Just want to share this

Justed wanted to share a couple of things that have been morale boosters for me recently.


The first is in The Times of India.


The Concerned for Working Children is an organisation working with child workers in India. One of the co-founders and still the co-director, Nandana Reddy, is a close friend. A few weeks ago she contacted me in great excitement, as she did to many other people of course. CWC had been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize by three Norwegian parliamentarians. The chances of winning are not huge but to be nominated at all. Read the article now:


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Let-children-choose-their-own-destiny/articleshow/12227629.cms


Let children choose their own destiny - The Times of India


timesofindia.indiatimes.com


Then the second is in Malaysia. A children's organisation called Mousedeer Msia has recently had a great deal of public attention including being on tv with their Prime Minister. The organisation is the offshoot of Knowing Children that began in Bangkok but has noe relocated to Selangkor and to which I am adviser on the human rights of children. Now the Straits Times has written about them as attached. The European woman in the middle of the children, Judith, is my ex-OH, but we are still close since we decided to divorce because of the impracticalities of inhabiting different bits of the world rather than anything nasty.


http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/children-champion-own-cause-1.59172


Children champion own cause


www.nst.com.my


Given a few unsavoury things are happening to children in France such as 'wet blanketting' autistic children and use of physical force against them domestically and at school, I just felt like sharing optimism and improvement where some people might imagine it less likely than here.

yes, the kids in the mousedeer organisation have taken on a role as peer advisers on issues including trafficking which is rampant in southeast asia, although malaysia seems not really to be affected. however the 'young people' in next door myanmar (burma) who are entrapped are mostly over 16 years old and entitled to work and in too many cases over 18 and whilst still young they are adults which makes things no nicer but they are fully entitled to make their own decisions... not the nicest world to grow up in yet!

I heard on the radio (possibly World Service, but I'm not sure what time it was)that MTV have made a film to warn the young Burmese of the dangers of accepting offers of employment, which may well end up with them in enforced slavery.