Thirty youths who are active on social media like Instagram, Facebook, You Tube, Twitter and other channels participated in youth social media camp at Tamia in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. The camp was organized by ANSH Happiness Society in partnership with UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh.
The participants were taken through a journey of knowledge of participants on issues which affect children in Madhya Pradesh through games and activities. At start of the camp, in addition to orienting them on the theme of camp by Rahul Shah and Moshin Khan of ANSH, participants were given different names which had stories on issues which affect children in the State which was facilitated by Rahul, Mohsin and Anil Gulati of UNICEF.
The session helped them understand the challenges for children. Later on they were oriented on child rights, and different aspects of child rights ie survival and development rights, protection and participation rights and why it is important to put children first by Anil Gulati, Communication Officer, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh. Then Dr Mainak Chatterjee, Health Officer, UNICEF, MP oriented them on the need of vaccination for child, what is a vaccine and its schedule, and the need and importance of upcoming Measles Rubella Vaccine.
The participants were then taken to Tamia Community Health Centre which had a Cold Chain point and shown how vaccines are stored by Block Medical Officer and Cold Chan focal point at the health. The youth social media champions shared their thoughts and learnings from there on social media channels.
Mohsin Khan of Ansh Happiness Society shared that this was learning camp, part of youth4children efforts ANSH is doing with UNICEF and had lot of activities and one of them was also to trek to Kareyam in Patalkot the lowest point of the State, interacted with communities and children to learn about the efforts of the State and the challenges still being faced by children.
Anil Gulati, Communication Specialist UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh adds that this youth social media was part of the UNICEF effort with Health Department to engage various stakeholders to support MR launch and its campaign which Madhya Pradesh is going to launch from January 15, 2019 and create a movement for the vaccination for children across the State.