ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg
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0:08 - 0:11Hello, good afternoon.
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0:11 - 0:13As he said, my name is Jeroo Billimoria
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0:13 - 0:16and what I like doing is
starting organizations -
0:16 - 0:21because I think everyone of us can
do something to change the world. -
0:21 - 0:25So, here you see two things:
-
0:25 - 0:29Child Helpline International
and Aflatoun. -
0:29 - 0:31I've started six organizations,
-
0:31 - 0:34so I'll share with you
a bit of my journey -
0:34 - 0:39and ask you all some questions
on the way, if that's okay. -
0:40 - 0:43I started very young, actually,
I started when I was sixteen, -
0:43 - 0:48and that's when I argued with my mom
and started my first organization. -
0:48 - 0:51You know, we all do that
as adolescents, right? -
0:51 - 0:55And that was basically
to teach math skills to students -
0:55 - 0:58so that they would not fail in school.
-
0:58 - 1:00And that was where it started.
-
1:00 - 1:03Then of course I went abroad,
studied, the whole gamut, -
1:03 - 1:06and was working
with street children in India. -
1:06 - 1:10They said that they wanted somewhere
where they could call up 24 hours a day, -
1:10 - 1:14not between the convenient times
of our social workers, -
1:14 - 1:17because they said,
"You all make money, -
1:17 - 1:20you make it at our expense, but
you're never there when we need you." -
1:20 - 1:22That was basically what they said.
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1:22 - 1:24So they said, "Have a service!"
-
1:24 - 1:26When we first went there,
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1:26 - 1:30and I approached the Telecom
authorities and other people, -
1:30 - 1:33they said,
"A phone service with street children? -
1:33 - 1:35And who will run it?
You mean professional people?" -
1:35 - 1:37I said,
"No, the kids themselves will run it." -
1:37 - 1:39And they thought I was crazy.
-
1:39 - 1:43So they refused and we didn't get
a toll free number from the government. -
1:43 - 1:48So we tried again, and this time
we said, "Let's be smart." -
1:48 - 1:50I was teaching at Tata Institute,
-
1:50 - 1:53but there were no student researchers
who wanted to work, -
1:53 - 1:58so we got a bunch of street kids together
and they did the first ever research study -
1:58 - 2:03on why they as street kids wanted to have
a phone service for street children. -
2:03 - 2:08So we took this research study
and then we went and presented it -
2:08 - 2:11to the Deputy Director General
of the Telecom, -
2:11 - 2:16we got the toll free number
and today, in a way, this is history. -
2:16 - 2:19CHILDLINE India is a project
of the government of India, -
2:19 - 2:23it is part of the child protection system,
-
2:23 - 2:26we received two million phone calls
from children, -
2:26 - 2:30are spread in 80 districts
across the country, -
2:30 - 2:34and based on the calls
which came from CHILDLINE India, -
2:34 - 2:36we now have a government policy
-
2:36 - 2:40where the government
was forced to acknowledge -
2:40 - 2:43the amount of demand there was
for protection services -
2:43 - 2:48and from a budget of one crore,
that's around 250,000, -
2:48 - 2:53they now give 100 crore
integrated child protection scheme -
2:53 - 2:55linked to the policy.
-
2:55 - 2:56So that's what happened
and it only happened -
2:56 - 3:02because a bunch of kids had enough guts
and were willing to follow and do stuff. -
3:02 - 3:06From CHILDLINE India,
which is still where my heart lies, -
3:06 - 3:09we moved into
Child Helpline International, -
3:09 - 3:11so that's what you see over there.
-
3:11 - 3:16Many countries started asking us
about helplines for children by children. -
3:16 - 3:22Germany has a very established helpline,
which has been there for almost 25 years. -
3:22 - 3:24Which is from --
all of you know. -
3:24 - 3:27But there are no helplines
in economically developing countries -
3:27 - 3:32because everyone said telecoms cannot work
for economically developing countries, -
3:32 - 3:35even though CHILDLINE India
had proved otherwise. -
3:35 - 3:40So we said, okay, let's take up
the challenge globally, and we did. -
3:40 - 3:45Today, we are Child Helpline International,
it's in 150 countries. -
3:45 - 3:49We have live helplines
in more than 110 countries -
3:49 - 3:55and respond to between 14-18 million
calls and contacts annually -
3:55 - 3:58and have helped on an annual basis
more than a million children -
3:58 - 4:01who were being abused
from different sorts of abuses. -
4:01 - 4:06So basically if you will look at this story,
I think the important thing is that -
4:06 - 4:12anyone of you can have an idea and then,
-
4:12 - 4:15if you just follow your heart
and your dream, and ... -
4:15 - 4:17It's easy!
