Glocal Teen Hero 2016: A Finalist’s Story
Grown up in an orphanage, Deepak BK is a child rights activist who stood up for the fellow children to design and make their life meaningful. He is working with the street children and those in child labour; to make them study in educational centres and facilitate the best he can. He aims to organize several competitions between orphanages and has already led an initiative for the same. He has led many Child Clubs and is involved as a mediator between the children and the authorities working on child rights issues in Kaski. He is working with a vision of making Nepal into a better place to live in for every other child.
He has led many Child Clubs and is involved as a mediator between the children and the authorities working on child rights issues in Kaski. He is working with a vision of making Nepal into a better place to live in for every other child.
A very shy person in his childhood, who couldn’t even introduce himself clearly, his journey into child clubs and the continuous engagement into programmes relating to that laid the path for him to later become the child club mobilizer of Ward-6, Baidam in Pokhara, where he started to conduct meetings once a week, creating a platform for the children to share their problems and discuss with each other to find solutions, along with sharing the ideas they learnt in different training sessions.
One fine day, he thought of doing something new. He recalls it as an incident, when he was in grade 7. As his friends had different talents, he wanted to give exposure to their talents among the local people, and talked with his classmates and they collectively went to the principal’s office and shared about their plan of running a child club of the class seven students. But their proposal was rejected straightforward by the head-teacher and other teachers present in the office. Thus, with the teachers not being in favour of their idea, the plan of running a child club just ended there.
But, he didn’t stop just there. After that chapter was over, he joined Jamarko Child Club to later become the Coordinator of the club. Soon, he got membership of the District Child Forum, Kaski, where he got trained and empowered, which he utilized to run ‘Communication Child Club’, a child club in Pokhara, in a best possible way, first as the Deputy-Secretary and later as the President.
He is the former president of the District Child Forum Kaski, and an advisor and a former member of the District Child Welfare Board, a member of the District Child Friendly Committee, and a nominated member of the Pokhara Child Friendly Committee. Being in such positions, he has conducted numerous programmes to help the children throughout the durations, including guiding his friends in visiting and surveying different child clubs in the district, distributed sports materials to the villages in Kaski, collected profiles of child-clubs in the district, carrying out orientation programmes on Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) in the district, and many more. Currently, he is working in Hamro Crew Scout as a Rover.
He remembers his earliest days into child rights activism as very difficult times. He had to abandon classes for days in a row, and it had become a new norm for him. So, the teachers were not much in favour of him. But, as he was quite good at his study and maintained his academics securing good marks in the examinations, his guardians didn’t object him for being active in child clubs. Meanwhile, most of his friends, despite their interest could not be in such clubs in lack of the proper support and guidance from their family and teachers.
In the course, as he has been massively involved and done many praiseworthy works for the society, people have started to consider him as a role model and he is also praised for his works.
“Getting associated with a child club makes a person much familiar with the society,†he says. He has also been actively involved in conducting street dramas with a group of his friends, which not only presents the problems existing in our society, but also acts as a platform to showcase one’s talents. “In the course, we get to know the problems of the locality and also search for the solutions within.”
“For me, getting Involved in child clubs has become very fruitful. It has helped me to share my opinions with anyone with confidence. With my involvement in child clubs, I have got chances to visit several places and work for the children, along with meeting great people. I once had refused my friend’s request to join the club, only to join it later. Had I not joined the club, I think, I couldn’t have been able even to express my views to the people. My confidence and public speaking skills has hugely been enhanced in the course, and I can feel the enhancement in my convincing capacity the people. I have now come to know the major social problems prevalent in our society and the situation of child rights. Through this only, I came to know that the problems of children can be solved when the children stand for it and collectively work. I have also got a chance to work together with some great organizations. These were the things I have achieved from my involvement in child clubs.
Children these days need to have a dream in their life and strive to achieve it! For this, they first need to believe in themselves, explore their potential and utilize their time properly. Have a mission in life, and continuously work towards it. You will succeed for sure. But, along with this, one needs to have patience. Don’t give up even if you fail. Just have faith in yourself and continue.
Children these days get more freedom, but going to college, returning home, and staying idle the rest of the time does not yield anything for them. They have to have a dream in their life and strive to achieve it! For this, they first need to believe in themselves, explore their potential and utilize their time properly. Have a mission in life, and continuously work towards it. You will succeed for sure. But, along with this, one needs to have patience. Don’t give up even if you fail. Just have faith in yourself and continue.
He now dreams to become a successful social entrepreneur.
May his mission get accomplished!
