Time for India's children

Dear friends across India,

As families around the world buy holiday gifts, millions of Indian children are slaving away in brutal conditions to produce their presents and decorations. But in days India’s Parliament could pass a ban on child labour, and stop their suffering.
 
Children as young as five are snatched up by traffickers and forced to work 12 hour days in cramped sweatshops, often not knowing if they'll ever see their parents again. A bill to ban underage labour is on the table in Parliament, and stands to get majority support. But it's been stalled by a fuss over another issue. In days child rights groups will meet Parliamentary leaders to bust the logjam, and if tens of thousands of us from India and across the world strengthen their hand, we can get this critical law agreed.

India's children should be getting an education, not slaving away to profit heartless corporations. Sign the petition to get Parliamentarians to stop their squabbles and agree a ban child labour under 14 years and harmful work under 18 years:

Sign the petition

Child labour is a global issue -- 215 million children around the world work in mines, quarries, and factories. More than half are them are living under threat of violence. Chocolate, clothes, jewelry, electronics we use, and even Christmas and New Year decorations – all get produced by these children.

India has one of the highest number of child labourers in the world. Local child welfare groups are lobbying the Indian Parliament to pass a proposed amendment to the child labour laws that would ban all forms of child labour under 14 years, all harmful work under 18 years, eliminate school fees, create stipends for girls, and more stringent enforcement of child labour laws -- all measures that would put children back into school, and set a path out of poverty for India's most vulnerable.

We only have a few days to save these children from a bleak future -- Parliament can decide this week whether a child's place is in school or in slavery. Sign the petition to MPs, then send this widely:

Sign the petirion

The Avaaz community has rallied for the most vulnerable, time and time again. While many of us plan end of year family gatherings, let’s take a stand for the future of India’s suffering children.

With hope and determination,
Alex, Alaphia, Michelle, Ricken, Dalia, Rewan and the whole Avaaz team

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A humble request to smokers

Smoking is the single biggest avoidable risk a person can take in one's entire lifetime. And yet, millions of intelligent people choose to take that risk every single day of their lives.(More here)

Tobacco use was killing 5.4 million people every year, due to lung cancer, heart problems and other diseases and tobacco was the main risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of deaths in the world. The scene was more alarming as 80 per cent of tobacco related deaths would occur in the developing countries in future, according to an estimate. (More here)

I am not begging any one to quit smoking. I just want all smokers to realize how they are creating a dangerous environment to their family, friends. Passive smoking (second hand smoking and third hand smoking) is as dangerous as active smoking. The dangerous particles in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours or even longer. Third hand smoke clings to hair, skin, clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces, even long after smoking has stopped. Infants, children and nonsmoking adults may be at risk of tobacco-related health problems when they inhale, ingest or touch substances containing third hand smoke.

  

Passive smoking poses a potential health hazard to nonsmokers who are exposed to it, especially children. Among the victims, two lakh were children who were exposed to passive smoking. Out of five tobacco related deaths, one was due to passive smoking.  As the number of smokers increased, the healthy population also got affected equally. I sometimes feel that the smokers don’t give a damn about their kids, family. I see a lot of people smoke in the presence of small children and do not seem to understand the risks.

 

Please don’t cause inconvenience to others, be it your friends, family or public. Please ask if any of them are not comfortable with smoking and avoid smoking in their presence. If any smoker comes across this post, it is my sincere and humble request to him/her to make your home or work place smoke free and protect your family and friends, and never smoke in front of any kid. Please understand that everyone has the right to breathe fresh air.

Image Source

More on passive smoking at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/health/research/03smoke.html http://newscenter.lbl.gov/news-releases/2010/02/08/dangers-of-third-hand-smoke/ http://www.no-smoke.org/learnmore.php?id=671 http://www.newswire.net/newsroom/pr/69640-third-hand-smoke-a-new-hazard-to-be-aware-of.html, http://www.who.int/tobacco/en/atlas10.pdf, http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/D87C1389F867B087CA25774B007C58E2/$File/tobpass.pdf

