Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

The Value of CHILDHOODYoung Called to be Value Gurus for Todays

Thereisnosingleeffortmoreradicalinitspotentialforsavingtheworldthan atransformationofthewayweraiseourchildrenMarianneWilliamson IndiacelebratesChildrensDayevery14thNovembertocoincidewiththebirthanniversaryofIndependentIndias firstPrimeMinister,PanditJawaharlalNehru. TheoccasionfocusesontheCelebrationofChildhood.Childhoodismorethanjustachronologicalmomentinthe lifeofachild.Childhoodisaboutplayfulness,innocence,trust,dependence,beinglovedandappreciated.Childhood is life! Childhood is the bond that parenthood would love to nurture. Childhood is a spectrum of dreams, hopes, anxieties and visions. Childhood is about pain, fragility, risks, hurts and disappointments too. Childhood is also formation, discipline and falling in line. Childhood is the abode of creativity, spontaneity, colour, art and music. Childhoodisjoy,peace,hopeandlove.Childhoodisadailycelebration.ChildhoodisthekeytotheKingdomofGod. But sadly, Childhood in India is a lost treasure. Children, at times , are seen as an economic burden, a stumbling blocktoparentalambitionsandselfseekingpleasuresandoftenvictimsofsocialandreligiousfallout.Childrenare oftenthevictimsofabuseinallformsespeciallyintheveryplacetheycallhome. A UNICEF 2005 report on the state of the worlds children under the title Childhood Under Threatsaysthatoveronebillionchildren,halfoftheworldspopulationofchildren,havebeen denied their childhood. Poverty and AIDS have prevented the world from meeting the goals on theirimprovement.Theirrighttoahealthylifeasadoptedinthe1989conventionisoftenendan gered by the failure of governments to carry out human rights and economic reforms. It is re portedthatsome640millionchildrenlackadequateshelter;400millionhavenoaccesstosafe drinkingwater;270 millionlack healthcareamenitiesand140 million mostly girlshaveneverbeentoschool.Itwasearlierreportedthatmorethan150mil lionchildrenaremalnourishedworldwide. AswecelebrateChildrensDay,canweonceagainbringbackCHILDHOODtothe littleones?Indiahasalotofchildren,butwithverylittlechildhood.ChildLabour, ChildAbuse,ChildProstitution,ChildTrafficking,ChildMalnutrition,ChildSoldiers and a whole lot of other forms of abuse are on the rise. Childrens day is more thanjustacolorfulschoolassemblyorafancydressperformance. ChildrensDayisaninvitationandacalltostandfortherightsofthechildandto recognizeineverychildthegreatnessofageniusthatliestherein. AVEC wishes all our students HAPPY CHILDRENS DAY and we pray that all our educationalinstitutionsbecomehomeswhereCHILHOODisneverunderathreat. Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

GIVE CHILDHOOD A CHANCE

The Person you can become!

Childhoodisbeingstolenawayfromourchildren,whoareclearlyvulnerabletothe messagesandinfluenceofpowerfulcorporateinterests.Childrenhavearighttotheir childhood,andtodenythemthisrightisdetrimentalnotonlytotheirgeneralhealth andwellbeing,butalsothehealthandwellbeingofourwholesociety. ArchbishopFreier Julie Gale, the founder of Kids Free 2B Kids, lamented the pornification of our culture and that the average age of exposure to porn is now 11 years. This was affectingthewayboysandgirlsnowrelatetoeachotherduringtheirchildhood. ProfessorBeder,whoiscoauthorofThisLittleKiddyWenttoMarket:theCorporate Capture of Childhood, says, Many children are becoming unhappy and depressed, andtheunhappinessthencreatesanopportunityforthepharmaceuticalcompanies

CHILDPROSTITUTION:
Indiaisbecomingalargescalehubforchildprostitution.Presently,thereare over1.5millioninvolvedinthetrade.UNICEFestimatesthatover1.8million childrenenterthefleshtradeeachyearworldwide!InMumbai,a9yearold childcanbeboughtforR60,000/orUS$2000atauctions!. "Childprostitutionistheultimatedenialoftherightsofthechild." (DrJonERhode,UNICEFrepresentativeinIndia)

CHILDLABOUR:

Indiahasnearly55millionchildrenworkingasbondedlabourersinagriculture,mining,brickkilns, constructionwork,fishingactivities,carpetweaving,fireworks,matches,glassmoulding,bidi making(cigarettes),gemcuttingandpolishingwork,electroplating,dyeing,washinganddomestic work.About20percentofthesebondedchildlabourersweresoldtocoversomesmalldebts obtainedbytheirparents,usuallyforsomesocialcelebrationlikeaweddinginthefamily VarandaniG.,ChildLabourandWomenWorkers

CHILDABUSE:
53%ofchildreninIndiafacesomeformofchildsexualabuse!In India,onecaseofchildabuseisreportedevery10seconds.Over80percentof childabusersareknowntothechild.ChildAbusegivestatisticsandrevealshow theybecomewaryadultsandhavedysfunctionalrelationshipsbecauseofsuch scars.TheWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)statesthatoneinfourgirlsand oneinsevenboysaresexuallyabused.Abusecanbepsychologicalabuse,neglect,physicalabuseandsexualabuse.

