Child leadership shapes the next chapter of Khushaal Bachpan in Chhattisgarh

Children are increasingly shaping decisions on roads, drinking water, school facilities and public spaces in villages across Chhattisgarh. That emerging leadership is now driving the next phase of Caritas India’s Khushaal Bachpan programme after a four day review identified child participation and community ownership as its strongest foundation for future growth.

The programme brought together 44 Academic Mentors and district teams from Bastar, Raipur, Jashpur, Surguja and Raigarh in Raipur from 22 to 25 June for an intensive programme of capacity building, reflection and strategic planning. Rather than simply reviewing activities, the discussions examined what is creating lasting change, what challenges continue to affect children and how the programme can strengthen its impact across communities.

Opening the Annual Review Meeting, Mr. Arun James urged participants to assess the programme with a results oriented approach, encouraging teams to look beyond activities and focus on measurable change in the lives of children and families. Reinforcing this vision, Dr. Saju called on the teams to move beyond routine implementation and pursue transformational outcomes that would create a lasting identity for the Khushaal Bachpan programme.

The review revealed that children are no longer participating only as beneficiaries. Through Bal Panchayats and Bal Sabhas, they are emerging as active partners in local governance, identifying local challenges and working with communities to find solutions. Across programme villages, children have successfully advocated for safer roads, improved access to drinking water, better street lighting, upgraded learning centres and sports facilities, demonstrating how meaningful participation can lead to visible improvements in community life.

The programme has also witnessed growing community ownership. Women’s Self Help Groups are playing an increasingly important role in promoting nutrition, strengthening livelihoods and encouraging participation in Gram Sabhas. Their leadership is creating stronger support systems for children while contributing to more inclusive and accountable village governance.

District presentations highlighted encouraging progress in school enrolment and attendance, child protection, nutrition security, livelihood promotion and improved access to government schemes and entitlements. Together, these outcomes reflect Khushaal Bachpan’s integrated approach to building child friendly communities where children, families and local institutions share responsibility for development.

Early observations from the ongoing external evaluation provided an important opportunity for reflection. The assessment recognised the programme’s progress while identifying priorities for the next phase, including strengthening Bal Panchayats, expanding children’s participation in school governance and creating more opportunities for children to engage with local decision makers on education, health, sanitation, hygiene and civic amenities. These recommendations shaped many of the strategic discussions during the review and reinforced the importance of evidence based planning.

Participants also acknowledged that seasonal migration, child marriage, child labour, malnutrition and menstrual health stigma remain significant concerns. Addressing these challenges, they agreed, will require stronger community mobilisation, sustained engagement with local institutions and greater emphasis on measurable outcomes.

Alongside the review, Academic Mentors strengthened their capacities in community networking, leadership development, disability inclusion, digital data collection, project management and financial accountability. Special attention was given to identifying children with disabilities and linking them to essential services, reaffirming the programme’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to develop child friendly model villages where communities take greater ownership of child protection, education, nutrition and environmental stewardship. As Khushaal Bachpan enters its next phase, the programme is building on a lesson emerging clearly from the field: when children are empowered to lead and communities choose to walk alongside them, lasting change becomes both achievable and sustainable.