(Laughter) -
4:17 - 4:21Just ... go ahead
and just do it, you know? -
4:21 - 4:23And you'll be able
to work with a lot of people, -
4:23 - 4:26So -- looking at that.
-
4:26 - 4:29But after taking Child Helpline global
-
4:29 - 4:35and today, since its inception, we have
responded to more than 55 million calls, -
4:35 - 4:37that's more than
half a billion phone calls, -
4:37 - 4:40and helped millions
and millions of children. -
4:40 - 4:43But I can tell you myself,
-
4:43 - 4:46I don't mean to be complacent,
what is the cause of the problems? -
4:46 - 4:50Why do the children run away,
why is there abuse in the homes? -
4:50 - 4:52What is happening?
-
4:52 - 4:54Even with the economic crisis,
-
4:54 - 4:56everyone's talked about
the millions that have been lost, -
4:56 - 5:01the billions of bailouts,
rescue packages, the whole gamut. -
5:01 - 5:06But the truth is that the child,
who is most affected, -
5:06 - 5:09nobody has ever talked about that.
-
5:09 - 5:13Through the crisis,
more children have been abused at home, -
5:13 - 5:17more children have been
forced to drop out, -
5:17 - 5:21more children are not able
to meet their basic school fees, -
5:21 - 5:24and malnourishment
in families has increased. -
5:24 - 5:29So this is something that is happening
where macroeconomics affects children. -
5:29 - 5:34So the question, not just with the crisis,
but even when I spoke to street children, -
5:34 - 5:37why did they run away from home,
-
5:37 - 5:40is because they saw
no opportunities at home. -
5:40 - 5:42So then the question was,
-
5:42 - 5:50how can you work to create a society
where every child really feels empowered? -
5:51 - 5:56And then the question I posed, and
I think actually some of my kids said, -
5:56 - 6:01is what you really need to know is
know about money, know how to use it. -
6:01 - 6:04And here I'm going to take
a one second break and ask you all: -
6:04 - 6:08How many of you started saving
when you were children? -
6:08 - 6:10Just raise your hands.
-
6:10 - 6:12Most of you.
-
6:12 - 6:16How many of you who have kids
do teach your children to save? -
6:16 - 6:17Or your cousins, or ...?
-
6:17 - 6:22Those who have kids,
you teach your kids to save. -
6:22 - 6:27What happens in a family
which has never learned to save? -
6:27 - 6:29Do they ever manage?
-
6:29 - 6:33Be it in Germany, be it in the US,
be it in rural India? -
6:33 - 6:39What happens? There is nobody
who can teach children about saving. -
6:39 - 6:45Teach them about investments, teach them
about believing and having a choice. -
6:45 - 6:48And that is what Aflatoun does.
-
6:48 - 6:52Aflatoun teaches children
to believe in themselves. -
6:52 - 6:55I can go on and on about Aflatoun,
-
6:55 - 6:57but here I'm going
to take a two minute pause -
6:57 - 7:02and ask them to show you a film
which was made by Aflatoun -
7:02 - 7:05with our kids in parallel.
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7:05 - 7:07So I'll step aside
so you can see the Aflatoun film -
7:07 - 7:10which brings the spirit of what Aflatoun is.