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012
CHILDTRAFICKING:

"Approximately600,000to800,000victimsaretraffickedacrossinternational bordersannually.Morethanhalfofthesevictimsworldwidearechildren!" Indiaisasource,destination,andtransitcountryfortraffickingformanypurposes suchascommercialsexualexploitation.Majorityofthetraffickingiswithinthe countrybuttherearealsoalargenumbertraffickedfromNepalandBangladesh. ChildrenaretraffickedtoMiddleEasterncountriesforsportsuchascamelracing!

AccordingtoCRY(ChildRightsandYou)
8,945childrengomissinginIndiaeveryyear 500,000childrenareestimatedtobeforcedintothesextradeeveryyear Approximately2millionchildcommercialsexworkersarebetweentheagesof5and15years Approximately3.3millionchildcommercialsexworkersarebetween15and18years Childrenform40%ofthetotalpopulationofcommercialsexworkers 80%ofthesechildrenarefoundinthefivemetrosDelhi,Mumbai,Kolkata,ChennaiandBangalore
71%ofthemareilliterate. TheTimeofIndia(Nov.1,2012)recentlyreportedthefollowing:68%mothers,whowerehousewives, agreedtospankingtheirchildren."Thefactthatinmosthouseholds,thefatherswereworkingfulltime andtheirabsencefromhomeleftmotherstotaketheresponsibilityofdiscipliningthechildrenand thus,spankingthemtogaincontrol,saidSwatiPopatVats,DirectorofPodarJumboKids.

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter December 2009 Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

Diamond Values: Education to Becoming ECOLOGICALVALUES:DIWALIPROJECT2012

TheArchdiocesanValueEducationCentre(AVEC)invitesstudentsintheschoolsaffiliatedtotheABEtoparticipatein theDIAMONDVALUES:EDUCATIONTOBECOMINGCompetitions. ForthemonthofNovember,AVECfocusesonpromotingEcologicalValues.

Make A Difference

SOMEGUIDELINES:
APROJECTisaschoolprogramandnotanindividualstudententry.Thewholeschool/oraparticularclasswillhave tobeinvolved.SinceitwouldbeduringtheDiwaliholidays,afewideasarethrownopenforstudentstoembrace ECOLOGICALVALUES.MostIndianfestivalsarenoisyandenvironmentallyfilthy! VOICEAGAINSTNOISE:NoiselevelsduringthisyearsGanpatiimmersionwerehigherthanlastyear,according tothereadingstakenbytheMaharashtraPollutionControlBoard(MPCB),theauthorityformonitoringnoise pollution.Itrecordedthereadingsat25placesandatmostoftheplaces,thenoiselevelshaverisen.Adopt thesloganVOICEAGAINSTNOISEandcreateasaferenvironment. HEALTHISWEALTH:Respecttheelderlyintheneighbourhood.EducatestudentsontheneedforQUIETNIGHTS! Exposuretonighttimenoisealsoinducessecondaryeffects,whicharemeasuredthedayfollowingthenight timeexposure,whiletheindividualisawake.Thesecondaryeffectsincludereducedperceivedsleepquality; increasedfatigue;depressedmoodorwellbeing;anddecreasedperformance.Diwalirelatedburnsandacci dentsareeverontheincreaseamongchildren. PROTESTAGAINSTCHILDLABOURINCRACKERINDUSTRIES:Childlabourisacursetosocietyandacrimetohu manity.StatisticsofChildrenrevealthatover40,000youngchildrenworkinforcedlabourandunderhazard ousconditionstomanufacturecrackersforDiwaliinSiwakasi,Tamilnadualone! INVESTINLIGHTINGUPALIFE:Crackersburnupmoney!Challengeyourstudentstoinvesttheirmoneyinlight ingupayoungLife.Sacrificeyourmoneyforcrackersandbuytextbooks,schoolstationary,gamesarticles, foodstuff,clothesandblanketsetcforthelessfortunate. SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR BIRDS and ANIMALS: Get your school environment clubs to enlighten the school (throughschoolassemblies,noticeboards,debates,etc)onthehazardsofburst ingcrackersforbirds,animalsandevenyourownpetsathome.Dogsandcats cowerinfearasbirdsspendasleeplessnightontheirperches,withsomeeven falling victim to the rockets and airborne firecrackers. Animal welfare activists whohavebeencrusadingagainstcrueltytoanimalsfearthatthisyeartoo,fire workswouldleavemanystrayandpetanimalsandbirdsdeadormutilated. SendusaProjectReportofwhatyourschoolhasdoneandthedifferencethatyourstudentscreatedinpromoting anEcofriendlyDiwalicelebration.Thereportshouldalsoincludephotos,commentsfromstudents,parents, schoolneighbourhood.DiamondTrophieswillbeawardedtothebesttenschools! Godblessyouall. AVECTEAM

