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Parul Sheth is a founding member of our project partner Shaishav, an organisation in India working to empower children to claim the rights they deserve. Eighteen years after establishing Shaishav, Parul (pictured below) considers the more than twenty years she has worked in international development, recalling some of the most poignant and memorable moments she has experienced along the way.
 “I have been working in the development sector for more than two decades now, and during this time I have had so many ups and downs and faced many struggles along the way. Despite this, I must admit, that not even for a fraction of a second have I ever felt that I am in the wrong place. On the contrary, when things are bad, what gets me through is the smiling and bright faces of the children around me.”
“[In the beginning] we had no materials or money. All we had was a pen and paper and ourselves. We had one thing very clear in our hearts; we wanted to reach the most unreached and underprivileged children and try to create an environment where they could achieve their potential in life.
With a deep love and respect for the children, we started work, trying to understand their situation from their perspective. We listened to them, and they showed us the way. We laughed and cried together, we played and danced together, sang and drew together, and cooked and ate together. We also learnt together, learning from each other. The binding force behind this whole process was an immense love, care, trust and respect for each other."
"As I remember this, so many examples are flashing in my memory. I remember Sonal, a clever young girl who was forced to leave her education because she had to support her sick father. She represented Indian children at the World Social Forum in Brazil, and when we were selecting girls for the Girls International Summit, the other children voted for her to go. She withdrew her name, saying, "I got the opportunity once, and now the opportunity must be given to someone else." - Imagine, a child labourer giving up a golden opportunity to go to the USA for her values."
"Another example comes to mind, when a foreign donor gave us Rs. 10,000 for the education of a few children. It was really difficult for us to decide whom to give the money to because all the children were needy and deserving. We asked the children what they thought, and they made the decision very easy. They asked me to write to the donor telling them that rather than giving money to only a few children, the children wanted to set up a book bank, where they can keep all of the study materials, essay books and teaching guides in one place so that many more children can use it in turn, rather than just a few. The donor sent some extra money, and thus a new programme was initiated by the children."
"When we started our work we were very clear that we wanted to reach out to the most disadvantaged children, and secondly, bring all the children together in an environment where they can meet, understand and accept each other, empathise and support each other. The most important value for us was inclusion; accept every child as they are, without any comparisons, any judgments or evaluation. We do not label anyone. This was the leading principle that lit our path. For us, participation is a value, not just a principle or method. No one is left out or excluded in the process. The children are gaining a lot more acceptance and commanding more respect in their homes and communities now. The girls too are leading the process, and the boys not only accept their leadership, but also provide a lot of support to them."
"There were no conscious efforts to empowering these children - we simply created an environment for them and became a catalyst for change. We are fully convinced that we are on the right path. A path that is leading towards a more peaceful, just, and humane world."
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