Kolkata: National level NGO Child In Need Institute (CINI) launched a Drowning Prevention Campaign “Freedom from Drowning”, an initiative for the children of Sundarbans to save them from drowning on the eve of nation’s 75th Independence Day, says a press release.
CINI also organized an interactive session with the children from Sundarbans and highlighted the risk factors and need for more accurate and effective data collection on drowning deaths. The children also took out a Candle March in memory of those who died due to drowning in the region.
Child Speakers from different Child Parliaments of Sundarbans were present to share their own perspective regarding pain of child death, their sufferings and emotions and called on the Administration to create a child friendly community to save them from Drowning and make a national drowning prevention plan to prevent unnecessary and avoidable deaths at the event.
CINI had recently organized a ‘Child Parliament’ initiative in Sundarbans with a Children’s Rights based approach to promote decision-making processes that are more collaborative and inclusive for children. It created an enabling environment for these children to voice their ideas, thoughts and feelings through the ‘Child Parliament’. More than 12 Child Parliaments were organized in different parts of Sundarbans Region and around 800 children participated and shared their views like teaching swimming and rescue techniques to prevent child drowning.
The kids came from extremely rural areas of the Sundarbans. The children were the elected ministers of the Child Parliament built up at various remote blocks of Sundarbans.
Dr. Samir Chaudhuri, Founder Secretary, Child in Need Institute, said, “Our mission is to ensure that children and adolescents achieve their rights to health, nutrition, education, protection and participation by making duty bearers and communities responsive to their well-being. This Campaign is based in one of our strong preventive approach to ensure child participation.”
Sujoy Roy, Sr. Advocacy Manager, CINI said, “It was our duty to make sure children live a happy and fulfilling life, and it is us who failed to provide them one. Let nobody need to burn another candle. Let the little eyes filled with dreams and souls filled with innocence stay safe and secure within protective arms to live till the end of time. Let dreams find their way towards sunshine, let the glow of these children shine bright before the world. Not death, let life find its way! A way towards a bright, happy and a golden future spreading its wings across the dusk sky.”
The Child In Need Institute (CINI) is an Indian non-government organization (NGO) regarded as one of the pioneering institution working for poor children in India.
