Bhopal: Over 92 migrant children from the AEA run Child Care & Learning Centres were brought together for ‘Bala Mela’, a one day programme organized at Gandhi Bhawan, Bhopal. For the third year in succession, the Bala mela drew good response from children, construction company owners, and parents alike.

BALA (Children) MELA is an annual event organized by Aide et Action across 5 cities of India. The mela brings together all the young migrants to a common platform where they exhibit their inherent talents, voice their concerns and advocate for their rights.

The children actively participated in different games and cultural programmes which reflected their culture and traditions. All the children received gifts during the event.

The organizers also took this opportunity to practically educate children on the importance of saving money, safe transaction, and money management through the already operated child banks at the CCLCs. Each child, who had opened the account in the CCLC bank, was handed over a part of the money saved by him/her to transact at stalls to play games, buy sweets and snacks. The stalls set up at the mela were managed by the children themselves and the profits through sales were deposited into their accounts soon after the mela.

Hyderabad: The migrant children in Hyderabad celebrated Bala Mela in the presence of Padma, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police – SHE Team under Cyberabad Police commissionerate and Bhagyamma, Cluster Resource Person (CRP) – Education Department, Rangareddy district. Around 85 children and 80 parents participated in the mela which was organized at one of the CCLC interventions.

While speaking at the mela, Padma urged the parents to educate their children and ensure that girls are married only after attaining marriageable age. She also encouraged the women to file police complaints in case of harassment at workplace and assured to take necessary action against the perpetrators.