YaR DAY 2018 – II
Rajamahendravaram, 8-9 December 2018
YaR Day Celebrations – 2018 kick-started with participants singing melodious songs on December 8, 2018 at Nethanja Residential High School, Rajahmundry. Among the 300 participants, besides the children, there were the staff and directors of the 6 YaR centres of the province and volunteers besides the special invitees from Rajahmundry. The progamme had begun with the inaugural session where the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) member Gandhi Babu was the chief guest. After the special invitees and guests had spoken, the YaR Day programmes commenced. These included input sessions as well as games, entertainment and competitions.
Child Welfare Committee chairperson Mrs. Padmavathi began the first input session by remembering the valour and sacrifice of the great Indian Army personnel. On the occasion, she also appreciated the contribution of volunteers from Italy, Germany and Austria. The CWC chairperson affirmed that the real heroes were the ones who challenged and overcame their limitations and contributed to society, and not the ones who became celebrities by acting in films. Mrs. Padmavathi also told the participants several success stories of people with disabilities. She also spoke about 3H formula: Head to Think, Heart to Feel and Hand to Help. She kept challenging the children with questions and awarded those who gave correct answers with prizes.
Post lunch, participants were divided into groups, given topics with regard to child rights and were asked to perform skits to illustrate their understanding. Only three skits could be performed in the given time. The rest would be taken up on the following day. At 5.00 pm Burra Katha team from Ravulapalem gave an impressive Performance. Their narrative was about child rights. Later, the participants from all parts of the Telugu States participated in the dance competitions. While some even performed stunts, others narrated stories through dance form.
After the dance competitions, it was the turn of some of the Guests who had not spoken in the morning to address the gathering. Congratulating the organisers for bringing the Young at Risk children from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to Rajamahendravaram to celebrate YaR Day, the city Mayor, Mrs P Rajani Sesha Sai said that the government was keeping a tab on illegal activities and child abuse. She added that it was the responsibility of everybody to create awareness among children about “good touch and bad touch”. She also spoke of making this city child-friendly. Mrs. Sesha Sai asked the homes to identify the skills of students and encourage them.
Next it was the turn of Bp. Pratap Sinha, the host of the day. For him Don Bosco is the number one institute in Andhra Pradesh working for children and young people. He said that he would always come forward to do his bit for programmes for children.
After the programmes supper was served at around 8.30 pm. After some informal recreation all retired for the night. The boys stayed at the school itself and the girls left for Ekalavya Children’s Home.
Day – 2
The following day started with Vice-Provincial Fr Thomas Santiagu leading prayers along with children for an hour. Later, they had breakfast and all headed for the Forest Park located 10 kilometres away for the day’s outing. Even at the part, initially the children had a session on child rights. The incomplete programmes of the skit competitions were also completed. The winners were given awards. Later the children wandered around the huge campus having fun and enjoying the nature. Later they came together for lunch sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce Trust, Rajahmundry. After lunch the children were taken on a sightseeing trip to the 8-kilometre Dowleswaram Barrage built by Sir Arthur Cotton, the iconic 3.7-kilometre road-cum-rail bridge over the mighty Godavari River and the ISKCON temple.
Later the children from Vijayawada left for Navajeevan. The others spent the night at ECH. They left on the following morning after breakfast to their separate destinations.
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