Bachchon ki Pahal - Child Reporter

Pooja Meena, 14, is a child reporter; she is one of the 35 students aged between 8 and 15 who are taking part to the children's journal, a project launched by Unicef.

Copies of the journal are sent to the state government. This way, the voice of rural child reporters, can have a wayto reach the state secretariat.

Three...
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Bachchon ki Pahal - Child Reporter

Pooja Meena, 14, is a child reporter; she is one of the 35 students aged between 8 and 15 who are taking part to the children's journal, a project launched by Unicef.

Copies of the journal are sent to the state government. This way, the voice of rural child reporters, can have a wayto reach the state secretariat.

Three hours drive from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is the village of Paharpur, where about 800 people belonging mostly to backward caste live. Pooja's caste group, the Meena.

The children compiling the paper are sons and daughters of small farmers or daily-wage laborers. Pooja's father, Ram Bharose, 55, is a laborer in the construction business and earns as little as 1500 Rs (25 Euros) a month. Her mother, Kapoori Bai, 42, works to on a daily contract basis for 12-20 days a month, earning a mere 60-70 Rs a day. (1 Euro)

The family might have to consider not paying for Pooja's education anymore, costing 600 Rs (10 Euros) a year for the fee only, in order for her to help in the home more often, and later get married.

Pooja has two brothers, Jitendra Kumar, 11 and the younger brother Narendra Kumar, 9. She takes well care of them both.

She is a vivid, intelligent child who loves to study and her father promised to try for as much as he can to continue supporting her to study and be a reporter. Each child reporter has a topic, one documents pollution, one society, one education and the other water and sanitation, domestic violence, and more.

Pooja is always available and look after the house, but awaiting eagerly the next meeting with other children of the village to learn, document and discuss topics that are important for her people and her village.

The approach is to empower young man and women and promote their awareness, growth and self-esteem. hey are invited to look around and raise their voices and concerns.

Copyright Text and Photos - Alex Masi - All Rights Reserved
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