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7:10 - 7:12(Video)
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7:12 - 7:16(Music)
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7:26 - 7:29♪ I am Aflatoun ♪
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7:30 - 7:32♪ I'm a fireball ♪
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7:33 - 7:36♪ I come from outer space ♪
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7:36 - 7:38♪ From far away I come ♪
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7:42 - 7:44♪ I am Aflatoun ♪
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7:46 - 7:49♪ I like playing games ♪
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7:49 - 7:52♪ I live inside a child ♪
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7:52 - 7:55♪ And give her strength, I do ♪
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7:58 - 8:02♪ I like teaching your children
about their rights ♪ -
8:02 - 8:06♪ I teach them saving and spending
and enterprise ♪ -
8:06 - 8:11♪ They discover their powers,
that's what I'm all about ♪ -
8:14 - 8:17♪ Separate fiction from fact ♪
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8:17 - 8:21♪ Explore, think, investigate and act. ♪
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8:23 - 8:25♪ Make a change around the world ♪
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8:25 - 8:30♪ It's our choice
as an Aflatoun boy and girl ♪ -
8:30 - 8:33♪ I'm aware of what my rights are ♪
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8:33 - 8:35♪ and how this can bring me so far ♪
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8:35 - 8:37♪ But I know what my duties are too ♪
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8:37 - 8:42♪ I'm an empowered child! ♪
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8:43 - 8:47♪ I am Aflatoun ♪
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8:47 - 8:50♪ I know who I am ♪
-
8:50 - 8:55♪ The flame that burns so bright,
burns in me too, it does. ♪ -
8:59 - 9:04♪ I am Aflatoun ♪
-
9:04 - 9:06♪ I save coins and things ♪
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9:06 - 9:12♪ Things that are valuable
are safe with me, they are. ♪ -
9:15 - 9:19♪ Aflatoun helped show me
how to plan my stuff ♪ -
9:19 - 9:23♪ So when it comes to resources,
I'll have enough ♪ -
9:23 - 9:28♪ I'm tremendously happy,
it's in my neighborhood. ♪ -
9:31 - 9:34♪ Separate fiction from fact ♪
-
9:34 - 9:40♪ Explore, think, investigate and act. ♪
-
9:40 - 9:43♪ Make a change around the world ♪
-
9:43 - 9:48♪ It's our choice
as an Aflatoun boy and girl ♪ -
9:48 - 9:52♪ I'm aware of what my rights are
and how this can bring me so far ♪ -
9:52 - 9:54♪ But I know my duties well too ♪
-
9:54 - 9:58♪ I'm an empowered child! ♪
-
10:00 - 10:02♪ Separate fiction from fact ♪
-
10:02 - 10:09♪ Explore, think, investigate and act ♪
-
10:09 - 10:10♪ Make a change around the world ♪
-
10:10 - 10:16♪ It's our choice
as an Aflatoun boy and girl ♪ -
10:16 - 10:20♪ I'm aware of what my rights are
and how this can bring me so far ♪ -
10:20 - 10:23♪ But I know my duties well too ♪
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10:23 - 10:28♪ I'm an empowered child! ♪
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10:35 - 10:40JB: Now, I was a school teacher,
or at university, I still ask: -
10:40 - 10:42What was there in the film?
-
10:42 - 10:44What were the messages
we were communicating? -
10:44 - 10:48I have seven minutes, so I can ask.
(Laughter) -
10:49 - 10:50Any idea?
-
10:50 - 10:53What was the main message that Aflatoun,
according to the film, communicates? -
10:54 - 10:56Woman: I'm an empowered child.
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10:56 - 10:59JB: Yeah! You're an empowered child.
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10:59 - 11:02Yeah. Anyone else? ... No?
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11:02 - 11:04Man: Learning can be fun.
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11:04 - 11:05JB: Learning can be fun!
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11:06 - 11:07Someone else?
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11:08 - 11:09Man: Saving money.
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11:09 - 11:11JB: Saving money! Yeah!
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11:11 - 11:14That's one of the main things
Aflatoun teaches, -
11:14 - 11:17it teaches you to believe in yourself,
-
11:17 - 11:21it teaches you to save your money,
-
11:21 - 11:25resources, water, electricity,
everything, -
11:25 - 11:30and it teaches you to be entrepreneurial,
so you can go and follow your dream. -
11:30 - 11:32That's what it teaches.
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11:32 - 11:35Aflatoun is the fireball which unites
-
11:35 - 11:42approximately 800,000 children
in 40 countries across the world. -
11:42 - 11:46When we started with Aflatoun,
everyone said, -
11:46 - 11:52"We are not funding this. Teaching
children to save money is bad." -
11:52 - 11:54I'm not joking! Honestly.
And I said, -
11:54 - 11:56"But don't you teach your own children?"
