Initiative encourages children to anonymously share concerns, helping schools identify abuse and emotional distress
Singer, activist and philanthropist Shehzad Roy has launched a new initiative called Wall of Secrets in collaboration with educator Anam Shakil and Zindagi Trust, aiming to help schools identify and address child abuse through anonymous student expression.
Roy shared details of the project on Instagram, describing it as a simple yet powerful tool that gives children a safe space to communicate experiences they may otherwise struggle to verbalise. “Wall of Secrets, giving every child a voice anonymously while helping teachers spot issues that may otherwise go unnoticed,” he wrote in the caption.
Explaining the idea behind the initiative, Roy stressed the importance of creating environments where children feel safe enough to express difficult emotions and experiences.
“My request is that every school should have a Wall of Secrets. It is incredibly important in identifying whether children are facing any form of abuse, violence or, especially, sexual abuse,” he said. “Over the years, we have learned that children are often able to communicate these experiences through art long before they are comfortable speaking about them openly,” he added.
Roy shared several anonymous messages submitted by students, offering a glimpse into the thoughts and struggles children often keep hidden. Among them were statements such as, “I hate my Quran teacher,” “I am broken from the inside by the judgements of people,” “I don’t have any best friends because I don’t know how to make one,” and “I don’t like weddings, I hate this.”
In addition to the wall, schools participating in the programme have installed anonymous feedback boxes labelled Dil ki baat kehdo (Speak from your heart), allowing students to share concerns, fears and personal experiences without revealing their identities.
Roy explained that once concerns are identified, trained professionals can step in to provide support. “The artwork is reviewed by a counsellor, who helps uncover and resolve many of these cases,” he said. “Our school curriculum also includes lessons on safe and unsafe touch.”
However, he emphasised that schools do not need specialised counselling programmes to benefit from the initiative. “Even if your school does not have a counsellor or this curriculum, having a Wall of Secrets can still help educators understand what children are feeling and experiencing,” he added.
The initiative received widespread praise online, with celebrities, educators and parents expressing support in the comments section. Many shared personal experiences of witnessing the programme’s positive impact on children’s well-being and emotional development.
