Aussie bikers crisscross India, document condition of child rights in country

Call it Orientalism or an honest attempt at discovery, four Aussie bike enthusiasts have crisscrossed the hallowed land of India to find what it takes to make life click in rural hinterlands. The four also plan to soon convert their lived experience in India into a motion picture on child rights to capture every stroke of life.

Cameron Perry, Scott Grills, Taylor Hogan (all aged 25) and videographer Ben Butcher (21) have travelled across Delhi, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Goa, Hampi, Devangere, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Adilabad, Varanasi, Lucknow, Nainital to present the way a child in India is receiving education despite all the hardships.

It was a trip to India last year that triggered Cameron and his friends to come to India again but with cameras this time. That was when he approached Child Rights and You (CRY) for a helping hand.

"We know that the situation in our country is different from that in Indian villages. Children in India are so passionate about education and I realised it when I met a girl in Nainital who wanted to grow up to become a nurse. I was moved after I saw her dedication," said Cameron.

EXPERIENCES OF A FOREIGN LAND

Having no reservations about not knowing the language, the amateurs said, "We have survived well using hand gestures and basic knowledge of Hindi while travelling."

"We had a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere, when a local man rode with us to the mechanic. He spent hours of his time, took us to his home and offered us to stay for a night in the small house. He was willing to sleep on the porch with his family," said Scott, talking about the Indian hospitality the boys encountered on their trip near Hampi.

Calling them relentless, Soha Moitra, director, CRY said, "When they approached us with the idea of the ride, we immediately agreed and are glad to be a part of their incredible journey. Their passion to work for the cause of children is relentless."

"We wanted them to capture stories of change at our project interventions across India. Their journey is sure to inspire millions of people in India to do their bit for upholding children's rights," Moitra added.

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