Kids from Kannagi Nagar create awareness through comic illustrations

Moreover, there’s not much of material in Tamil for children to understand. This led UNICEF India to develop a comic book by children and for children. They got in touch with InkLink Charitable Trust that works closely with children from Kannagi Nagar and created an eight-page illustrated book in Tamil for children. “There are many contents available online and in print on hygiene practices to be followed during this period.Moreover, 90 per cent of the information is in English. Children living in slums and villages might not be able to follow the instructions. That’s how we decided to create a Tamil comic book exclusively for children. Since we work with the children in Kannagi Nagar, it was easier for us to convey the message. We got in touch with eight children via WhatsApp and gave basic awareness about COVID-19. The children drew the illustrations on maintaining basic hygiene and sent them to us via online medium. Once we got the sketches, we finalised and coloured them and send back to UNICEF India. They converted it into a Tamil comic book format and started circulating it in slums, settlements, and villages in Tamil Nadu,” says Kaustav Sengupta of InkLink Charitable Trust. 

The team behind this initiative is planning to make a similar series in the coming days. “Not only on hygiene practices, but we are also thinking about making digital comics with other concepts. UNICEF India is planning to translate the same to other languages as well. The drawings are simple and children from all age groups can easily understand,” he tells us.