Ahmedabad: Priti Vala, a Class XI student at DPS Bopal and resident of Visamo Kids shelter home, had the opportunity to represent Gujarat at the National Consultation on Environment and Climate Change with a special focus on children, in Kolkata. The consultation was organised by the Child In Need Institute (CINI).
Priti’s parents are farm labourers hailing from Shergadh village of Junagadh, and she has been a resident of Visamo Kids for 11 years.
At the national consultation, Priti presented her views on how environmental degradation and climate change are affecting children’s playtime. She elaborated on the steps taken by adults, including local authorities to ensure children enjoy outdoor activities without any environmental nuisance.
She lauded the community initiative – Happy Streets – and reflected on AUDA’s efforts towards greening the city and creating safe spaces like gardens, basketball courts, libraries and other facilities for recreation and pursuing activities that contribute to the comprehensive development of children.
In Kolkata, Priti also participated in the launch of the Nationwide Campaign focusing on understanding children’s aspirations regarding a sustainable environment.
Priti also shared about her learnings from the workshop organised by Tree Walks in Ahmedabad, held at the shelter home on the occasion of World Soil Day, where kids learned to enrich soil. Priti spoke about waste segregation and recycling kitchen waste to make fertiliser, a practice implemented at Visamo Kids shelter home.
Priti was selected to represent Gujarat at the National Consultation based on her performance at the State-level consultation on Children on Environment and Climate Change, organised by Swapath Trust, Ganatar, and Paryavaran Mitra, in November. It was a Child Rights Collective Gujarat (CRCG) event.
Priti’s journey from a shelter home to representing Gujarat at a national event represents her resilience and dedication.