Grassroots Action for Child-Friendly Villages Gains Momentum

On April 14, when the nation was observing the birth of Shri B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of our rights and constitution, the community-based organisations under the Khushaal Bachpan project in Chhattisgarh practiced those rights by submitting their demands to the Gram Sabha.

Across 47 villages, 63 memoranda were submitted during these village assembly meetings to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. These documents presented a child-oriented development agenda, calling for improved welfare, robust protection systems, and access to basic facilities. The submission of such a significant number of memoranda reflects a growing confidence among communities, particularly children, to engage directly with local governance.

The demands raised a wide range of concerns that define the daily lives of rural families. Communities called for the repair of school boundary walls to keep wandering animals out of classrooms, the creation of safe playgrounds, and the appointment of village security guards to protect women and children. The requests bridged the gap between health and infrastructure, highlighting the need for IFA tablets, streetlights, clean drinking water, and functional sanitation facilities. Mothers and youth also requested space within Panchayat Bhawans for Self-Help Group (SHG) meetings and the establishment of village libraries to foster a culture of learning.

Education is the central pillar of these aspirations. The memoranda insisted on repairing school toilets, constructing ramps for children with disabilities, and expanding Anganwadi services. To ensure these improvements are sustainable, the communities even proposed the arrangement of weekly markets to strengthen local livelihoods, ensuring that a family’s economic health supports the child’s future.

These initiatives were facilitated by Khushaal Bachpan, with the support of Caritas India and Caritas Australia. Currently operating across 25 Panchayats in five districts of Chhattisgarh, the program focuses on empowering children and creating “child-friendly spaces.” By promoting over 250 community-based groups including Bal Panchayats and mothers’ collectives the program has successfully shifted the narrative from “charity” toward active “participation.”

The most moving moments of the day came when the children themselves took the floor. In Raipur, Manisha Dewangan, a Class 10 student, stood before the elders of Sirri village. “I felt confident while speaking… It was the first time I shared our problems openly,” she shared. She spoke of the lack of toilets in Bal Chaupals, a reality that makes it nearly impossible for girls to participate for long hours. Her voice was a living echo of the constitutional right to dignity that Ambedkar himself championed.

In Raigarh, 5th-grader Kajal Chauhan raised her voice regarding safety, while in Bastar, young Manvi Baghel requested a village library where children could discover new worlds together. The response from local government was as proactive as the children were brave. In the Sarguja district, the Panchayats of Losangi, Delwaber, Losga, and Pandripani passed historic resolutions prohibiting child marriage and child labor, backing their commitment with a ₹5,000 fine for violators and a ₹500 penalty for violence against women.

As Ashish Pando, a 7th-grade student from Pandripani, aptly noted: “The need to repair school toilets and ensure clean drinking water—these are basic facilities that every school should have.”

These voices underline a significant shift. In these 47 villages, children are no longer just the subjects of development; they are its architects. By claiming their seat at the table, they are ensuring that the local governance of tomorrow is inclusive and responsive. This is the heart of what Khushaal Bachpan seeks to achieve: a future where rights are not just read in a book, but lived in the village square.