Implemented by our Valued Partner Organisations across the World
Salauddin (Butterflies, New Delhi)-Small Doctor
Salauddin, is a 17 year old boy living in Okhla Wholesale Vegetable Market, Delhi with his parents, three brothers and three sisters. The family migrated from Bihar for a livelihood and started selling vegetables in the local market. To meet the daily survival needs, children were also involved in menial labour work in the local vegetable market. Salauddin helped his father in running his vegetables trade. A regular awareness programme by Butterflies motivating the local community to send their children to the contact point interested Salauddin and his father. After a series of counseling and interaction sessions, Salauddin started to come to the contact point and showed interest in all its activities. He was also enrolled into school. He took part in all CHC meetings and understood the importance of the Cooperative. Soon he became a CHC member and trained to become a CHE. He always carries his First Aid Box and takes care of the first aid needs of the children of his community and others in need. Once Salauddin saw a child injured in an accident on the road and gathering courage immediately administered first aid and took the child to the nearby government hospital. Members of his community approach him for first aid even in the middle of the night, which is well appreciated by his father too. His active role in administering first aid made him popular and earned him a nickname of a “Small Doctor”. He addressed a number of first aid cases in his community and even outside the community. He actively took part in all CHC meetings which made him see the importance of collective action to address health issues of their region. Garbage disposal and sanitation were the main health issues of his area which he brought up in the monthly Child Health Cooperative meeting where they made a plan to meet the area councilor. Salauddin along with other CHC members visited the councilor’s office to discuss the issue and also handed over a letter demanding proper sanitation & hygiene facilities in his area. The visit proved fruitful as a visible change was noticed in his area in terms of sanitation & hygiene.
Salauddin understands the importance of personal and community hygiene and tries his best to motivate other children & community members to maintain personal hygiene too. He conducts health sessions and offers all possible support to new CHEs regularly. The title “Small Doctor”, fills him with pride and confidence and he dreams of becoming a real doctor someday.
Pubudu Charuka (Kanta Shakti, Sri Lanka)
Pubudu Charuka -Visiting Time: 2.00 to 4.50 pm after school. Anyone who needs first aid care can contact me
Pubudu, a 11 year old boy from Sri Lanka, participated in the International Children’s Workshop in Kolkata in 2013 and New Delhi in May 2014. He actively participated in the workshop and liked the concept of CHEs. After going back to his country, he was interested to know more about CHC and learnt about different health issues. He was always ready to take care of the First aid needs of his peers and earned recognition in his community. But he wanted to help more people and came out with an idea to make more people aware of his service. He developed a name board, with his name and time of visit – “Name- Pubudu Charuka -Visiting Time: 2.00 to 4.50 pm after school. Anyone who needs first aid care can contact me”
This name board, played an important role as more and more people came to know and started availing his service. The services offered by him are limited to administering First Aid and referrals. In gratitude for his services he has also begun to receive voluntary donations from people, to replenish his first aid kit. He often makes home visits and tries to spread awareness on the importance of sanitation & hygiene. Currently, he is studying in class 11 and is planning to take the board examinations in December 2015.
Mohammed Shahbaz Alam & Mohammedd Asif (Hope Kolkata Foundation)-Operation Rescue
Md. Shahbaz Alam, 12 years, and Md. Asif 13 years are active CHC members of CDK Topsia branch and were recently selected as Child Health Educators (CHE) by the other members of the branch. They have successfully performed their duties as a CVM/ACVM and CHE. Once their neighbours house caught fire due to a gas cylinder blast late at night. They rushed to the spot and witnessed several family members injured. Along with others they brought them to the nearby government hospital. They then administered First Aid to others with minor injuries and along with other CHC members attended to other patients in the hospital. This incident motivated them to help more people with their services. They now conduct health sessions and help other CHEs in administering first aid.
…and many more.
