Small Steps to Bring About Change


March 17, 2018


Quote of the Week

"Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye. It is very beautiful." --Kailash Satyarthi

Fighting For Children's Rights, One Step At A Time

This week's inspirational profile features Kailash Satyarthi, winner of the Nobel Prize in 2014 for his decades of work on behalf of children.  Satyarthi has been at the forefront of the fight against child slavery and labor since 1980, when he founded a movement, the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), which has helped liberate more than 85,000 children in India from exploitation – through education and rehabilitation.

Satyarthi tells the UNESCO Courier how his quest to improve the lives of children began at the age of five, what he hopes for from his new cause to make schools safe, and why he believes true liberation starts with education.  Hearing him speak in person recently, I was very moved by his story of taking up a collection of schoolbooks from the kids in his village to set up the first lending library (which grew to 10,000 books!) so that kids whose parents could not afford to buy them could have books to use for the whole school year.  He was a young boy of 10 when he undertook this venture!   Read more about this everyday hero whose humility and dedication is truly inspiring, and whose story reminds us that we can all make a difference. 

Reading Corner

Title: Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed
By: Emily Pearson
Ages: 5-10

"Mary's just an ordinary girl, but when she does a good deed of picking blueberries for her neighbor, she starts a chain reaction that goes around the world, until it comes back to her. Reminding one of the "Random Acts of Kindness" movement, this goes one step farther and comes full circle....the acts of kindness are small ones, definitely activities that children can relate to in their own lives."  --Publishers

Be the Change

What is a need you see in your neighborhood? How can you take small steps to bring about change? Discuss this topic with your kids and brainstorm ideas. Find other "ordinary" people doing extraordinary deeds in your town and let everyone know about them! Decide on one random act of kindness you will do each week with your family and commit yourselves to it. Here is a great list of ideas for the whole year.