On 20th November 2025, Team Saah Rise, in collaboration with Climate Class Connections, conducted an impactful awareness session on child safety and protection at Islamabad Model School for Girls, Maira Bagwal. Marking World Children’s Day, the session titled “Strong Roots, Safe Futures” aimed to empower young children with the knowledge of personal boundaries, emotional awareness, and the importance of speaking up.
Session Overview
The session began with warm introductions and friendly interactions to build comfort among the students. Dur E Najaf Zahra, a gender rights advocate and the lead facilitator, delivered the session using storytelling and expressive poem recitation, which helped connect emotionally with the children.
Two special poems were written exclusively for this session:
“Ami Abu Ko Batain” – A gentle and relatable poem designed to encourage children to openly share their feelings, worries, or any uncomfortable experiences with their parents.
“Noor and the tree with strong roots” focusing on creating boundaries in easy Urdu language.
Through poetic storytelling, children were taught in a simple and sensitive way that asking for help is safe and speaking up is brave.
Good Touch vs Bad Touch Activity
A carefully curated Good Touch and Bad Touch activity was conducted, using age-appropriate and sensitive language to ensure clarity without causing fear. The activity helped children identify what a safe touch feels like and encouraged them to approach trusted adults if something doesn’t feel right.
To make the session relatable, children were encouraged to share their own thoughts, and the discussion remained interactive throughout.
Understanding Personal Boundaries
Zarmeen Kausar led a hands-on activity using the concept of:
- Inner Circle (family)
- Middle Circle (friends)
- Outer Circle (strangers)
This exercise helped children understand who is close to them, who they can be friendly with, and where lines must be drawn. The model simplified the idea of personal safety and trusted relationships.
Learning with Joy
After the core session, the team engaged students in creative and interactive activities, making learning playful and memorable:
- Drawing and art sessions
- Watching their small performances
- Playing games during break time
- Poetry reading session with Nursery to Grade 3 students
The poetry session involved simple rhymes and childhood stories, helping younger children understand emotions and safety in a fun way.
“Wish Tree” – A Creative Expression of Hope
Toward the end, a Wish Tree activity was organized. Children wrote their wishes, dreams, and hopes on colourful papers and placed them on the tree. It gave them a meaningful moment of self-expression and made them feel heard and valued.
Impact & Reflections
The “Strong Roots, Safe Futures” session encouraged young girls to understand safety, communicate clearly with trusted adults, and recognise their personal boundaries. Through stories, poems, and participatory learning, children were equipped with foundational knowledge for self-protection.
Team Saah Rise is grateful for the opportunity to work with these young minds and remains committed to continuing such meaningful initiatives for child empowerment and protection.
Together, we nourish strong roots today to grow safe, confident futures tomorrow.