Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu:
A 15-year-old village boy was India's face at the Junior 8 Summit in Rome, held on the sidelines of the G 8 summit in July 2009.
Samuel Venkatesan, of Shoolagiri Village in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, stunned the international audience with his confident presentation. His demand for quality schools for poor children and steps to stop girls from dropping out turned into a key resolution at the Junior Summit, and was also adopted by the G8.
"Give us quality education. Then we will take care of ourselves - be it houses, internet or anything," says Samuel.
Samuel credits the Nalandaway Foundation, an NGO, for understanding his potential and mentoring him. He was given a camera and trained to make short films.
He made 'Nip in the Bud' to sensitise teachers on guiding children, and another that tells children how to overcome the fear factor.
"We develop only when someone encourages us. Its like a bean plant, which grows well only if there's a stick to support it," he explains.
Samuel has become a role model, a kind of hero, for hundreds of children in his village. He wants to study film making and make good films on children's rights. Till then, the Class 10th student continues to reach out to hundreds of children after school hours, creating awareness about their rights as children.
Samuel Venkatesan, of Shoolagiri Village in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, stunned the international audience with his confident presentation. His demand for quality schools for poor children and steps to stop girls from dropping out turned into a key resolution at the Junior Summit, and was also adopted by the G8.
"Give us quality education. Then we will take care of ourselves - be it houses, internet or anything," says Samuel.
Samuel credits the Nalandaway Foundation, an NGO, for understanding his potential and mentoring him. He was given a camera and trained to make short films.
He made 'Nip in the Bud' to sensitise teachers on guiding children, and another that tells children how to overcome the fear factor.
"We develop only when someone encourages us. Its like a bean plant, which grows well only if there's a stick to support it," he explains.
Samuel has become a role model, a kind of hero, for hundreds of children in his village. He wants to study film making and make good films on children's rights. Till then, the Class 10th student continues to reach out to hundreds of children after school hours, creating awareness about their rights as children.
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