Members of the Ghanshyam Oli Child Welfare Society completed a barefoot campaign to spread awareness regarding child begging and child labour on Friday. The group’s founder Ajay Oli said that only youth and government can make the state free of child begging and child labour if they work together.
Giving information about the initiative he said, “It has been four years since we have started this initiative to address begging by children and child labour.
We have covered nearly eight states and 88 cities in which 84 kilometres were covered barefoot.
Our aim is to eradicate child begging and child labour in the state by the year 2021 and from the nation by 2025.”About the campaign undertaken on the Char Dham circuit he said, “In Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri we didn’t see many children however in Badrinath there were many child beggars.
It is disheartening to see small children like this.”The group claims that the campaign was conducted in nine districts and 20 cities including Char Dhams in a period of 20 days.
Oli said, “We need the support of the government and youth as they can create a lot of change for eradicating child begging and child labour. It is important to understand that if we stop giving money to these children they will stop begging.”