On the ridges of hill tops of Hathiadelhi panchayat, adolescents and people from six villages had gathered to be part of Mandal mela, to listen to views of adolescents.

This was organised by Vasudha Sansthan in partnership with UNICEF as part of initiative to strengthen voices of adolescents and giving platform for voices of adolescents. Six groups of adolescents shared their views of saying no to child marriage and effects of early marriage by songs in Bhili Language which they sing in their villages and peers to say no to early marriage of both boys and girls. Adolescents also did a skit on theme of impact of child marriage and malaria, something which affects them.

Photographs taken by adolescents was also displayed on cots made of bunk ropes of issues which they see at ground. Michael Juma, Chief, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh, Panchayat Sarpanch Ramchand, Dr Vandana Bhatia, Health Specialist UNICEF, Anil Gulati Communication Specialist, UNICEF and Sujan Sarkar, PME Officer UNICEF and  PRI members listened to the adolescents and also relied to questions by them.

Michael Juma, Chief UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh, stressed on the need to focus on issue like child marriage, nutrition, immunisation and also see how they become part of the agenda of the panchayat and gram sabha.

Dr Vandana Bhatia interacted with adolescents and people on issues being faced by them on child health and need to focus on immunisation. Gayatri Parihar of Vasudha Sanathan shared the efforts of adolescents and thanked the support from panchayat in this initiative.