Pushing child illiteracy backwards, literally, youth volunteers of non-profit child empowerment organisation Make A Difference (MAD) was flagged off a ‘back-a-thon’ across 20 cities of the country here on Monday to mark the occasion of World literacy Day.
The back-a-thon was held at Shahpura lake here on Monday. The volunteers of MAD, Bhopal participated in it to reach out the children aloof from education.
Notably, a back-a-thon, unlike the more popular marathon, is an event in which participants walk backward in a uniform fashion. More of a social gathering than a sporting event, the backward walk signifies an intent to push back deteriorating social values; which in this case is the growing level of illiteracy plaguing the country.
A number of child education activists, celebrities and like-minded citizens across the country expectedly join in for the back-a-thon. Further, it is to be noted that the back-a-thon was country’s largest social gathering of citizens of all ages, in such a format.
Further, Make A Difference (MAD) empowers children living in orphanages and street shelters to discover their true strengths and unleash their full potential.
Volunteer profiles range from Ed Support Teachers, who work with a class of ten children and teach English, Maths and Science, Propel Volunteers who counsel and guide children for a right career, Discover Volunteers who conduct activities to broaden the career horizons of children to Fundraising interns who raise funds to support education for children.
At Bhopal, the
volunteers actively and enthusiastically participated in the gathering.