Books

Below we have listed various publications of Sakthi – Vidiyal. Many of them are designed to be used as expedient tools for child rights educators or activists directly working with children aiming at promoting a culture of child rights.

Marum Vannangal, Maratha Puthirhal (Changing colours, unchanging puzzles)-Tamil

Marum Vannangal, Maratha Puthirhal (Changing colours, unchanging puzzles), a book that serves as a tool with counseling messages and has a therapeutic effect on the children affected by disasters. Besides, riddles, tracing and colouring activities on marine life and natural disasters such as flood, land slide, earthquake, tsunami the book provides space for children to express their pent-up feelings of fear, anger, guilt and grief through drawings and pictorial representations.

Vidiyalin Theepanthangal (Vidiyal’s Torches of Fire)-Tamil

Vidiyalin Theepanthangal is a collection of 14 street / stage plays written by Mr.C.Jim Jesudoss for the children’s theatre group at Vidiyal. These plays, which have been successfully performed in many places, calls the attention for the protection of child rights, and heavily comes on caste, gender and other forms of social exclusion.

Vidiyalin Mulakkam (The Roaring Sound of Vidiyal)-Tamil

Vidiyalin Mulakkam is a collection of 216 songs used at Vidiyal, which includes both original compositions and other popular awareness songs. We use songs both as a tool for awareness building and for fun. This book also contains a few English choruses.

Vidiyalin Kalakalappu (Vidiyal’s Joyous Play)-Tamil

Play is an important right for every child for his or her development. Play has been used as an important tool in the rehabilitation process at Vidiyal, which led to the publication of Vidiyalin Kalakalappu. We are proud to present a collection of 100 games including both created at Vidiyal as well as popular games that have been played at Vidiyal for the past several years. The illustrations were drawn by the children belonging to the Thoorihai koodam, a forum for Art Development in Vidiyal Child Rights Movement.

Pathungu Kulhal (Bunkers) – Tamil

Pathungu Kulihal (Bunkers) is a colourfully illustrated riddle book which surfaces the question of safety and protection of children in the earth. A group of well informed children explores place of safety in their context and find each of their environment family, school, community and the larger society is no longer a safe place for children. In this journey they meet the earth which cries for its protection and complains about global warming, nuclear weapons and war. Children take an oath to protect the mother earth and to assert their right to protection of nature.

Sakthi – Vidiyal’s Child Policy – English The policy framework of Sakthi – Vidiyal is put forth in black and white which governs the functioning of the organization and its engagement with children. The policy framework is founded on the principles of child rights which keep the children in the centre of its operations. This policy was developed with the effective partnership of children, volunteers, alumni members, board members, parents of our children, community mentors and staff. Every person connected to the organization is expected to follow the Child Policy to every word.

Vidiyal, The Story of Childhood Regained – English
Vidiyal’s history for a decade is documented with colourful photographs and illustrations. Child reminiscences give an interesting account of Vidiyal’s impressions on children in the perspective of children.

Vidiyalin Sattaihal (Vidiyal’s Whips) Tamil
Vidiyalin Sattaihal is a collection of 10 street plays written and directed by Dr.C.Jim Jesudoss for the children’s theatre group of Vidiyal Child Rights Movement. These plays were produced between 2013 and 2018. The themes for the plays were taken either from the lives of children or from the news clippings that unearth child rights violations. Protection from caste based discrimination and right to reservation, Impact of globalization on marginalized communities, Protection from violence in schools, Right to Protection, Right to Food, Questioning religious fundamentalism and Ensuring safe living environments for children were the central themes of these plays.

Thulli Thulli (Capriole) Tamil (Compilation of 100 psycho motor activities for children)
This activity book provides a wide range of psycho motor activities covering individual and group needs of children. Though there are humpty number of books and videos available in English there is hardly anything available on this subject in Tamil which makes this book so unique and very useful. Dr.S.Aasha our Secretary and Dr.G.Sharmila Jim our Project Director worked extensively in compiling these activities with due attention in tracking their benefits. This book will be of great help to those who directly work with children in enabling them unleashing their potential.

Norungm Muhamoodihal (Smashing Masks)-Tamil

Vidiyal’s Norungum Muhamoodihal is a collection of 8 plays written by Mr.C.Jim Jesudoss for the Children’s Theatre group of Vidiyal Child Rights Movement. Mostly these plays were produced on two occasions, the child rights festival of Vidiyal Child Rights Movement and the anniversary celebration of Sakthi – Vidiyal. The plays are produced over a period of four years which have been staged in many arenas including street corners, voluntary organizations, schools and colleges. The plays are themed on Child Rights, Child Marriage, Child Sexual Abuse, School Education, Child Budgeting and Child Development. The themes were derived from various thematic discussions of Vidiyal Child Rights Movement.

