CRY launches 'Project Unlearn'

The campaign will help 28,588 children in labour across CRY supported projects in the country to be able to free themselves from shackles of labour, go back to school and be hopeful of a bright future.

Atindranath Das, Regional Director (East) CRY – Child Rights and You said, “As shocking as it may seem, India is home to millions of children engaged in labour who are forced to work at an age when they should be in classrooms. With minimum wages, long working hours, suffering abuse and exploitation, these children are deprived of their basic rights. With Project Unlearn we aim to spread awareness about this issue and shake people out of their indifference towards this grim reality that India faces. We are hopeful the people will extend their support to us in ensuring that these children get out of the clutches of child labour and unlearn the skills that rob them of their childhood.”

CRY announced the launch of their new initiative at the closing ceremony of ART for CRY, an art exhibition cum sale dedicated to the cause.

Around 40 children from the operational areas of several CRY supported NGOs took the centre stage at the closing ceremony, as they participated in a colourful and fun-filled workshop on T-Shirt painting.

Two upcoming artists, Samir Sarkar and Anjan Modak facilitated the workshop.

Actress and film-maker Aparna Sen looked on and encouraged the children, as they went on painting T-Shirts.

Apana Sen said, “We must care for our children, for they are new arrivals in this world, and are strangers to the ways and customs of men and women. They learn only through examples. If we are unkind to them, we will build up a generation of ruthless future citizens.”

Talking about the issue of child labour, she added, “We must allow them to enjoy their childhood while it lasts, and not use them as child labours to further our own interests.”

On the occasion of the Children’s Day this year, CRY presented Art for CRY, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by acclaimed artists in Kolkata.

The exhibition brought together renowned painters and sculptors like Paritosh Sen, Prakash Karmakar, Shyamal Dutta Roy, Ganesh Haloi, Shanu Lahiri, Rabin Mondal, Jogen Chowdhury, Sunil Das, Sanat Kar, Ramananda Bandyopadhyay, Niranjan Pradhan, Uma Siddhanta, Tapas Sarkar, Sunil Kumar Das and more, whose creations were exhibited for the entire week culminating to the Children’s Day at Jamini Roy Gallery of ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations), Kolkata.

Elaborating on how painters and creative personalities joined hands with CRY to enrich its journey in the past three and half decades, Puja Marwaha, CEO CRY – Child Rights and You said, “We in CRY have always believed that diverse people can contribute to children’s rights in myriad ways, and art has ever been a strong part of our journey. Contributions by Indian artists, photographers and graphic designers have enriched our cards and other products, and CRY’s very image itself.”

“After all, what can be more magical than an artist contributing the exact thing that makes her/him special? It is their art itself.” Marwaha added.