New Delhi : Child rights crusader Kailash Satyarthi, who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize along with Pakistan’s Malala Yousufzai, is a passionate man. His love for children makes him go to any length to comfort the vulnerable victims of child labour. He loves to cook sumptuous meals for them.
Umesh Gupta, a former employee of Satyarthi’s Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), recalled what a brilliant cook Satyarthi is — and how he loves to cook for kids rescued from bonded labour.
“On several occasions, he cooked for the children who we rescued from work units. His love and compassion shines through such a gesture. The children who would be scared a while back open up and smile in his warmth,” Gupta told IANS.
Rakesh Senger of BBA had a similar tale.
“It never fails to amaze us how Satyarthiji comforts the rescued children. After a rescue operation the children are obviously very scared. But an hour with Satyarthiji and they become composed and relax. He has the gift.” BBA has been one of the first NGOs to have started work on child rights, and against child labour in 1980. Touching the lives of thousands of young children, often from socially and economically vulnerable background, the group actively participates in rescue operations along with the police and the labour department and helps the kids reunite with their families.
BBA has also led successful campaigns against the use and sale of products in domestic and international markets that employ children to do the work.
“Satyarthiji is a veteran in the field of child rights. After all these years, no rescue operation is too small for him. I remember he used to take part in every operation, and later comfort the rescued children. In 2004, a raid in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh almost cost his life, but he did not give up… That’s how dedicated he is,” Gupta said.
