Artificial Intelligence, I feel ashamed on seeing kids selling stuff on the streets. Sight like this is painful to the core. We might have reached to another level with the help of technology but unfortunately the development of its human race is still lacking way behind. Every child on this planet is special and deserves a dignified and healthy life full of opportunities. No kid loves to spend time on the streets with their parents it’s the compulsion of feeding the family in the country where rise in inflation leaves no choice.
Why we should invest in our children
Any country big or small is appreciated only by looking at the condition in which its young children are living. Children are the future and investing in them is the smartest thing that a country can do to prosper and grow in every aspect. In India, millions of young children do not reach their full potential because coming from difficult background they lack basic necessities to grow as healthy human being. Lack of early stimulation, inadequate nutrition, no care and nurture, experience to harsh life unpleasantly affect their development.
Early years of any child are very critical as they have an overwhelming impact on the development of brain, which undoubtedly affects health, behavior, growth, learning and finally income.
Dismaying challenges
Science says, in the earlier years kids’ brains grow at an astonishing rate, creating up to 1,000 neural connections per second. Imagine what happens to the development of the brain in the absence of right nutrition, care and love?
These kids sitting at roadside pavements are paving way to a future, which holds destitutions and complications. It is the toxic stress of this lifestyle that threatens physical, mental and behavioural problems in adulthood. You not only buy things from them but you buy their opportunity to study, their potential to grow and a future of hope.
In a rapidly changing global economy we cannot ignore the young lives and think of creating a better world. Investing in human lives is the only way to promote inclusive economic growth, expand equal opportunities and end extreme poverty. This is the time to act urgently and save those millions lives who are still waiting for that one chance.
What Can You Do?
So, next time when you see kids selling toys or goodies, stop for a while take a picture and share with us. We will collect all the images and at the end of our campaign we will start a petition so that the message goes out to the sleeping governments who simply have been ignoring this issue.
How to reach us?
You may email us at [email protected]
Or
Reach out to us on our Social Media Platforms
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Offdhook-575549169217367/
Insta – @offdhook_perspectives
Twitter – @richasharmapuri
By
Richa Sharma
