It’s almost more than a year when COVID 19 struck the world and childhood has never been “normal” since then. Children, despite being less affected by the virus itself are bearing a disproportionate burden of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools have been closed for almost a year, impacting not just children’s education, but also their nutrition, growth, social development, and protection.

Strict containment measures have increased levels of violence at home. Social protection responses have often failed to cater to the needs of children and their families amidst these circumstances. Compounding this is the regression of developments made in recent decades and halting of progress towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

When we speak to children, they often resonate, “I miss school, my friends, and studies”.But this has not dampened the spirit among children to come together and lend helping hands to needy and vulnerable children.

The Child Club Members have brought smiles and laughter to their peers and received admiration and appreciation from adults, neighbors, the community as well as the local administration.

Child Club members have started free tuition learning classes for needy children in their villages, especially for those children who are unable to attend online classes. Children Club members of the Upper Fagu tea garden of Kalimpong distributed books to needy children identified by them. Vigilant and alert on tea gardens so that no child is engaged in child labour, Simulbari Children Group met the Tea Garden Manager of Simulbari Tea Estate.

Kudeep Munda, a member of Alphonsa Children’s Club, not only helps in giving free tuition but also distributed books from his pocket money to 12 children. “I am happy to share with my friends whatever little I have and it gives me great joy and happiness”, shared Kudeep.

‘Mask up campaign’ has been strongly taken up by Jagriti Children Club. They have been periodically distributing masks to economically poor families and individuals working on the roadside without masks.

They are also creating awareness about wearing masks to keep themselves safe and others too.

Swetcha, a Child Leader and a very prominent person anchoring ‘Sunday with Swetcha’ on Darjeeling Mirror is spreading the message of wearing masks, maintaining safe distance and hand wash through her weekly program.

Children Club Members along with Community Volunteers have also been proactively preparing and distributing short awareness video on Covid 19, drawing posters with information on health services, helpline numbers, and putting them up on marketplaces, shops, buses, and taxi stands to generate awareness.  Bikas Rai, former Child Club Member and now an active Vigilance Member of Dukurey Basti in Gorubathan are providing free tuition to 20 children. He works as a carpenter and he is providing books to the needy children in his Village through his earning.

Children also share their problems with each other and often share incidents of harm or abuse in the safe circles of Children Clubs. These cases are then taken up by our Child Protection workers with the support of the Child Club members.

These great humanitarian initiatives by the children in North Bengal are inspiring. Pandemic has not stopped them from reaching out to others and supporting them, especially in such trying times.  The Child Club Members have been able to form safe circles through peer-to-peer support and positive engagement strategies through their collective efforts.  The efforts signify examples of inculcating Caritas India’s strategic pillars of Empowering Communities, Volunteerism, and Sharing Communities to create sustainable impacts in our Communities.   These interventions are carried under the aegis of the Surokhit Shaishav program, supported by Caritas Germany and implemented by Caritas India and her partners in West Bengal.