A very happy children’s day – ‘Bal Diwas’

A very happy children’s day – ‘Bal Diwas’

By Maeher

As the nation celebrates “Chacha Nehru’s 130^th birth anniversary”, let us all resolve to create a safe, healthy, happy and positively stimulating environment for the children of our nation and around the world. As young individuals, our dream and passion should be to facilitate the ‘spirit of empathy’ among the youth. 

“LET EVERY CHILD BE FREE TO BE A CHILD”

Such generous words were once uttered by my mentor the Nobel Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, the man who has always stood against violence & exploitation towards children.  

Years back, on Satyarthi’s visit to the foothills of the Himalayas, he was asked by a skinny child labourer, “Is the world so poor that it cannot give a toy or a book, instead of forcing me to take a gun or a tool in my hand?”

And on the other side of the world, on the streets of Columbia, a trafficked, raped and enslaved child-mother asked, “I have never had a dream. Can my child have one?” How touching and painful are such life-changing incidents?

Let us all get together on this ‘Bal Diwas’ to make a solemn promise to our children:

-    Education with knowledge

-    Good health care and nourishment

-    Create awareness of basic rights (Protect children from exploitation)

-    Promise to value, care and love the children of the community

It’s time we make a deep commitment to change!

You may ask; what can one person do? Let me tell you a story I remember from my childhood: A terrible fire had broken out. All the animals were running away, including the lion, king of the forest. Suddenly, the lion saw a tiny bird rushing toward the fire. He asked the bird, “What are you doing?” To the lion’s surprise, the bird replied, “I’m on my way to extinguish the fire”. He laughed and said, “How can you kill the fire with just one drop of water in your beak?” The bird was adamant and said, “But I am doing my bit”. - Kailash Satyarthi