C. Jim Jesudas does not consider the International Day of the Girl Child (October 12) as another day in his calendar. His Sakthi-Vidiyal, an NGO that champions rights of the child, plans elaborate celebrations for girl students on the day every year. They include games, creative activities, fulfilling meals and small lessons on self-protection. Since 1997, the founder of Vidiyal has worked for gender equality in all arenas. Despite having introduced seminal projects, the Director of Childline, the helpline for children in distress, Mr. Jesudas, in a conversation with Sanjana Ganesh, feels like he has just scratched the surface.
The inception
“My house in Theni district’s Kombai village was always flooded with children as my mother was a teacher. When I was in school, I used to teach students younger to me as it came innately. In college, my passion grew much stronger. I began volunteering to teach rural school children,” he says recounting the days when it all began.
After completing his college education, Mr. Jesudas worked at Young Men’s Christian Association, where he gained field knowledge. A year-long social work course in Bengaluru turned out to be an eye-opener for him as he delved deep into the lives of street children. “I was taken to Bombay (now Mumbai) for a month as part of my field visit since the issue of street children was significant there. I lived with them in the shelter, picked rags with them and ate with them in the nights. I was immersed in the experience. My thesis based on the experience there was among the top five selected as part of the programme,” he says.
Vidiyal, a new dawn
In the midst of all the excitement, Mr. Jesudas found a number of like-minded individuals who wanted to see concrete changes in the lives of socially excluded children. In 1993, Vidiyal was registered and in 1997 its operations began in full swing. “Vidiyal means ‘dawn.’ We hoped that our efforts would translate into new lives for these children,” he says. He adds that in the same year, Vidiyal began focusing on rights of the girl child as well.
“It was common to find abandoned children on and off streets. The girls, however, were confined to slums and faced abuse in their homes and surroundings. Many were denied basic education and access to opportunities,” he says. To change the scenario, the organisation began inviting children to shelters and tending to immediate needs and then finding ways to making holistic changes to their lives.
Going forth
Now, Vidiyal encourages girls to break established gender roles and prevent the existence of stereotypes. Girls and boys at the shelter homes and centres work together and share responsibilities. “Though taboo against boys washing plates and cleaning houses continues to exist, we are slowly trying to create an organic change. Girls can also carry heavy objects because they are second to none,” he says.
The organisation works with parents and reinforces the need to create strong women role models. It also works towards helping boys look at issues with gender-balanced eyes and support their sisters and mothers in times of distress.
“Children of Vidiyal are defenders of their own rights. Girls here do not allow abuse and make immediate complaints to Childline in case they find others being exploited,” says Mr. Jesudas.
After coming to protect children under the Juvenile Justice Act, the founder of the NGO says it has helped them understand the legal framework and provided the strength to rescue a girl child at any time and place.
Vidiyal continues to be an advocate for children and their rights in slums across Madurai.