One possible approach to change Indian society

If you remember, I mentioned in my last blog (many months ago) that the solution to our society's ills lies in bringing about change in the younger generation. Soon after I posted that blog, I came across an organisation called Children's movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) - this is the link: www.cmcaindia.org.
This organisation works with school children through volunteers who work as civic tutors, and inculcate values like cleanliness and civic consciousness, environmental issues and also essentials of democracy, rights and responsibilities. The primary principle is the 'Ripple effect' where 'change begins with me, my family, my friends, and my neighbourhood'.
It is amazing to see how children absorb ideas - they are like sponges, eagerly taking in all the concepts and values imparted.
The program is a judicious mix of module lessons where even 'dull' civics topics like 'urban local governance' are made interesting by using practical ideas. Children are taught to appreciate the thankless work done by municipal sweepers, traffic police etc. They are taken on visits to various facilities like the traffic control centre of the police department, or a plastic recycling factory.
Children also run various campaigns in school or their neighbourhood. In the school where I am a civic tutor, the children have been running an 'anti-litter' campaign' for the primary school. They found that, during the 'short-break', the kids were throwing biscuit wrappers and other stuff all over the corridors. Within a week of the campaign, there was a marked difference in the little ones' habits. They told their teacher ' One Akka and one Anna came and told us we should not throw things here and there' and meticulously use the dustbin. While earlier they used to sharpen their pencils anywhere and let the shavings fall anywhere, after the campaign, they carefully go to the dustbin and sharpen the pencils.
Very soon after this, the kids observed Municipal sweeper or 'Pourakarmika' day - they all collected some money, bought some sweets, made an appreciation card and met the workers. When these workers told them about their hard life, and that the main problem they face is the repeated littering of streets, it further strengthened their resolve to make a change in themselves and their family and friends' habits.
It is truly fulfilling to work with children. We need many more people to work with children to change our society.