Feature: Brick kilns to butterfly paintings: flood-affected children spread their wings

When Allah Ditta receives first prize for his peacock drawing and is awarded a school bag, he is both proud and happy. “My parents will be delighted to see my present”, he says.

Nagina Ashiq and Guria Rani receive second and third prize. “I will show my drawings to my parents and they will be very happy”, says Guria Rani.

For the first time boys who have only known life on the street, picking rags and fights, are learning to read and writeThe Qalandar Walla Child Protection Centre is one of eight centres established by World Vision in Muzaffargarh district in Pakistan’s Punjab province, during last year’s devastating floods.

Initially set up as ‘Child Friendly Spaces’, the centres were a safe haven for children who had lost family members, their homes and any semblance of normalcy when Pakistan’s worst ever floods wrecked havoc from the north to the south of the country, affecting some 20 million people.

Today, each centre is still very much a safe haven for these children – many of whom come from the poorest families in the district. Their parents are predominantly very poor labourers who cannot afford to provide an education to their children, according to Yasmin, one of the teachers at the Sawank Wall centre near Muzaffargarh city. More than 1,200 children are currently registered across the eight centres.

“This is their favourite place and they love to come here”, says Saghar Saeed, a World Vision facilitator at the centre who is responsible for both informal learning and play. Cricket and board games are among the favourite activities here.

The children also love the books and pencils they receive at the centre- something their parents are unable to provide at home – but the centres are giving them much more than school stationary.

For the first time boys who have only known life on the street, picking rags and fights, are learning to read and write. They are also starting to imagine a different life and future for themselves.

“I want to be a solider and defend my country”, says Qalandar Abbas. His brother says he wants to be an engineer. “We brothers come to study and play here”, says Abbas, adding proudly, “We had spelling lessons today”.

Eleven-year-old Mohammad Amir, son of a poor brick kiln worker is now a regular student at the centre and says he could never have dreamed of learning to read and write if World Vision had not set up the centre in his village. Amir is lucky because his father wants him to learn to read and write and now he has the chance to fulfill this dream.

“Initially the parents were reluctant to send their children here but later they realised that this is the best learning place for them. Children come to the centre at 8:30am and stay with us till 2:00pm”, explains Yasmin, one of the teachers. Each child spends time listening to stories, painting, playing and writing. In addition to teaching academic skills, the teachers also share information about health and hygiene, like the importance of washing hands with soap.

I want to become a good man and want to share all the information about rights and our responsibilities with my friendsHealth and hygiene has been an importance focus of the centres since they were opened during the floods. World Vision doctors have been visiting the centres since that time, providing free examinations for children and sharing information about good nutrition with mothers.

Sitara Sahar, World Vision Child Protection Officer explains the importance of teaching children about ‘disaster risk reduction’, including how to speak up for themselves in case of an emergency such as another flood or earthquake. “We teach children how to introduce themselves and find their way home if they get lost”, says Sitara, describing some simple steps that could protect children when they are most vulnerable.

“They must remember their name, their father’s name and the name of the place where the live should they become separated from their parents during a disaster. We teach them to go to any mosque or government school, which can easily be identified”, explains Sitara.

Peer groups comprising eight boys and eight girls have been created by World Vision Child Protection Officers to ensure that the good work is being multiplied and carried to all parts of the villages.

These important messages about health, hygiene, education and staying safe are now being shared among peers, friends and family members.

“I want to become a good man and want to share all the information about rights and our responsibilities with my friends”, says Muhammad Ansar, a group leader in the Ali Walla centre.

“Ansar was a very aggressive boy and used to bully his sisters- now he is a nice boy and helps me with the housework”, says his mother. “He has learned to share his things and keeps himself clean- this is due to the learning at the center”, she adds.

Iqra Mushtaq, group leader for the ‘girls’ group’ says she wants to be a doctor and is happy to lead the peer group. “We all have equal rights- that\'s what we learn at the centre”.

In the past year, World Vision has reached an estimated 1.5 million people with food distributions, clean drinking water, hygiene kits, blankets, shelter and by establishing women and infant-friendly spaces and across three of Pakistan’s four provinces. Through these Child Protection Centres, World Vision is striving to ensure all children are cared for, protected and participating in their communities and have the opportunity to be educated and enjoy good health.

Statistics
* According to US Department of Labour, Sweat and Toil of Children, 1994 report, there are 19 million working children, 7 million below the age of 10 and 12 million between the ages of 10-14 in Pakistan. Punjab accounts for 60 Percent of the total child labor claims a US State Department Report on Human Rights 1998.
*UNICEF has estimated that approximately one million children work in the Pakistani carpet industry and that many of these children started working there when they were under 10 years old. 250,000 children working in brick kilns are bonded laborers, driven into a miserable state by the fact that their entire families have been \'pawned\' to the owners by virtue of their having pledged their labor in return for some money taken.

*Source http://www.globalmarch.org/worstformsreport/world/pakistan.html