BY RAISING AWARENESS: SPARSH SESSIONS ON CHILD SAFETY
The Inner Wheel Club of Bombay, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Bombay under the Bhavishya Yaan Project, successfully conducted five impactful sessions on Sparsh – Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse at N. M. Joshi Secondary Municipal School. This initiative was made possible through the dedicated efforts of Rtn. Ptn. Jaya, who coordinated closely with the school authorities to implement this significant programme.
The sessions were led by Zainab Lokhandwalla from the Inner Wheel Club of Bombay, beginning on December 17th, 2024. This first session catered to 68 students from classes 2, 3, and 4, featuring an engaging talk and an audio-visual presentation.
On Friday, December 27th, two consecutive sessions were held for 72 students from classes 5, 6, and 7. Inner Wheel Club member Ashwini Vernekar provided additional insights in Marathi, ensuring clarity for the students. Fellow member Niloufer Vazifdar was also present to lend her support.
The final sessions took place on Saturday, December 28th, focusing on senior students from classes 8 and 9. Led by Pooja Kothari, the Sparsh Zone 1 Coordinator of Inner Wheel District 314, these sessions reached 40 students, who actively engaged with the discussions. Despite the sensitive nature of the topic, the students demonstrated tremendous interest and interaction, leaving the organisers deeply gratified. Their enthusiasm reaffirmed the importance and value of these sessions.
The programme was further strengthened by the assistance of Ms Lima, Ms Nisreen, Ms Nikita, Ms Alka, Ms Mayuri, and Ms Rita Menon, whose efforts ensured smooth execution.
We look forward to future opportunities to propagate awareness of this critical issue, empowering children to safeguard themselves and fostering a safer environment for all.