We were asked by the high school teacher 2 days earlier if we could talk to the kids for a few minutes in kannada on the occasion of International Women's day. Not because we've achieved something great that can inspire them but because it would be from someone new for them :D
Terese agreed to help me with the content while I agreed to talk in kannada. So we said yes and that's the last we saw of him. I don't know where he disappeared. So on 7th we spoke to that sweet teacher Sumithra who helped us schedule the event on 8th. She also suggested that we highlight a few points regarding personal hygiene, menstruation, teenage pregnancy etc.
After a lot of web search and thinking till 8th noon, we had a small talk ready where I narrated the story of Malala Yousafzia to tell them how she had to fight for the basic right to education. And to let them know that this is just one of the rights that the women in some of the countries including ours are denied or deprived of.
Terese agreed to help me with the content while I agreed to talk in kannada. So we said yes and that's the last we saw of him. I don't know where he disappeared. So on 7th we spoke to that sweet teacher Sumithra who helped us schedule the event on 8th. She also suggested that we highlight a few points regarding personal hygiene, menstruation, teenage pregnancy etc.
After a lot of web search and thinking till 8th noon, we had a small talk ready where I narrated the story of Malala Yousafzia to tell them how she had to fight for the basic right to education. And to let them know that this is just one of the rights that the women in some of the countries including ours are denied or deprived of.
We asked them to involve both the girls and the boys in the event because I remember what Emma Watson said in her inspiring UN speech campaigning for #HeforShe, "How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?"
We ended the talk by taking an oath I made in kannada, along with all the kids who participated.
The translation being,
"I'm my own master from today. I can achieve any goal I wish. I won't let anyone tell me that I can't do something. I will never discriminate people with respect to gender. If and when I come across gender discrimination, I will try my best to take action against it instead of just witnessing it".
After which Sumithra ma'am gave an inspiring talk about the other rights that the girls have to be aware of, about female foeticide etc.
I learnt a few things from her speech. Speeches are inspiring and effective when they are specific. She had just 3-4 points, but she made sure those points reached their mind clearly by giving them tangible day to day examples .
The school here has lovely teachers who make the children share responsibilities and provide opportunities equally thus eliminating gender stereotypes.
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