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ఈ చిన్నారులకు సాయం చేయండి

ఈ చిన్నారుల పేర్లు శ్రావణి, అర్చన. వీరిది మహబూబ్‌నగర్‌ జిల్లా చిన్నచింతకుంట మండలం అప్పంపల్లి గ్రామం. శ్రావణి నాగర్‌కర్నూల్‌ ప్రభుత్వ గురుకుల పాఠశాలలో ఎనిమిదో తరగతి చదివేది. చదువులో చురుగ్గా ఉండేది. సుమారు పదినెలల క్రితం సెలవుల కోసం ఇంటికి వచ్చింది. తల నెప్పిగా ఉంది నాన్నా... అంటే కసాయి తండ్రి ఈ చిన్నారికి తన కిడ్నీ వ్యాధికి సంబంధించిన మాత్రలిచ్చాడు. ఇవ్వడమే కాకుండా మరికొన్నింటినీ ప్యాక్‌ చేసి బ్యాగులో పెట్టి పంపించాడు. హాస్టల్‌కు వెళ్లిన తర్వాత తలనెప్పి వచ్చినప్పుడల్లా ఆ చిన్నారి ఈ మాత్రల్నే వాడింది. క్రమంగా పాపకు నోరు పడిపోయింది. తర్వాత వినికిడి శక్తీ కోల్పోయింది. గురుకుల పాఠశాల యాజమాన్యమూ నిర్లక్ష్యం వహించింది. పాపం జీవితం నాశనమైంది. ప్రస్తుతం ఆ పాపకు చదువుకోవాలని ఉన్నా... ఆరోగ్యం సహకరించడం లేదు.

అక్కకు వచ్చిన దుస్థితే ఎనిమిది నెలల తర్వాత చెల్లెలు శ్రావణికీ వచ్చింది. పదేళ్ల శ్రావణి అమ్మమ్మ ఊరిలో ఐదో తరగతి చదివేది. రెండు నెలల క్రితం నాన్న ఆంజనేయులు ఇచ్చిన మాత్రల ప్రభావంతో అక్క అర్చన లాగే బధిరురాలైంది.
అప్పంపల్లికి చెందిన వెంకటమ్మ తన కూతురు అరుణను పక్క గ్రామమైన బండ్రవల్లికి చెందిన ఆంజనేయులుకు ఇచ్చి వివాహం జరిపించింది. వీరికి ముగ్గురు ఆడపిల్లలు, ఓ బాబు. అయితే ఆంజనేయులుకు కూతుళ్లపై మమకారం లేదు. సరిగా చూసుకునేవాడేకాదు.
వారిని చదివించడం కూడా వృథా అని భావించేవాడు. మేనమామ సహకారంతో శ్రావణి గురుకుల పాఠశాలలో చేరింది. అర్చనను అమ్మమ్మ చేరదీసింది. ఎలాగోలా సాగుతున్న వీరి జీవితాన్ని తండ్రే చిదిమేశాడు. తన కిడ్నీ వ్యాధి మాత్రలతో పిల్లల బంగారు భవిష్యత్తును చీకటిమయం చేశాడు.

సోషల్‌ మీడియాలో లక్ష|లాది మంది వివిధ విషయాలను షేర్‌ చేస్తుంటారు కదా... ఈ చిన్నారుల దీన గాథను కూడా షేర్‌ చేస్తే అది ఎందరికో చేరుతుంది. ఇందులో వైద్యులుండవచ్చు. మానవతావాదులుండవచ్చు. కష్టాల్లో, బాధల్లో ఉన్న వారికి సాయం చేయడం మనిషిగా మన ధర్మం. మన దేశంలో అపర కుబేరులున్నారు... కటిక దరిద్రులూ ఉన్నారు. చనిపోయిన తర్వాత ఈ ఆస్తులు, అంతస్తులూ ఏమీ వెంటరావు. కానీ... ఉన్నవాళ్లు తమకు తోచిన రీతిలో ఇలాంటి అభాగ్యులకు సాయం చేయడం మర్చిపోవద్దు. మీకు తెలిసిన మానవతావాదులైన వైద్యులుంటే వారికి విషయం చెప్పండి. వారికి ఉచితంగా వైద్యం అందేలా చూడమనండి. లేదంటే ఈ చిన్నారులు జీవితాంతం మాటకు దూరమవుతారు. మనం ఒక్క ఐదు నిమిషాలు మాడ్లాడలేకుండా ఉండగలమా. వినకుండా ఉండగలమా... ఒక్కసారి ఆలోచించంచండి. వీరిని ఆదుకోండి.
పాపం ఆ పిల్లలకూ అందరిలా గలగలా మాట్లాడాలని ఆశగా ఉంది. ప్లీజ్‌ ఆదుకోండి.
వివరాలకు...
కుర్వ జోగిని వెంకటమ్మ
అప్పంపల్లి గ్రామం, చిన్న చింతకుంట మండలం, మహబూబ్‌నగర్ జిల్లా
వెంకటమ్మ సెల్‌ నెంబర్‌: 8499880084
మేనమామ సెల్‌ నెంబర్‌: 9059566743

