MAKING THE MOST OF MY QUALITIES
TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN.

By S.S. Rishad
(Age 12, Bangladesh)

I live in a country where people earn less than one dollar a day, Bangladesh one of the most poorest and corrupted countries of the world. Here violence against children is just a social norm and everyday, so many children are being abducted, trafficked, physically abused and even killed. Children of ethnic minorities in the southern side of my country are very ignored by the society. Often they cannot reach their goals because of social ignorance, thus their potential is lost. So I tried to make most of my qualities to end violence against children.

I visited rural areas of Bangladesh with my parents and shared my knowledge about peace in six rural schools consisting mostly of poor abused and tortured children. I gave hope to poor female domestic helpers in my community who lost siblings or parents in violence or trafficking in my country. I talked to them about peace and how they can prevent violence against children. I wrote letters to International Red Cross Society and United Nations Headquarters officials to prevent wars in Iraq and end use of child soldiers. Finally one day I received two e-mails from the United Nations and International Red Cross appreciating my efforts and giving me positive feedbacks about my concerns and that my letters have been presented to the Under Secretary General of UN regarding peace issues. I told my father about the children in Iraq and Afghanistan and with his financial help and my pocket money, I bought 56 packets of dry food, water bottles, candles and card and then I packed all of them and sent it to 56 children in hospitals and in schools in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the card, I wrote the message of peace and invited them to be united for peace too. Soon, I organized a small club with some 16 poor children of my community. I named it "Children's Peace Club." Here I talked about peace with the poor and ignorant children. I talked to them about how important it is to end violence against children. They were all poor and unaware about peace issues and so whatever I told them seemed new and crisp knowledge to get united to end violence against children. Soon, they brought in more 36 children and gradually today, I speak to 106 disadvantaged children and they share their stories with me. I organized a community rally to end violence and the national media covered it. The next week, I talked to my local member of parliament (which was not so easy to do, but I used my best diplomacy) and then I talked to the State Secretary for police affairs about ending child abuse by policemen. The secretary told my report would be presented to the Minister for action. As a young writer, I used my writing skills and started to write about peace issues and ending child violence in the National Children's Supplementary. I wrote 56 articles to create awareness about peace towards children. I talked to seven-government school's Head Masters to prevent child abuse at their schools and they agreed that they would. In the meantime, I received 28 letters from children of a school in Kabul, Afghanistan and of a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq telling me how happy they were to receive my gift. As the best public speaker of my school, I organized a public speaking contest and settled the topic as "Ending violence against children, where I was privileged to share my ideas with students. I have excellent artistic abilities such as singing and drawing. So I had drawn 59 posters on abolishing violence against children and creating peace. I organized an exhibition of this posters in my house garage. Later I sang a peace song, composed and tuned, all by myself. I spoke at a Rotary Club meeting about peace. Rotary is an international organization working for peace. I visited a local tribal community and since I could not speak their language, I used my posters to convey the message of peace and non violence. They were so happy, that they presented a tribal dance to me. I opened a global chat room in internet and named it "Global Peace Chat." Almost 62 people joined me everyday. Through a Radio program, I spoke to millions of children of my country to end violence against children.

Today I look at my mirror and try to see how much I could change for the benefit of my country, of my world. I am satisfied for what I could but I would only be most satisfied when other people, especially children and world leaders and international organizations will read this writing and hopefully be inspired to end violence against children. May peace bestow on our lovely planet.