Namuna, 14, a child champion of Save the Children’s ‘Sahayatra’ project, dreams of a world where children do not have to fight for their rights. “There are many problems here in Kalikot, and I, together with my friends have been actively advocating to end harmful social norms which negatively impact children like us,” shares the young leader with a smile. 

Recently, she, along with her friends, launched a campaign on child marriage to mark the international day of the girl child. “Child marriage is a serious problem, and we wanted to spotlight on the negative impact of child marriage in children,” shares, Namuna. They organized inter-generational dialogues with influential stakeholders, and organized street dramas, quiz contests, and other cultural shows to sensitize community members of the legal age of marriage.

“During the awareness raising programs, we highlighted the fact that the legal age of marriage is 20, and reminded people of the legal sanctions if anyone violated the law.” Furthermore, Namuna, along with other child champions also initiated the Sunday parent sessions. According to her, “These Sunday sessions were designed to sensitize the parents about the harmful impact of child marriage in the psych-social well-being and future of children.”

36 child champions like Namuna have been provided with capacity sharing trainings, resources, networks, and tools to further enhance their skills to design localized campaigns and advocacy to spotlight on harmful social norms which curtails the voice and agency of children in Kalikot. “Child champions like us have been given a tablet, which we use to show videos on different issues while conducting trainings and campaigns.” As a concluding line, the young child champion shares, “people might not listen to you at first, but then if we can work together, as a group, then people will listen, they will change.”