Runaway Kids: Enduring Their Destiny

The following is an account of the Cafe Mohalla visit to Taabaar, by Siddant Nowlakha

10 year old Vipul (name changed) was just as shy and timid as a child of his age could be, while meeting a bunch of strangers desperate to get his attention and amuse him. He would smile at times, and then give a look as if he was bored.  Then Vipul joyously announced that he has recently knitted a ‘jhola’ (hand-bag), and that he’s big fan of Sunny Deol, and also that his best friend is Bablu.

One may feel Vipul is just another kid, but will be surprised to learn that he is identified as ‘A runaway kid’.

During the exposure visit of a group of teenagers from Pravah, Jaipur, to TAABAAR, a local NGO working for enhancing the lives of kids who have fled from their homes at a young age. They left for reasons diverse and painful enough that separate stories could be written on each. Mr. Rakesh, a highly experienced and dedicated fellow, and a co-founder of TAABAAR shed light upon the lives of these children, some who are in the centre, some who went back to their homes, some who are still fugitive, and some who couldn’t survive this ‘filthy’ struggle of life.

According to him, every other child escaping his home is a case of violence or forceful education. Violence normally comes from the guardians of the kid and can range from moderate to extreme. Children often runaway to dodge studies as well, which they don’t find interesting enough or may even face abuse at   school as well.

Once the children run away, most of them can’t count upon many options but to reach a railway station and climb on any train available. The big bad journey starts there. They reach alien stations, which welcome them with fear and hunger. And local station gangs catch hold of them like a scavenger pounding on its prey. The  members of the gangs lure new-comers, offering them food and shelter. Once taken in, the child is pushed into age-old gang business of collecting used plastic bottles (and anything else they can get a hand on), which is sold up to for Rs. 1 per bottle. The frustrated child, disturbed by past memories, is now taught another part of ‘station life’- the drugs. Their ‘big daddys’ deliver ‘whiteners’, ‘iodex’ and other unconventional stuff, widely on hand in markets for completely different purposes, but used by for direct swallowing  or intaking with bread, as if fruit-jam.

The toxic matter attacks the nervous system, and the body loses  sensation for several minutes. This way the  sickening memories of the drug-taker may find calm for sometime, and hence provide a perception of tranquility. During this stage, some even damage their anesthetized skins with shaving-blades, one more way to express internal aggravation. In later stages they may become addicts, using their money to buy drugs, and when facing shortage of funds, jump into eve-picking, robbery and blood-shed violence.

As Mr. Rakesh told brief stories of various incidents, I was shocked to learn that many of these kids are traded like commodities among various gangs. They are beaten, may become  disabled due to accidents on tracks, are sexually abused, and suffer from diseases--including STDs--without ever getting medical treatment.  In one story, he told how a kid was taken back home, only to find that his mother was dead and alcoholic father sold his five daughters.

Fortunately, not every child has to cope with this misery all his life. There are rehab centers like TAABAAR which pick up those who have a chance to recoup, give them care, teach basic rules of respectful life, provide counseling & medics, inculcate skills like dancing, painting, art, stitching, and above all pour into them a sense that they are not unwanted on this earth, but do have a meaning for which they have to live.

Vipul, now in the garden, was vivaciously showing us his little gymnast skills on a trapeze-like swing. Though he refused to sew a formal-suit for me, claiming he is not that good with needle & thread (I’ll not mind mate..I am jobless right now and may require that only in 5 years till which hopefully you’ll learn) but its okay, I still love you. Oh! I can’t believe that I cared for human sufferings for the first time, too busy with my romance with animals.

Goodbye children. As I leave I remember that I gave my heart to all of you, as nothing more could I afford, and gave a moment from my life to hope that your future remains as bright as the yellow of the banana peel that one of you just tossed into the bin.

Taazaa Khabar: Oct 3-10

There was a lot of activity this past week at Pravah, highlighted by the Window to Kula Manch Workshop held in collaboration with the University of Rajasthan's Department of Adult and Continuing Education on October 9th and 10th. The workshop was a big hit, as dozens of new participants from Jaipur area colleges attended to learn more about Pravah, discuss social issues, and get ready to participate in PJI's urban volunteering programme.

The Story of Boom Mogara

After starting the workshop by sharing objectives and expectations and doing a few energizer games, we conducted an activity where workshop participants "shopped" for different social causes, discussing the relative values of social campaigns and how they related to the term "Active Citizenship." Next was a powerpoint about PJI itself, detailing all the programs, action projects, and events PJI hosts on a regular basis. The group then decided to give itself an identity, creating a dance and song:

Boom Mogara
Chima-Chima
Agaram Bagaram
Hu-too-too!

Over the rest of the day, we took part in intensive discussions about the identities we assign to ourselves and others, and how these affect the way we view society. Even after a long day, all the participants felt very positive about the experiences they'd had and the new friends they had already made, and were eager to continue on Sunday.

