In the year 2010, a colleague of mine at office urged me to accompany her to a 'Child Home' run by an NGO. She had been visiting there every Sunday spending time with the children residing there. She taught the children English and Mathematics or just counseled them on simple life issues.
I had been a Rotarian since past ten years and we are constantly on the lookout for new community service opportunities. I agreed to go with her one Sunday morning and today when I sit back and think about it that simply has to be among the best decisions I made in my life.
The 'Child Home' run by a trust, housed children who were either orphaned or had single or extremely poor parents who couldn't even feed them leave alone providing them any education. If not for this initiative, these children would surely be destined to live a life of begging, crime, or abuse.
There were 35 children residing there when I made my first visit that Sunday. The sparkle and love that I saw in the eyes of the children made me want to contribute in some way towards providing a better future for them. I decided to introduce this as a permanent project in my Rotary club and introduced the cause in one of our board meetings. The response I got from other club members was indeed very encouraging. We decided to have a long term and continuous engagement with the Child Home and its inhabitants.
We believed that only sustained and concerted efforts could make any significant difference to the lives of these children. The trust which runs the facility was already doing a lot in terms of providing food, shelter, clothing, and basic schooling to all the 35 children. But this was required 24 * 7, 365 days a year and they needed all the help they could get. Moreover providing anything more than basic amenities meant more funds and more hands.
We decided to take up a multi pronged approach. Health, Hygiene, and Literacy were required if we wanted to ensure a better future for the children.
We learnt that none of the 35 children had had any vaccination till then. With the help of one of our club members who is a Pediatrician working with the Government Civil hospital, we designed a complete Immunization program for all the children. We raised the required resources and were successfully able to have all necessary vaccines administered to all 35 children. This would save them from many life threatening and crippling diseases in the future. At the same time we also continue to organize regular health and dental check up camps to regularly monitor their well being.
On the hygiene front, we noticed that the children were drinking water directly from the municipal supply, which made them vulnerable to water borne diseases. With the help of a donor, we successfully installed two water purifier machines. The children now have 24 hour access to clean drinking water. The trust which runs the child home also ensures that the children get healthy and nutritious food. Our club members also contribute towards food grain supplies regularly. Many of our members now celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at the child home and sponsor lunch / dinner for the children.
Health and hygiene addressed, the next step was to ensure that the children have access to good education and also get vocational training which would help them build their careers and life. The trustees have now shifted the children from municipal schools to private schools. But this involves a lot of additional expense in terms of higher fees. Our club members now regularly contribute towards school fees, books, and uniforms. We also encourage friends and relatives to do the same. For more general reading, we have donated many books for a small library set up at the child home.
Computer skills are an absolute necessity to cope up in the digital world. With the help of another generous club member, who runs a computer training institute, we organized a basic computer course for all the 35 children. All the children can now use a computer. Also, in order that they maintain practice, we have donated and installed 3 computers at the child home for use by the children. Once again our own club members came forward to donate these computers.
The aim of the trustees of the child home, as well all others like us who are involved in some way with them, is to build a solid foundation for these children. All the children will be encouraged to study at least up to graduation or do any vocational training course of their choice.
One day all the children will hopefully be ready to face life on their own, build a career, start families, and live a life of dignity and self respect. More children will continue to be admitted and new children will replace those who move on with their lives.
My LIFE CHANGING ENGAGEMENT will go on.
Whose life is changing? Is it the children's or MINE?
Setu Gandhi
Source : articlesbase.com
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