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

TEACHERS 4 CHILDHOOD

Defending ChildhoodBuilding Lives

Never Seldom Often Always

MyValuebasedPrinciplesinDefendingtheChild 1.AsanEducator,Iseekthegoodofthechildandenablethechildtogrow anddevelopinanonthreateningenvironment. 2.Childrenfeelsafeinmycare.Theyarecomfortableinmypresence.

3.TheRightsofthechildaremadeknownandexplainedclearlytoall childreninmyclassroom. 4.Itakecarenevertoabusethechildinpublicthroughmyharshwordsand actions. 5.ChildreninmycareunderstandthatIcanbetrustedandwilldothemno harm.IamawareoftheboundariesIhavetokeep. 6.Idonotdiscriminateanychildonaccountofhis/herCaste,Creed,Sexor EconomicStatus. 7.Ieducatemychildreninmyclassontheneedtobecarefulwithstrangers 8.IunderstandthedangersandharmthatCorporalPunishmentscould causethechildreninmyclass.

9.Irecognizetheneedforcreativityandfunintheeducativejourneyofthe child. 10.IinterveneinthelifeofthechildwhenInoticeanyformofabusehas beeninflictedonthemeitherathomeoratschool. 11.Ienablethechildrentodefendtheirownrightswhenevertheyhave beenviolatedupon. 12.IeducateChildrenonthedangersofInternetandsocialnetworking sitesaspotentialareasforcyberabuse. 13.Ipromotehealthyrelationshipsbetweenallthechildrenofmyclass. 14.Thechildreninmyclassfindmeafriendlyandcaringpersoninwhom

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

AVEC:

Activities for OCT12

Value Coordinators Forum; October 4, 2012

OCTOBER4,2012:TheannualValueEducationCoordinatorsForumforthe Archdiocese of Mumbai was organized by Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC) on October 4, 2012 at Don Bosco Primary School Hall, Matunga. Two hundred and twenty Value Coordinators representing over hundredschoolsaffiliatedtotheArchdiocesanBoardofEducation(ABE)par ticipated in the Value Forum. Ten principals of schools also took part. The Forum centered on two relevant themes Peaceand Environment, both dear to the heart of St. Francis of Assisi on whose feast day we assembled. Fr. Donald Fernandes, Principal of Don BoscoHighSchoolandJuniorCollegeandDirectorofDonBoscoCollege,Yerwadagaveafittingkeynoteaddress.He affirmed,Valuesarenottaughtbutcaughtbytheyoungthroughthepeoplewhosurroundthem. AVECCoordinator,Mr.RochwynFernandesbriefedthegatheringonthe progressmadebyAVECinachievingitstargetsandobjectivesduringthe lasttriennium20092012.AVECResourceperson,Sr.VeraAlmeidaani mated a very meaningful prayer service. Principal of Don Bosco Matunga,Fr.BoscoDMellowelcomedtheaugustgatheringtohisschool and considered it a privilege to host the annual Value Forum 2012. DiamondValuemementoswerepresentedtoalltheguestsofhonour. President and Founder of the One Life Alliance (OLA), Mrs. Kia Scherr andsurvivorofthe26/11MumbaiAttacksinspiredoneandallthroughhertragicstorynowturnedtobeinganinstru mentofForgiveness,Peace,Love,Compassion.Forgivenessdoesnotchangethepast,butitdoeschangethepresent. Forgivenessisaskillyoucanlearn.Itisachoice,shekeptchallengingthelisteners.Onecouldsensesacredness,the JesusDifferenceinherlife.ShetrulyisinspiringandwecannotbutjoinhandsinsupportinghercauseforOneness andSacrednessofLifeinoureducationalsystem,remarkedayoungTeacher. Educational ConsultantandPrincipal ofShethM.A.HighSchool,Andheri, Ms.SherlyPaulthroughherverypassionateandenthusiasticstyle,spoke ofherlifechangingencounterwithKiaScherr.Myschoolisontheroadto transformationbecauseofher.IseeaRayofHopeformyinstitutionand wepledgetokeepalivethevaluesoftheOneLifeAlliance.Itisnotabur den,aonemoreactivityfortheschool.ItisaprogramthatenvelopesVal ues into the lives of every teacher, student and member of the broader community,sheaffirmed.

