The Navjyoti Bal Gurukul, developed by the Navjyoti India Foundation, works with vulnerable sections of society and the young to inculcate moral and social values in them. It helps them grow up as responsible human-beings
Growing incidents of crime, sexual assault and harassment are continuing to hit the headlines every day. We instantly react and demand penalties with remedies — till the next crime hits us.
As one who believes in the power of prevention, I feel extremely distressed, as I know many such incidents are preventable. I share herewith a long- term community solution model of crime prevention which, if put in place, can bring such crimes under check. These are time-tested, cost-effective, community solutions, and they will work provided we begin early. We have to work with the youth at the right age. When we treat the root, we instil responsibility.
The question emerges: What is the right age for youth to take responsibilityIJ One surely need not wait to reach the age of 25 years or 30 years to take charge. As observed, leadership values have to be sown at the early age of 12 years, with children being guided to be conscientious about self, society and nation at large. We have got to catch them when they are impressionable.
The model is the Navjyoti Bal Gurukul, developed by my Navjyoti India Foundation, which is working with vulnerable sections of society through a collaborative, transformative, social model. The organisation works amongst the marginalised sections of society where youth and children have the propensity to peddle and consume drugs, pick pocket, beg. They are into a whole lot of deviant activities if left to themselves.
Addressing factors leading to crime: Navjyoti’s crime prevention model focusses on addressing factors leading to crime, neglect and abuse; illiteracy; ignorance of parents’ peer pressure; lack of moral education; school neglect; risky behaviours; cognitive deficit; unemployment; family dysfunction; and, absence of community support.
Navjyoti, through its Bal Gurukul model, has on its rolls over 2,500 children from a sprawling settlement being groomed to take up responsibility towards their own community. It is truly a children’s university of values, running amidst the slums of north-west Delhi.
The children have identified various departments, such as academics, character building and value education, sports and yoga, performing arts, skills, special education, gender studies, environment based on the community needs, which are self-governed by head of departments and the children’s faculty.
Building value system: These children are not only growing up acquiring education, but are also instilling the spirit of community service and nation-building. The approach involves participation of both girls and boys, with the focus on empowering girls and making boys more responsible. It is a movement wherein children are being trained on building stronger foundations for character-building and developing the right kind of attitude to become productive and entrepreneurial. The training arouses curiosity amongst the children for self-enhancement, self-discovery, propensity for special skills and hunger for knowledge, research and social service. There is transformative spirit to learn from one another, apart from mutually helping out weak students. Seventy two such centres have been opened, reaching out to 430 children in lanes, parks, temples and mosques.
The Department of Gender Studies of the Government of Delhi is already working with these children on issues of child marriage. When asked if they had witnessed such issues in their community, the quick response was, “It happened in my family with my cousin”, by a 13-year-old girl, who raised her hand, wanting to share her concern. Another 14-year-old girl added, “My friend in the neighbourhood was married at the age of 12 years and so I want to work for the empowerment of girls and women”. Yusuf was happy to share how he had counselled five students who were consuming drugs. The faculty from Performing Arts and Sports are channelising the energy of other children in the community in the right direction by training them in dance, the arts and yoga. The model is creating a positive ripple effect among members of the community.
The students are being trained to resolve their problems and issues of the community by using the ‘3C techniques’ — listing down the challenge, the choices against the problem, and the consequences against each choice, and then finally deciding on the course of action.
Navjyoti Bal Gurukul recognises promotion of the contribution of young people and children in preventing crime, corruption and fostering a culture of respect for the law, values and integrity. It truly envisions developing a community of children having value based leadership who grow up to take charge, lead change and not just simply live.
Replicating the model: Navjyoti Bal Gurukul can be replicated by NGOs, panchayats, resident welfare organisations, community workers, and others. It aims to generate responsible leadership which could be in any field — whether social, entrepreneurial or in the area of gender awareness — with the ultimate objective of self-reliance.
(With inputs from Chandni Taneja, Director, Navjyoti India Foundation)