The Hindu: Children have right to nutrition, healthcare and education

David T. Hopper appreciates South India Girl Child Initiative

CHENNAI: “Every child, boy or girl, should have an opportunity to grow with access to nutrition, healthcare and education and without the threat of violence,” US Consul-General in Chennai David T. Hopper said here on Friday.

Speaking at a function to launch an audio CD `Kuyilum Mayilum’ on the girl child, he appreciated the South India Girl Child Initiative in trying to improve the educational and health status of under-privileged adolescent girls. The South India Girl Child Initiative is a joint effort of Aseema Trust, Nalamdana, Gram Vikas Samstha and the Centre for Applied Research and Extension (CARE).

Mr.Hopper said the initiative of the US Consulate here to protect women, going to the US on dependent visas, from domestic violence was being replicated by other US Consulates elsewhere in the country.

“We had started with issuing pamphlets in English, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam with details of how one could get help in the US.”

Though this was only a small step, it would be one of the frontlines against domestic violence.

He said: “Here in Chennai, we issue more visas to the dependents of foreign students and temporary workers in the US than at any other location in the world. We will issue more than 40,000 such visas this year.”

Playback singer S.P.Balasubramaniam and Children’s Garden School’s Secretary Shakuntala Sharma received the first copy of the CD.

To create a model

Aseema Trust’s V.R.Devika said the South India Girl Child Initiative aimed to increase life options for hundreds of vulnerable girls each year through direct interventions. It also aims to create a model for collaboration and network building by grassroots organisations.

Nalamdana’s Nithya Balaji urged philanthropists to donate copies of `Kuyilum Mayilum’ CDs to schools so that more children get to listen to the songs.

A portion of the money from the sale would go towards funding the education, food and stay of rescued girl children at the CARE school.

Children belonging to three schools — Avvai Home, Navbharath Matriculation School, and Okkium Thoraipakkam Panchayat School — have penned the lyrics. CDs can be had from Nalamdana Trust.

Those who want to get details can visit www.nalamdana.org.