by Vanita
GOVANDI-MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 9, 2015: Over 73 children participated in 'Rally for Cleanliness' organized by team 'Saksham' on January 26, 2015 at Govandi from street no. 13 to street 
no. 12 as a part of the 'Movement for Cleanliness in Govandi'. The children enthusiastically took part in the rally with placards, brooms and bins in their hands. The sole objective of the rally was to spread the message that children have the right to be brought up in a clean and safe environment.
They made an appeal through slogans such as "Hum bachchon ka ek hi nara, Kachra Mukt Govandi Hamara", "Sab rogo ki ek ho dawai, ghar mein rakho saaf safai" and "Sab rogo ki ek hi dawai sadko par ho saaf safai." All teachers, field staff, volunteers, and coordinators of the project participated in the rally. A clean and healthy environment helps in refining the culture of a society and reflects in every aspect of life such as art, architecture, food, music and so on. Ultimately, it leads towards a higher level of civilization.
After the rally, the programme continued in the study class where children sang patriotic songs, danced and vowed to keep their surroundings clean and
contribute their part in educating their own society and in making Govandi a better place to live in. Snacks were distributed to all the students after the programme.
'Rally for Cleanliness' held in one of the largest slums in Mumbai was an effort to bring a change in the mindsets of the children and the youth and to imbibe in them a necessity for cleanliness, as it is one of the most important practices that is taught at a young age to get embedded into their personality with the message "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world" - George Bernard Shaw