Jhulima Mallick of Odisha wins Unicef-supported V-Award for spectacular voluntary work
Jhulima stopped several child marriages, brought many dropout girls back to school
By Swagatika Bhutia
BHUBANESWAR, DEC. 7: Jhulima Mallick, a 21-year-old girl hailing from Bandudi village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district in Odisha’s has won the covetous UNICEF-supported V-Award at UN-House, New Delhi on the occasion International Volunteers Day, for her outstanding work to stop child marriage and encourage girls of her area to pursue education.
She received the award from Union minister of state for youth affairs and sports, Kiren Rijiju, on Thursday evening.
V-Award recognizes extraordinary young people, who are changing their lives and of the communities around them.
Bandudi village is surrounded by high hills and mountains and is very hard to reach in rainy season. Most of the people, including Jhulima’s family members, depend upon agriculture, daily wage and collection of non-timber forest produces for sustenance.
Like any other child in her community, Jhulima had dropped out from school when she was in 10th standard to support her family income. However, after being counseled by Swati, a local development organization, she resumed her studies through open schooling and has appeared for the high school final examination.
Apart from resuming her own studies, she inspired other girls to rejoin schools. Besides, he also started working with other volunteers to stop early marriage which is largely practiced in the area.
Gradually, Jhulima acquired the skill to lead the mission of educating the local girls. Her efforts have seen many dropouts returning to school and several parents refraining from marrying off their daughters at early ages.
As child marriages are quite rampant in her area, Jhulima attempted to fight against this social evil in an organised way through girls’ group which became a threat for her life. But she never got feared by such threats. In last two years, she has prevented 12 child marriages. To spread the message of ill effects of early marriage, she has formed a cultural troupe with the help of local adolescent girls to spread message on such social issues like those related to child rights.
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