This was also telecast on TV.

For non-telugu people:

This is the story of two unfortunate sisters Sravani and Archana from Mahabubnagar Appampalli. The elder sister Archana was studying in Nagarkurnool gurukul school till 8th standard and came to visit her father.  Her father does not like his daughters and does not take care of them. He always felt it unnecessary to send them to school. She complained of a headache
and her father gave her some medicines which he was using for his kidney problems. He also packed some of those medicines and sent them with her. Archana used
to use the same medicines whenever she had a headache and started loosing her speech. The school management were also unattentive and finally she lost her
hearing ability too. Now she can't speak, hear.

Her sister Sravani was being looked after by her grandmother and studied till 5th standard when she too fell victim to her father's tablets. She too can't hear right now. We share a lot of pointless stuff every day that actually doesn't benefit anyone. Please share this so that some one willing to help these kids in any form.

Contact:

Venkatamma 8499880084

Or kid's uncle 9059566743

Appampally, chinna chintakunta mandal, mahaboobnagar district

Update: I talked to Venkatamma over phone.  They were advised to consult the doctors at Sai Krishna Neuro Hospitals at Kacheguda, Hyderabad. Apparently they need 4-5 lakhs for the treatment.

Update(29/10/2012): Doctors(at NIMS, Hyd) have prescribed some medicines and asked them to come back after a month.

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College Fee for a student

B Ravi, a resident of Vivekananda Nagar, Kukatpally is currently pursuing his intermediate second year at NRI College, Kukatpally. He scored 500+ in SSC. He cleans cars and earns money to pay college fees. One of the residents of Vivekananda Nagar has been supporting him to some extent. Ravi still needs 13,000/- for his second year remaining fee. Ravi may need to discontinue his part time job as he needs to focus on EAMCET exam. He came from telugu medium background. If someone in or around Kukatpally area can provide help in teaching Physics/Chemistry which would also helpful for him. The college provides EAMCET material at an extra cost of 2600/-. He is not in a position to pay for it. 

Cheyuta supported him by paying 10,000/- for his college fee.

Thanks to Bapineedu, Pradeep and Bhasakara Varma for joining hands in supporting Ravi.

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Blood Donation

Every year India requires about 4 Crore units of blood, out of which only a meager 40 Lakh units of blood are available. Every two seconds someone needs blood. More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day. If just 1% of people donate blood regularly, there will be no blood shortage. Human Body just takes 24 hours to generate the equivalent amount of blood which one donates.(Source: friends2support)

• A donor is asked to fill a form with specific questions about his/her medical history to make sure that donating blood is not hazardous to his/her health.
• A healthy person can donate 1 unit (~300ml) of blood every 3-4 months.
• Donors are advised to stay at the donation site for 10-15 minutes after donating.
• Donors are advised to avoid the following after donation.
• No driving or traveling till half an hour of donation.
• No weightlifting or workout at least for a day.
• Avoid any kind of physical stress for 24 hours at least.

Blood Group	Can donate blood to	Can receive blood from
AB+	AB+	Any group
AB-	AB-, AB+	AB-, A-, B-,O-
A+	A+,AB+	A+,A-,O+,O-
A-	A-,A+,AB-,AB+	A-,O-
B+	B+,AB+	B+,B-,O+,O-
B-	B-,B+,AB-,AB+	B-,O-
O+	O+,A+,B+,AB+	O+,O-
O-	Any Group	O-

friends2support gives you more information on blood donation. You can search for list of donors on their website.

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