25 – Celebrating Childhood… Championing Child Rights
In this book Dr.Sujatha Rita our President and Dr.C.Jim Jesudoss our Executive Director together traced the genesis of Vidiyal along with the milestones made in its journey in the past 25 years. It provides a good read for the reader and the chosen images add more colourful visual presentation to support the content. This book is printed in the form of a butterfly with colourful graphic designing by Mr.V.Muthukumar, our alumnus and Mr.D.Arockiam, our Programme Director which is another added attraction.

Kuttrala Kathaihal (Stories from Courtallam) – Tamil
This is a collection of 40 stories written by the children of Vidiyal Child Rights Movement in September 2009 in a camp held at Courtallam (Spa of South India or Land of Waterfalls), located in the foothill of the Western Ghats . Children were stimulated to spread their wings of thoughts and bring out their potential in creative writing. Some of these stories were themed on their interaction with nature and call for an action to preserve nature. Their wild imaginations have taken them to unknown planets and extra-terrestrial creatures. There are sad endings in a few stories which reflect their life experiences. Mr.Selvakumar, our alumnus has designed the book with colourful illustrations.

Allegorical Stories

These stories are original work of Mr.C.Jim Jesudoss which are themed on various concepts in the child rights framework. He offers a few questions at the end of each story to simulate discussion.

1.Singamum Kudivilanguhalum (The Lion and the Animal Citizens) – Tamil To explain the concept of globalization and its impact on children.

2.Oatta Panthayam (Running Race) – Tamil To explain the justification behind the caste based reservations in India as a constitutional responsibility to social justice.

3.Aruva Thinnalam (Let us eat Sickle) – Tamil To explain how national budgets are eaten by military spending and how that impacts the basic needs of children.

4.Chutti Kurangum Thennampillaiyum (Monkey and the Coconut Plantlet) – Tamil To explain what is ‘rights’ and the importance of ‘rights’ for the survival of every species. It further explores the importance of human rights and child rights.

5.Vaal Mulaitha Makkal ( People with Tails) – Tamil This allegorical story narrates how caste has become a tail to human beings in the Indian sub continent and how it discriminates and excludes citizens of the same land. The combination of ridicule and humour make it interesting to read. The need for developing a better identify than a caste identity is stressed up on.

6.Kattil Oru Pallikoodam (School in the Jungle) – Tamil To explain how today’s education system and corporal punishments pushes many children out from school. The Jungle Kingdom plans to start a school and decides not to have a school like what the humans have today. This story also calls for the attention to involve children in designing a child centered education system and curriculum.

7.Tholainthu Pona “ ” Paruvam (The lost childhood) – Tamil The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognised every person below the age of 18 as child. But in India several legislatures define different age for a child which brings confusion in the identity of a child born in India. This story is written in the form a dialogue between a group of children who try to question this irony. Finally they decide to campaign to bring uniform age in every law in conformity with the UNRC.

8.Theenda Thahaatha Vilayattu ( The Untouchable Game) – Tamil In India this particular game is glorified, magnified, and pampered. It hampered the development of a whole range of indigenous games and affected the native soil to a greater extent. This story attempts to find the historical traces with an imaginary back drop of 19th century. It also calls the Indian society to protect the fast disappearing native games with due attention.

9.Vanmurai Koodam ( School of Violence) – Tamil This allegorical story depicts how the present school perpetuates violence and how it justifies the structured violence in school. It also calls our attention to make the school a safe place for children.

10.Vinotha Valakku (Funny case in the court) – Tamil India is a country of superstitious beliefs. It accommodates a range of beliefs that had been imbedded in the Indian psyche for many years. Superstitious beliefs affect every person and erode the growth of our society. Children are the most affected ones and their rights are violated for the sake of such beliefs. This allegorical story depicts the causes and effects of superstitious beliefs in a humorous way.

11.Koondu Paravai (The bird in the cage) – Tamil To explain the importance of children’s right to participation. With the exception of Koondu Paravai, the other stories were written by Mr.C.Jim Jesudoss. The Koondu Paravai was originally written by Ms.Nandana, the executive director of Concernd for Working Children, Bangalore and translated into Tamil by Mr.C.Jim Jesudoss. Vidiyal, The Story of Childhood Regained – English Vidiyal’s history for a decade is documented with colourful photographs and illustrations. Child reminiscences give an interesting account of Vidiyal’s impressions on children in the perspective of children.

Meen Thotti (Fish Tank) Tamil
This allegorical story written by Dr.C.Jim Jesudoss focuses on the Children’s Right to live their biological parents. It further brings forth the hardships children face in institutionalization and reiterates that every child has the right to live in a family. It also calls for the attention of the state and other monitoring bodies to ensure minimum standards in Child Care Institutions and to ensure protection of children from all forms of abuse.

Ore Moli (One Language) Tamil This allegorical story talks about ‘Right to Language and Right to Expression in Mother Tongue”. It also traces the history of language struggle in Tamilnadu and depicts how people joined hands against the imposition of a single language. It also calls for the attention of the younger generations and make them understand the importance of mother tongue and thereby to protect our native languages to protect our identity.