The next day, after a few more morning energizers, we got things going with another discussion, this time about the stereotypes we often apply to society. Each participant wrote down one stereotype, and then was put in the position of arguing against it, while other group members argued for it. The larger group discussions made for some very passionate conversations about stereotypes and what we can do to help break them down.

After a quick lunch, we went for an exposure visit at Taabar, a local NGO that works to help runaway youths in Jaipur by housing them, protecting them from exploitation, and seeking to repatriate them back to their home states. Participants from Cafe Mohalla came along for a combined visit this week. Taabar's Programme Director Rakesh Sharma gave a  talk about the NGO's operations and goals. After that, we had a few hours to spend with the youths of Taabar--playing games, chatting, and learning about eachother. This was one of the most inspiring and enjoyable parts of the workshop, and all the participants were enthused to be there.

We concluded with a discussion about various action projects we could commit to getting started, such as helping out at an elderly home, or starting a campaign to collect books for needy children. Feedback from the workshop was very positive. Many participants shared that the Taabar visit was their favorite part, as it helped them learn about the reality of homeless children in an immediate way. Others enjoyed the games and group discussions. Nearly everyone requested that the workshop would last for more days, and wanted to continue their journeys with Pravah in the future.

What's Happening in AAINA TV

In other PJI news, the Community Video Unit's Aaina TV has been hard at work on their new film. It will focus on the personal journeys of the Community Producers themselves, and will be told through a spoof of the Vikram and Beitel story. Here's a preview clip of the upcoming film:

Window To Khulla Manch

The Pravah Jaipur Initiative is currently mobilizing college youth around Jaipur to involve in our Khula Manch youth group and the urban volunteering program. For the same we are planning to hold a two-day unpaid workshop to orient nominated participants into this program. The sessions will educate students on a wide range of social issues and attempt to engage them in active citizenship and participating in positive social change. In the process the participants will also develop their own self confidence and communication and teamwork skills. The sessions will specifically focus on the theme of Stereotypes and Identity, and will seek to challenge participants’ existing assumptions about society while motivating them to create and implement their own solutions to social problems.

The workshop will be held from 9^th to 10^th of October, from 9 am to 6 pm. This will be a non- residential, day long workshop of young people roughly between the ages of 18- 22 years. The venue will be notified after the confirmation. We are seeking up to ten nominations from each area college of students interesting in participating in this program. We request that nominations are submitted by October 6^th. Nominations can be submitted to richa.sharma@pravah.org or by phone at 141-4030356 or 9983762103

In case of any queries or clarifications, please feel free to get in touch with us directly, either by phone or email. Our address is C-96, Jagraj marg, Bapu Nagar, Jaipur.

Aman ka Sandesh campaign

PJI Launches “Aman ka Sandesh” Campaign

This past week, Pravah launched a campaign called “Aman ka Sandesh”: A Message of Peace. Volunteers here at Pravah have led a series of rallies and public discussions promoting peaceful acceptance of the upcoming Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya title suit. The campaign stresses the importance of unity between different religious groups, regardless of the suit’s result, in order to maintain peace and avoid violence.

The campaign first began as an informal conversation among volunteers at Pravah about the upcoming Ayodhya verdict on September 23^rd. After discussing the long history of violence and rioting relating to Hindu-Muslim issues, we felt that avoiding violence is more important than any particular verdict on the Ayodhya site. We next focused on how we could make a difference in solving this problem, and decided to engage in community outreach to raise awareness. The participants divided into small groups and engaged local residents in discussion at Tonk Fatak and Nehru Garden. After receiving a positive response, we decided to develop a full campaign to spread awareness about the issue.

We then developed slogans, made posters, and planned campaign routes for the coming days. From September 24^th to 26^th, rallies were held from Police Memorial Circle to New Gate, and at Choti Chopar in the Old City. The rallies ranged from 15-30 participants from Pravah, who marched with placards reading “Aman ka Sandesh”, “Love, Brotherhood, Unity, Peace,” and “Let There be Peace.” After each of the marches, the participants broke into small groups to engage local residents in discussion, emphasizing the need to remain calm after the verdict is issued, and encouraging the reporting of violent activities to the local authorities. Media coverage of the events included interviews by BTV News, among other outlets.

Public response to the ongoing campaign has been positive. In the reflection circles that we have formed after each rally, participants have shared their experiences and noted that most local residents have supported a peaceful resolution regardless of the Ayodhya verdict. The police, too, have been supportive—although they initially forbid the group from marching in the Old City, they happily granted a permit once they learned the campaign is promoting non-violence. Thus far, we have spoken to approximately 500 local residents in small discussion groups, enabling intensive reflection regarding this issue. We hope to make a real difference in promoting peace and unity in response to this controversial issue, to avoid rioting and shutting-down of shops in Jaipur.