UNICEF-Backed Balmitras Help Over 6,000 Children Of Migrant Workers Continue Education In Maharashtra's Jalna

Jalna: More than 6,000 children from families of migrant workers in Jalna district who would accompany their parents to sugarcane fields or construction sites are able to continue their education thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated young volunteers, an official said on Monday.

District collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal felicitated these young volunteers or Balmitras for their work at a programme held here last week.

Who Are Balmitras?

Balmitras are part of a collaborative initiative supported by UNICEF, the Jalna District Administration, and two local NGOs.

Panchal said, "The efforts of Balmitras in securing education and safety for children previously deprived of their basic rights is highly commendable." At least 450 Balmitras have identified migrant families in 260 villages in the district and conducted door-to-door campaigns to ensure that children were not deprived of education, the official said.

The young volunteers, aged between 18 and 25, who belong to these villages have been working at the grassroots level for the past eight years.

Officials said the volunteers convince migrant workers to leave their children in the care of grandparents or relatives instead of taking them along to sugarcane farms, brick kilns, or construction sites.

Balmitras, with the support of Anganwadi workers and village sarpanches, identify families likely to migrate, maintain data, and carry out door-to-door awareness drives, they said.

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