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012
Asia Book House Education Publishers, Mr. Sanjiv Philips presented their Road Map to Good Living a Value Education Book Std IX series for schools.AsiaBookHousejoinedhandswithAVECsince2009inpromoting Valuesthroughgoodliterature.Theyalsopresentedstationary,booksand aniceTeachersDaymementotoalltheparticipants.AVEC36ValuePost ersandaDVDresourcewerealsohandedtoall. The afternoon session focused on the Value of Caring for the Environ ment.FounderofILoveMyMotherEarthFoundation(ILMME),Mr.SanjaySrinivaschallengedtheValueCoordina torsthroughanewperspectivetogetthestudentsonboard.Weonlyextract fromMotherEarth.ItstimewegavebacktoMotherEarth,heimplored.Using simple ways in which his foundation contributes to Mother Earth was very re vealing.DirectorofGreenLineaDonBoscoInitiative,Fr.SavioSilveiraspokeof the Green Schools Campaign as an Opportunity for Creating the Next Genera tionofEnvironmentalLeaders.Inpresentinganumberofstudentschoolgreen initiatives, he invited many more schools to promote Greener people rather thanjustonemoregreenerproject.Presently40schoolshavejoinedthecampaign.

Mrs.KiaScherrpresentedDiamondValue:EducationtoBecomingTrophiesand certificatestovariousschools.DirectorofAVEC,Fr.GlenfordLoweappreciatedthe work put in by his AVEC Team in making this years School Value Coordinators Forum2012agrandsuccess. AVECCorrespondent

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

OurLadyOfNazarethBhyandar,STDIXValueEducationOrientationTwoSessionsfor385Students,17Oct12

AVEC COMPETITION
DIAMOND VALUES: Teachers Lesson Plans
DonBoscoSpiritualAdventuresLonavala2628Oct,12

Lastdate:December27,2012
Prepareafull40minutelessonplan(bothstudents andTeachersmanual)onanyofthe12DIAMOND VALUESofyourchoiceforanyclassfromStdIStdX. PleasegothroughtheStructureandtheSummaryof the12DiamondValuesasproposedbyAVEC.

AVEC COMPETITION
ECOLOGICAL VALUES A SCHOOL PROJECT
Promoting an Eco-Friendly Diwali
SendusaProjectReportofwhatyourschoolhasdone andthedifferencethatyourstudentscreatedinpro motinganEcofriendlyDiwalicelebration.Thereport shouldalsoincludephotos,commentsfromstudents, parents,schoolneighbourhood.DiamondTrophieswill beawardedtothebesttenschools! Forclarifications,pleasecalltheAVECoffice ReportstoreachtheAVECOfficebefore27/11/2012

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter November 2012

Diamond Values: Education to Becoming Personal Values Poem Competition: My TeacherMy Value Guru
SCHOOL Seniors St.AnnesHighSchool,Fort DonBoscoSeniorSecondary,Nerul CampionSchool,Fort Inters DivineChildHighSchool,Andheri CampionSchool,Fort St.AndrewsHighSchool,Bandra Juniors St.JohntheBaptist,Marol St.AnnesGirlsHighSchool,Dabul St.AnnesHighSchool,Fort CampionSchool,Fort Name SaloniGopaniXB SmritiSarmaX RavishankarSarkarIX RithviShettyVIIID ShaayalChatterjeeVIII CarltonRodriguesVIIIB KetanKandoriVID MitaliGohelVIB PrernaThandaniIVB AaryanChopraV Place First Second Third First Second Third First Second Third Third

Congratulations to the Winners

CertificatesofMeritwillbeawardedtoalltheWinnersoftheDiamondValuesCompetition

AVEC E-Letter Values for the Yatra is an initiative to provide Animation Resources for Teachers involved in Value Education in the ABE schools/ Jr. Colleges .Values for the Yatra will be published every month and is for Private Circulation. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome to assist us in making Values for the Yatra a useful tool of animation and bonding among the teachers and students of the ABE schools in Mumbai. CONTACT: Fr. Glenford Lowe, SDB / Rochwyn Fernandes / Sr. Vera / Veronica Dlima AVECDon Bosco Youth Services, Matunga 400019 , MUMBAI Ph: 24154477 e-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com Blog: avecmumabidbys.blogspot.com Facebook: avec mumbai