By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Panaji, March 2, 2025: Around 55 schools in Goa, western India, have signed up to take the copies of a newly launched newspaper for children.
The “Go Unmute” aims “to spark their curiosity among children and make them fall in love with reading again,” says Lajawanti D’Souza, editor and co-founder,
Besides carrying columns that attract children, the newspaper invites them to email their paintings, poems, stories, jokes, thoughts for publication.
D’Souza said she and the newspaper’s co-founder Vivek Mendonza are on a mission to reignite the reading culture among kids and young adults.
“In a world where technology dominates every moment, we believe in the power of words — the kind that inform, inspire and shape you into the thinkers, and leaders of tomorrow. Just a little time spent reading today can open doors to a lifetime of wisdom, wonder and discovery,” she told Matters India.
The editor wants her readers to “rediscover the magic of books and newspapers–to revel in the crisp rustle of turning pages and scent of the paper.”
“Let us turn reading into a revolution, one page at a time, ” she said and promised children adventure of discovery, inspiration, and wonder.
D’Souza wants children “to lose yourself in captivating stories, to embrace the quiet joy of deep thinking and the satisfaction of being truly well read.”
Ejaz Shaikh, a well-wisher, says the newspaper will help children imbibe the habit of reading. “Their screen time makes their lips zipped because they are seeing visuals.”
The paper, priced 5 rupees, also encourages a “pet” column to encourage compassion among children.