Aisha Ali a child rights ambassador at 15

CHILD RIGHTS AMBASSADOR Aisha Ali has a deep love for her country and wants to do all she can to improve the lives of others, starting with children.

The 15-year-old student of ASJA Girls' College, San Fernando was commissioned as a child rights ambassador by the Gender and Child Affairs Division in May 2023. She saw an advertisement and applied for the position based on the concept of equity and equality for all as she always had a passion for social justice.

Before that, she and her family volunteered at Servol and with religious organisations from Carapichaima to San Fernando. She said her mother, Naima Ali, and Naima’s father were both teachers, and people, especially in rural communities, looked to teachers for support. As teachers and as Muslims, the family involved themselves in community activities and charity work.

Ali said while volunteering, saw the challenges some children faced because of a lack of proper care and protection, and wanted to make a tangible difference in their lives. That was one of the reasons she applied for the position.

Her most recent project was a stationery drive over the August vacation. She collected notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, rulers and other items from several distributers to give to children whose families faced financial challenges. She wanted other children to have the necessary tools for their education.

“I believe in advocating for the right to quality education. I observed that children in various communities face significant challenges in accessing basic educational supplies.

“Studies have shown that children who cannot obtain school supplies face significant challenges in their education. And of course, without these basic materials, their ability to learn and participate in class is hindered.

“This can lead to lower academic performance and decreased motivation. And the lack of supplies can also affect their self-esteem and social integration with their peers. So providing these essential items helps bridge the educational gap and support their academic growth.”

She recalled shopping for her school textbooks and supplies with Naima and realising how expensive they all were. She said textbooks could be handed down to another student, but other supplies were necessary.

She felt, as a child rights ambassador, she had to do something to help children who wanted to learn, and wanted to help them succeed in their educational pursuits and build a brighter future for themselves.

She said her mother had completed a UWI course on children and one of the topics was things that could hinder children’s ability to perform well academically. When Ali expressed interest in distributing the supplies, she shared the research with her daughter and Ali became more determined to help.

She said she wanted to assist those in her home town of San Fernando, specifically the Susamachar Presbyterian Church, which was associated with Grant Memorial Presbyterian School. But the support from Keith Khan’s, Mohammed’s Bookstore and Bel Air Stores was such that she was also able to assist ASJA Girls' College, Tunapuna, and a small village in Wyaby Road, Carapichaima, for a total of 39 students.

“It was a rewarding experience that fosters a sense of empathy, community and hope as well as a deep emotional satisfaction in knowing that my actions, with the assistance of all the distributors who made generous donations towards this initiative I have undertaken, have made a positive difference in the lives of children.”

With the help of her sister Amina, some of her previous initiatives included a barbecue fundraiser to assist in building a masjid bathroom for the Islamic community in Longdenville, for which she received a Community Service Award in February.

On social media, she also presented safety measures for parents and caregivers to take for their children during Carnival, gave a motivational speech to SEA students in March and advocated for inclusion for all children.

Ali told Newsday she would like to do more as a child rights ambassador, which she will be until the age of 18. She would like to take up the torch of gender equality, access to quality early-childhood programmes, improving teacher quality and increasing community involvement.

She said she wanted to see more individuals advocating for children’s rights, support policies that protect children and raise awareness of children’s issues in their communities. They could start by volunteering with child-focused organisations.

“Everyone has a part to play in creating a world where children’s rights are respected and upheld.

“And there is a need for advocacy in so many issues we see happening today, like environmental degradation, which affects children, particularly in vulnerable communities, and the rise of digital technology, which presents new challenges related to privacy, safety and online exploitation.

“We see these significant issues with millions of children being affected by conflicts, especially in Gaza, as well as natural disasters. I want to advocate so these issues can be addressed.”

Ali said after her time as a child rights ambassador, she would like to work as a consultant with the Gender and Child Affairs Division. Also, as a science student, her goal is to go into the medical field, which would allow her to continue serving communities in Trinidad and Tobago.