In 1979, while high up in the skies, Air India purser Rippan Kapur had an epiphany that made him realise his life’s calling lay on the ground — particularly among children in underserved communities.

It has been four and a half decades since that day. Rippan’s revelation rippled into one of India’s most renowned social initiatives: CRY (Child Rights and You), whose impact has fanned out across 20 Indian states, reaching around 4.7 million children. Their prime objective — to protect children’s rights in education, health, nutrition, and labour — is juxtaposed against a deep realisation: a revolution takes a village. And so, the CRY model brings together parents, teachers, Anganwadi workers, communities, and district and state-level governments to effect change.

Take Anaya (name changed on request), for example. The speed with which she rattles off the multiplication table is amusing. But three years ago, school was a distant dream.

Anaya’s mother passed away when she was little, leaving her at the mercy of an alcoholic father who rejected any responsibility. The grandparents stepped in, but when the school demanded an Aadhaar Card, they were unable to provide one. How do you explain an absent father to the law? The unofficial adoption didn’t allow them to stand as legal guardians.

But the team at CRY refused to let the girl’s circumstances hinder her dreams. They helped Anaya’s grandparents with the legalities, and in 2022, Anaya officially secured the right to learn.

Another student, Sanjana (11), experienced a similar silver lining. During the pandemic, when her father’s earnings took a hit, Sanjana began learning karate and kickboxing at a local intervention centre run by CRY. At the 7th International Karate Tournament, she won gold in the 25kg Kumite bout. This love for self-defence has now grown into a passion to protect others, and Sanjana proudly declares her dream of joining the Indian Army someday.

You, too, can now advocate for children’s rights

“Their stories remind us that while challenges may arise, so does hope—and with it, the possibility of a brighter future for every child,” shares Isha Kalra, who has been a volunteer at CRY’s Dwarka division since 2022. When she was first made privy to Anaya’s background, Isha spotted its troubling contrast to her own privilege. She reasons, “I now realise that volunteering is much more than dedicating your time; it’s about investing in something bigger than yourself.”

This is exactly the message Rippan willed CRY to champion, says Anupama Muhuri, who heads the initiative’s national volunteering programme. Fifteen years at the organisation........

© The Better India