With an idea of creating a common platform for all the organisations working towards child welfare, Latha Rajinikanth, playback singer, film producer and chairperson of Shree Dayaa Foundation, on Tuesday launched the Pune chapter of her initiative — ‘Peace for Children’, which will focus on enhancing the quality of a child’s life. “It is a special moment for all of us. This initiative has been in my heart for many years. I have been associated with children for over 40 years and with my experience, I have found that there is a disconnect in the country when it comes to working towards children’s welfare. This initiative will integrate all the different organisations working for the same cause, to come together on a common platform,” explains Latha.
She feels that if all members of society come together, a huge change can be made and every child can have a better life and a better future. “The main objective of this initiative is to help children who are going through distress, poverty, starvation and also those who are trafficked, abused, exploited and are in a situation of crime. We will focus on every aspect of a child’s agony. The society, which is watching everything, needs to do its part. If we unite, there is no way any child will go through any problems,” says Latha.
With Pune being their first national platform, Latha plans to travel all across the country and get an idea about the needs and requirements of children in different locations. She wants to create a network first, which will include people from different walks of life. “We are planning to have different programmes under Peace for Children. The first basic format that I want to put together is to visit places all across the country to get an idea of what is happening there and form chapters in each place. The first year will be all about bringing in people together. Then we will chalk out plans to work towards the goal,” expresses Latha.
In today’s net-crazy world, children have become very vulnerable. They tend to fall into traps which can cost them even their lives. Latha feels it’s very important for parents to censor social media consumption by children since they aren’t capable of filtering out the inappropriate stuff. “Social media isn’t created for children, it’s for the adults to maintain connectivity, get entertainment, interact etc, but who is censoring social media? Once you let everything loose and there is freedom to communicate whatever you want, there is no stopping that. There is no doubt that technology is extremely important but it is being misused and that is affecting the life of children. We have become the victims of our entertainment, trade, and deeds. ‘Peace for Children’ will work on this by bringing parents and adults on board and spreading awareness about how consciously one needs to use technology in order to protect their child’s life,” says Latha.
Wife of the legendary actor Rajinikanth, Latha is a very homely and motherly person. She is very fond of children, so the ill-treatment some of them go through was unbearable for her. “I always wanted to do something for society, it has been in my system. Since childhood I always integrated the interests around my home, family and friends. I am very motherly and now I am just making the mother inside me work towards children,” she expresses.
A huge number of organisations are constantly working towards the development of children but child rapes, abuse, murders continue to happen in our country. Latha believes the pace of development is slow as compared to the pace of crime. “People these days have become extremely insensitive and inhuman. They have no time for anything. They are always busy on their phones and machines which is taking them away from humanity. If you lose your basic humanity, then you are no longer human. Sadly, children are becoming victims of the insensitive humans that people have become today. Every minute, there is something happening globally to children and the adult community is busy with their own endeavours. We have to be sensitive.
Sensitivity towards children’s needs to be the focus of the world instead of politics, entertainment, business etc. It’s our responsibility to bring them up the right way; they are dependent upon us and their lives are precious. So unless the parents and the home the child is born in, are congenial, children will continue to go through difficulties,” believes Latha.
