Ragpicker Children Enjoy Day Out On Diwali Eve: Rides, New Clothes, Crackers And Lunch
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A group of city residents organised a Diwali celebration for children who work as ragpickers at Sair Sapata near Bhadbhada in Bhopal. Led by Aamir Ahmed Khan Duranni, the group has been working for the welfare of ragpicker children for more than 25 years. The children were picked up from a pre-designated spot and taken to Sair Sapata by bus. They played games, enjoyed the…
On Diwali eve, a group of Bhopal residents organized a celebration for children who earn a living by scavenging for rubbish at Sair Sapata, a location near Bhadbhada. This initiative was spearheaded by Aamir Ahmed Khan Duranni, who has been advocating for the welfare of ragpicker children for over two and a half decades.
The children were collected from a designated area and transported to the park via bus. Once there, they engaged in various recreational activities such as playing games, enjoying the playground equipment like swings and slides, and taking a ride on the miniature train. To enhance their festive spirit, they were distributed new clothing, confectionery boxes, and small packets of firecrackers. Lunch was also provided to the children.
The event lasted for five hours, during which the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Over the years, the group has been instrumental in facilitating these children's access to education and organizing sporting activities for them. One girl, who was enrolled in a school through the group's efforts, is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies at Azim Premji University.
Several other former ragpickers have completed their graduation and postgraduation, some even working in shops across MP Nagar and other parts of Bhopal. They have built families of their own and continue to strive for their children's education, as Duranni highlighted.
The FLY Foundation also contributed to the children's Diwali celebration by organizing festivities at its Pathshala Centre, an educational institution for children from slum areas. The celebration was made possible through generous contributions from well-wishers. Helpers like Mitali, Megha, Shah Bano, Riyaz, Rimaaz Hasan, Meeta Wadhwa, Vibhuti Mishra, Yogesh Saindane, Harshil Nilambkar, and Nitin Shukla played a role in the distribution of sweets, Cadbury Celebrations packs, traditional snacks, and firecrackers, thereby amplifying the children's festive joy.
Disha Yadav, the foundation's founder, emphasized that the celebration provided the children with a profound sense of belonging, care, and inclusion.
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