The child reporters of Mukul in Vaishali. Telegraph picture

Patna, Jan. 19: Children hailing from poor families in Vaishali district have taken it upon themselves to reform the society.

The four blocks of the district have seen changes since Unicef launched Mukul — our issues, our voices, a magazine, along with these children to give them a platform to raise issues that concern them. These children could also be called child reporters.

Raju (12), a student of Class VI at a middle school at Jandaha block of Hajipur district, was not happy with the state of affairs in his school.

According to him, teachers often remained absent from the class and the quality of the mid-day meal was sub-standard. He approached the block development officer (BDO) with complaints. The employees at the BDO’s office did not allow the group of young boys to meet the official. Raju then decided to go and meet the district magistrate (DM).

The poor, illiterate parents of these children, belonging to backward castes would not allow their children to go and meet the badesaab in town on their own.

Raju and other boys took the early morning bus to the district headquarters without telling anyone at home and reached the district magistrate’s office.

The employees were apprehensive about letting the boys enter the saab’s chamber but then Raju took out the copy of the magazine which had the district magistrate’s message and in which he had promised all co-operation to the kids of the district.

“The district magistrate had said in the magazine that he was always available to help the children. Why are you not allowing us to share our problems with him?” Raju asked before being allowed to meet the DM.

Alpana Singh, consultant for advocacy and partnership, Unicef, said the magazine’s second issue, which will come out by the end of this month, aims at giving the children confidence and a forum to voice their opinion.

“To increase children’s involvement in identifying issues concerning them, their families and communities, it was conceptualised to impart training to the kids, about 60 of them in the age group of 12-14, initially. The results have been wonderful. The kids are innovative and full of ideas,” she said.

About 60 children, from four blocks of Vaishali district namely Jandaha, Rajapakar, Biddupur and Hajipur were initially selected to be child reporters three months back. “The number has increased to over 280 in no time. The composition of children is such that the emphasis was laid on girls’ participation and social inclusion,” added Alpana. Five thousand copies of the magazine were distributed in several villages.

Village elders at these blocks say that empowered with some knowledge about their rights, environment, their families, communities and the society as a whole, the children are raising issues concerning their village.

“We are being taught to be champions of society and to work as catalysts to bring about change,” said a 14-year-old child reporter Manju Kumari.