Bestselling author Rashmi Bansal & Devendra Tak explore how these ordinary children overcame daunting odds to tackle social problems

NEW DELHI/ MUMBAI, 22nd APRIL, 2020 (GPN): There has never been a better time to delve into an immersive book that will lift your spirits and restore your faith in humanity. This World Book Day, let’s celebrate the recently launched book ‘We Are The Champions’, which features 15 Inspiring tales of children across India. Co-authored by best selling writer Rashmi Bansal and Devendra Tak, and presented by global child rights NGO Save the Children, the book features children from underprivileged backgrounds who are fighting against all odds and injustice. Just when the country is ungulfed with negative, unwanted conversations on communalism, mob lynching, Islamophobia and more, here’s feel-good compilation for the kids, youth, parents and one and all that will help us create a better India. Given that 40 per cent of India’s population is children, we all need to pay attention to how Every Last Child is raised.  The book is in the Top 100 best selling ebooks on Amazon Kindle.

By questioning age-old practices such as child marriage, child labour, dowry, trafficking and inequality of gender, the children featured here have brought real and lasting change in their communities. This book contains valuable lessons for students, teachers, social workers, NGOs and all citizens who care about a better, more inclusive India.

A sneak peek into the stories  of the 15 children in ‘We are the Champions’ throws light on story of a a girl who was trafficked to Delhi but returned home to Bengal’s Sundarbans to end trafficking in 80 villages and is speaking out on global platforms, including on two UN General Assemblies, to draw attention of world leaders to child rights issues; A boy living in a slum in New Delhi who uses rap music to champion change; a girl in Mumbai who has taken the unusual route of playing cricket to achieve her rights, a boy from Kashmir whose home was burnt by militants but who is fighting against drugs; a boy who grew up on the streets of Delhi and is now making a mark in Bollywood; a girl living in a Mumbai slum creating awareness of health and hygiene; a girlwho fought gender discrimination after watching a caravan perform a show in her village (in Haryana) introducing child rights; a girl in rural Bangalore who is bringing hygiene and health to her school and community; a girl who is bringing health and education to a remote tribal belt in Odisha; a girl living in a makeshift slum in Kolkata’s crowded port area who is trying to bring safety and positive change in her community; a girl from Jharkhand who twice escaped after being sent out as a domestic worker and who is now setting up a business; a boy in a village in Rajasthan infested with child marriages who campaigns for girls and is known as a ‘marriage ender’; a girl from Rajasthan who fought against her early marriage spawning a change and change makers across the state; a girl from Bihar, who has raised her melodious voice against dowry; a Dalit girl in Punjab who plucked cotton in the fields for three months every year instead of attending school — but has today ensured that her village is child-labour free. The book features true stories of these 15 inspiring children from 11 states of India who have overcome tremendous odds to bring positive change in their communities and beyond.

“It takes a child to raise a village,” said Author Rashmi Bansal, “I discovered this truth when I met with several inspiring children from across India who have helped to improve the lives of other children and brought positive change to the communities and nation.” This is her 11th book with total sales exceeding 12 lakhs in multiple languages for her previous works.

Devendra Tak, who works with Save the Children, has met amazing people during his career when he was on assignments in India and abroad. “COVID-19 has bought tough times on everyone. Children are the hardest hit as they find it difficult to comprehend why there is lockdown and why they cannot go anywhere. This book is bringing stories which will inspire and help the children to cope with stress of lockdown and tell tales of underprivileged children who are fighting against all odds to change the society. And since the e-book is available, these inspirational stories are available at the click of the button” he says.

The book’s stories are divided into three sections: Ladenge means fight – we will fight (for child rights). Padhenge means study. Completing one’s education is seen as a major step in the realisation of child rights. It also helps families break through the vicious cycle of poverty in the long run. Badhenge means to grow, move ahead. Every child has a right to grow and achieve his or her full potential.

Child changemakers behind the stories shared their thoughts, like Anoyara Khatun who is one of India’s most prominent children’s voices, has represented India in two United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York and is a recipient of the President’s Nari Shakti award. She continues to inspire many children in West Bengal and beyond. She resides in the Sundarbans area south of Kolkata where she led 1000s of children to eliminate child trafficking. Khatun’s shares: “I look forward to an Earth where every girl will have a pair of wings with the help of which she will be able to fly freely under the open sky.”

“I am prepared to fight till no kid is deprived of his or her childhood. I don’t care if it takes all my life to achieve this,” said Shailendra from Rajasthan. “Through my acting skills, from street plays to movies, I know that I can bring attention to these underprivileged children,” says Salman Khan who grew up on the streets of Delhi but is making a mark in Mumbai’s Bollywood. “If children move away from child labour into school, their lives will be taking flight,” says Anju Verma, who has launched her own NGO called Bulland Udaan which works in Haryana. “If we can bring about an improvement in living conditions for our family, friends and neighbours, isn’t that priceless?” added Saleha Khan, who is a resident of Govandi slum in Mumbai. “I will continue to work against trafficking, child marriage and to connect my village and the community with the rest of the state, nation and society, shared Rumi who hails from Jharkhand.

The book aims to highlight the sheer grit of these child champions and support their will to change their current circumstances, so that they can have a better tomorrow.

Free access to the complete book is available on Kindle Premium.

Save the Children, India’s leading independent child rights organization, engages and empowers young people as advocates and change makers and the book salutes the power of children to effect change. It works across 20 states of India. It focuses on issues related to education, health, protection of children and humanitarian work, especially for the most deprived and marginalized children.