Apeksha works hard, but she does much
more than that. She joined team as a volunteer to help to reach
out CHILDLINEs Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Program (CSAAP) to raise
awareness on CSA. She is an ardent supporter of CHILDLINE.
I understand what CSA is from personal
knowledge and my reason to volunteer for the Child Sexual Abuse Awareness
Program (CSAAP) stems from that. The CSA awareness program developed
by CHILDLINE is so well researched and designed that acceptance from the
children is easy. The children love the story format and hence communication of
the message is powerful and lasting.
Every teaching moment is also a learning
moment for the volunteer. I learnt that children have strong intuitive
senses. I was awed when kids from 2nd grade would talk about 'atma' (soul)
and 'dil ki baat' (voice of the
heart) when I would ask them what 'inner voice' meant. I learnt that kids have
a great sense of humor. When asked 'Where would they run away if they found themselves
with a perpetrator?" one kid mused "Sharukh Khan's house!"
Running away and talking about the incident to a Sainik, Jawan, Police,
CID or Sher Khan (from Bunty's story) were common responses!
My experience as a volunteer has
been varied. I have been completely humbled by the attention and love
that kids show towards me because they understand that the story
being told to them is important for their safety. I have also been appalled by
the restrictive attitude of few school authorities showing concern over the
session not being taken for girls and boys separately. I was told by a
particular school teacher in a staff room to not talk too much about children's
rights during a session or else the children might take too much liberty!
In
every CHILDLINE session I feel an overbearing sense of responsibility towards
our society's children, fulfillment of that responsibility and the realization
that during the story telling session, I am helping children to help
themselves stay safe." We have taken the first step towards the
safety of our children with CHILDLINE. I would urge you to volunteer for the
CSA awareness program and help CHILDLINE in its endeavour to reach out to
children.
* Apeksha J Poojary, Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Program (CSAAP) Volunteer (Also, an ardent supporter of CHILDLINE). She
is an Organization Development professional and Independent
Consultant in Mumbai.
