Kothaloothu Children's club

In the Arunthathiyar hamlet of Kothaloothu members of the Ambedkar Children’s Club have gathered in a circle and are bursting to practise their words of English and tell of their activities.

The list is impressive. The achievements come tumbling out in no particular order. They discuss big issues: climate change, sexual abuse, child marriage. They’ve persuaded two drop-outs to resume school. From their two rupees a month subs they’ve bought gifts for children on Ambedkar day. (Dr Ambedkar was an Indian independence leader who championed the rights of Dalits.)

The club members collect waste plastic which they sell for recycling. They joined a local campaign on child marriage. They petitioned officials and got five toilets for the village. Another petition to the panchayat president resulted in a new floor for the communal building where they do their homework. The panchayat president has also agreed to a program of planting trees on each of the new children’s birthdays. This is part of an effort to bring greenery to the village and also give the children each something to be responsible for. All of the children were very excited to show off their personal trees.

They won’t tolerate discrimination. A teacher who handed out snacks only to caste children and not the  Arunthathiyars was suspended after the children submitted a complaint.

The club members are focused on passing exams. It is their path to a better future. They hope to be doctors, lawyers, teachers or join the army or police, rather than the labouring jobs that was the only work their parents could expect. Our partners helps with training on how to get the most out of higher education and college opportunities, and how to obtain scholarships. One former member of the group is studying medicine and two others are at engineering college.

The club is for having fun too: they arrange excursions to nearby Vaigai Dam, and on festival days play games and sing their song about children’s rights.

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