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#KindnessMatters: Harnessing emotional intelligence to change lives

Updated : August 21, 2019 04:29 PM IST

The social media campaign has so far generated more than 3,000 stories from over 50 countries.

The idea was to reassure children that anything unclean can be turned into something beautiful.

The Unesco Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) launched #VirtualGandhiMarch, a social media campaign to mobilise youth to share their kindness stories, on August 12.

The virtual march is part of a wider mission, #KindnessMatters, for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a first-of-its-kind international youth campaign on kindness with the goal of mobilising the world’s youth to achieve the 17 SDGs through transformative acts of kindness, compassion, care towards self, others and the environment. The social media campaign has so far generated more than 3,000 stories from over 50 countries. The second phase of the programme, which will start in 2020, will mobilise UN Member States to declare an International Decade of Kindness.

People who change the world aren’t always who you expect. Sometimes, they’re just ordinary people who believe in a better world and have the drive and undying spirit to achieve their goals. These are the stories of a handful of such people from across the country whose innovative ideas and determination are making a difference in their respective communities.

In the run-up to the event, CNBC-TV18 is publishing a series of inspiring stories of people who are the trailblazers of social change. Below is the second story in the series:

Light Up – Emotions Matter Foundation

Name – Juhi Sharma Gender – Female

Place – Delhi, India

Juhi Sharma launched her organisation ‘Light Up – Emotions Matter Foundation’ on May 3, 2017. It is one of the first social ventures focussed on harnessing the emotional intelligence (EI) of children, parents and teachers by developing their social and emotional competencies, and providing them with tools necessary to form a cohesive, non-violent and caring community that would ultimately equip them to lead happier and successful lives.

The organisation celebrated its first-year anniversary on May 3, 2018 by hosting ‘Rang De Basti’ in Sanjay Camp, Delhi. The idea behind the event ‘Rang De Basti – Colours of Sanjay Camp’ was to colour and re-energise the slums of Sanjay Camp with social messages which then become a part of the residents’ daily lives. Art is a strong medium when it comes to connecting with children and as a team, they attempted to create a holistic impact that runs parallel with the workshops in the community. Walls were covered with messages on emotions, UN sustainable goals, gender equality, diversity, empathy, education and compassion.

Over the two-day event, the students and social workers shared touches of colour with the residents of Sanjay camp, hoping to harness the power of emotions to create a healthier, more equitable and compassionate space.

The idea was to reassure children that anything unclean can be turned into something beautiful. A child with no motivation can be made to look in a particular direction by providing a livelier space and enjoy the learning process. And that a slum can be the beating heart of a classroom equipped with emotional intelligence, hope and diversity through the art on the walls.

This act of kindness of celebrating the milestone of completing one-year work through purity, love and hard work brought the children together to remember the many acts of love and kindness by Light Up in the past one year.

Follow the #KindnessMatters series here.

#KindnessMatters: Harnessing emotional intelligence to change lives

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