Children’s fest ’08 was organised by Prajna Counselling Centre, St Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu, Valored , Bornfree Artists Forum amd the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on Sunday at Bejai Church Hall, Bejai. Over 1,400 children from various orphanages and ashram schools who were once rescued as child labourers came together to laugh away their blues.
After the inauguration of the programme, the children, waving off the sticks with paper ribbons participated in several fun games.
While some sang ‘Fire in the mountain run, run run’, many more played number games, some played games shouting out loud while some silently admired the paintings put up on the outside walls of the hall painted by Bornfree Artists Forum on child labour itself. All in all every child was engaged in one or the other activity smiling all along, which showed that the festival was a festival for the children in true sense.  It was a rare opportunity that comes once in a while for these children who once toiled to supplement the income of their family.
After all the games, fun, frolic and shouting out it was time to learn with fun. About 40 artists from Bornfree Arists Forum took up the task of teaching the children to paint their heart out under the group activity planned for the day named as ‘Pencil and children.’ It was on any theme that these children could paint.
Later information was  given on the child rights as many children are deprived of their right to life, right to participation, right to opportunity and many other rights that are ensured to them. A signature campaign, signed  by the children , emphasising for the efficient implementation of child rights in the region was held later.
“The child rights ensured are not implemented effectively. That is why the children are subjected to atrocities of various kinds every day. With laying emphasis on the effective implementation of child rights and to provide a happy day out for these children, the programme is being held,” said Prajna Counselling Centre Director Prof Hilda Rayappan. She said that during the fest, 12 point resolutions taken during the ‘Makkla Masothsava’ of providing a separate Special Juvenile Police Unit, holding Makkala Grama Sabhe systematically at the Grama levels, striving to stop exploitation of children by engaging them into begging and hazardous jobs, extending childrens’ help line for the entire district etc will be emphaised.
Demands
A memorandum with six demands was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao at the valedictory programme held in the evening. The memorandum will be handed over to the Governor through DC. The demands included : 
*To make proper arrangements for the public unveiling of the paintings done by the children and Bornfree Artists * child labour during last Makkala Masothsava.
* To frame district level action plan for implementation of Child rights
* Formation of children’s rights clubs in schools.
* Simplification of education process to make children free from over burden.
* Proposal of MSEZ and PCPIR, which would affect the health of the children, should be withdrawn.
* Implementation of 12 point resolution taken at Makkala Masothsava.