Sameer Singh
Bathinda, November 14
Orphaned at the age of 11, there was no one to take care of Rinku (name changed), a resident of Delhi, when he was rescued by a team of the Labour Department from a tea vend where he was working as a labourer.
After the recommendations of the District Child Welfare Committee, Rinku was enrolled in the government-run Children’s Home in Bathinda. Here apart from attending school daily, he is also learning to play guitar and reads books in the library every evening. He landed in Bathinda from Delhi through an acquaintance.
Golu, 14, was abandoned by his mother after his father died of Covid-19 and she married another man. He had no one who could raise him. An NGO got him enrolled in the Children’s Home and now he is a budding athlete, practising gymnastics daily under the watch of a coach.
Children’s Home has been proving a boon to 12 children living here, who were abandoned, orphaned or had fled from their native places.
There are 17 Children’s Homes in the state, which have been changing lives of destitute kids for better and bringing them from margins into the mainstream. These homes are being run under the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development.
Children from Jalandhar, Moga, Fazilka, Bathinda, other districts of Punjab, from other states and even from Nepal have stayed at the Children’s Home in Bathinda over the years.
KN Mishra, Superintendent, Children’s Home, Bathinda said, “We provide education and quality life to socially-deprived and extremely poor kids. We also engage them to participate in sports, artistic and extra-curricular activities. One of our children is a gymnast and has gone to play in national games in UP. Apart from our department, the district administration and Red Cross are also contributing in one way or the other to change lives of these underprivileged kids for better.”
Mishra further said, “We have sent paintings made by our children to an exhibition in Amritsar. Identifying interests and leanings of our children is the first and foremost thing we do here and then hone their skills accordingly. We raise them till they turn 18 and then send them to State After Care Home in Ludhiana.”
“Children cycle their way to the Dasmesh Government Senior Secondary School where they study. After that children, who like sports go to playground and those interested in artistic activities, learn musical instruments such as harmonium, guitar, mouth organ, tabla and dance among other things. We also teach them basics of computer. These children are being provided proper diet rich in nutrition,” Mishra added.
“There are children, who sometime flee. After concerted efforts we manage to trace them sometimes. Some of these children are dedicated, sharp and fast learners. If they continue to hone their skills besides getting formal education, they will surely make a good life for themselves and also contribute to society as well. We encourage them to participate in sports and music competitions. The Children’s Home in Bathinda has capacity to accommodate 50 kids,” said Mishra.