-
11:56 - 11:59Yes, but teaching children
to save money is bad. -
11:59 - 12:05No NGO was willing to collaborate
and no donor was willing to fund us. -
12:06 - 12:09So for the first four years actually,
my husband and myself said, -
12:09 - 12:12"Ok, we'll fund it to whatever extent
of money we have." -
12:12 - 12:15We aren't rich, but we said,
"Let's just do it." -
12:15 - 12:21And then we built it. In 2008,
we launched the campaign, -
12:21 - 12:26and just least year we had around
560,000 children saving. -
12:26 - 12:29And I have a question to all of you:
-
12:29 - 12:34How much do you think, last year,
560,000 children saved? -
12:34 - 12:38Most of these children are from
less than a dollar a day families. -
12:38 - 12:42Take your guess!
How much do you think they saved? -
12:43 - 12:47Collectively. Remember, there's
less than a dollar a day families. -
12:47 - 12:49Man: One million!
-
12:49 - 12:55JB: Go higher! You're right!
2.6 million! That's what they saved! -
12:55 - 13:01Can you imagine?
2.6 million is what the children saved. -
13:02 - 13:06And they started
five thousand enterprises. -
13:06 - 13:10Enterprises to start livestock,
-
13:10 - 13:13so a child saved, bought a chicken, why?
-
13:13 - 13:16So that he or she could then
have money to go to school, -
13:16 - 13:20because they saved the money,
have the chicken, get eggs, -
13:20 - 13:22make a revenue, and can eat.
-
13:23 - 13:28Some school children took gunny sacks and
planted potatoes in their school playground! -
13:28 - 13:32Yet others took waste and
made bags from them. -
13:33 - 13:37Yet others decided that there was
enough space to do rice, -
13:37 - 13:43so they planted rice fields in that small
patch, and that became part of the thing. -
13:43 - 13:46Others opened school canteens
and a zillion more things. -
13:47 - 13:52So, all I'm trying to say is that
if we are able to teach children, -
13:52 - 13:58they have the power and the ability
to be the agents of change. -
13:58 - 14:01And that is what Aflatoun is about.
-
14:01 - 14:05So that is what we do,
that is what we believe in, -
14:05 - 14:06that is what we take forward.
-
14:07 - 14:10Nine out of ten times,
when we start something, -
14:10 - 14:12nobody is willing to believe in us.
-
14:12 - 14:15And I can go on and on about
how many people say no, -
14:15 - 14:18but there are some people
who are willing to invest in us. -
14:18 - 14:21And I think those are actually
the more courageous people -
14:21 - 14:23than people like me
who want to start things. -
14:23 - 14:26I think Bart sitting there will agree.
-
14:26 - 14:28Because you start, fine,
-
14:28 - 14:32but it's the investors who say, "Hey,
we believe in you, we take it forward." -
14:32 - 14:36And that means everyone of you
who is sitting here in this room -
14:36 - 14:42has the ability to be an investor
and to be the change, -
14:42 - 14:45to be the movement which we need,
-
14:45 - 14:48so that our children
don't have a financial crisis, -
14:48 - 14:52so that our children can see a future
-
14:52 - 14:56and, like this film said,
be empowered children and citizens. -
14:56 - 14:58And the change is not with me,
it's with you. -
14:58 - 14:59So I hope we can do it.
-
14:59 - 15:01Thank you very much.
-
15:01 - 15:03(Applause)
- Title:
- ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg
- Description:
-
Would you be willing to fund a project where children staff a helpline for children? How many NGOs do you think supported Jeroo Billimoria with her project to teach children to save money and become empowered? The success of her projects show what type of projects can grow if you invest in enthusiasm, creativity and most of all: children.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 15:03
Els De Keyser edited English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Judith Matz approved English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Judith Matz commented on English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Judith Matz edited English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Els De Keyser accepted English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Els De Keyser commented on English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg | ||
Els De Keyser edited English subtitles for ChildLine/ChildFinance: Jeroo Billimoria at TEDxHamburg |
Els De Keyser
I found the song :
http://www.fe.is/storage/aflatun/Aflatoun%20Teachers%20Resources.pdf
I don't think she says 'four years' at 12:05, but I have no alternative to offer.
Judith Matz
I removed the "CHORUS" bit, I only had that in there because I was trying to mark there point where it's unclear. Or do you think it's a good idea to have it in there? (I don't.)
I'm approving this. Thanks for the review! :)