A few years ago, enrolment at Chennai Middle School in Thamodharapuram, Besant Nagar, was very poor. The Corporation sought the support of an NGO Montfort Sirahugal to draw students to the school. Today, the school has nearly 63 students on its rolls. Most of these students were rag pickers.
According to Brother Mark Britto, one of the key members of the NGO, as there was nobody to watch over them, the children were footloose. It is a pity that parents of most of these children were leading wayward lives. There was drunkenness, drug addiction and sexual promiscuity. There was great unhappiness in these families. “The children were seen as a source of income. They brought in money by selling the junks they had collected. Little girls were forced into prostitution. Even boys were forced into sexual acts. When we tried to bring these children for rehabilitation, our volunteers faced many challenges and threats. The parents were reluctant to send them along with us as they did not want to lose a source of income. As we had the Corporation’s support, we were able to bring these kids out,” he adds.
Now, at the school we are helping these children unlearn many of the attitudes and behaviours they have picked up from their parents and other adults. “Today, it is almost one year. We see a lot of difference in these children. One visible behavioural change: they are no longer restless. They are able to sit in a place for some time and listen to whatever we have to say.”
“Yet, a lot more needs to be done. Childhood is an impressionable period and anything that a child is exposed to will claw into their tender hearts. We still have to provide individual counselling to many,” he adds. “The children are placed in classes based on their age. For example, a 13-year-old will be placed in Class VIII, whether the child is eligible or not,” says Mark. All these children are residential students. They study at Chennai Middle School and reside in Chennai Corporation’s Care and Protection Centre for Children, a shelter home which is also located within the premises of the school. The expenses of the shelter are borne by the Corporation and is managed by Montfort Sirahugal.
“The children were brought in from the pavements of Pudhupettai, Kannagi Nagar, Saidapet, Triplicane, Egmore, Besant Nagar, Foreshore Estate and other areas,” says Corporation official Keshav. “We took this measure following a recent order of the Supreme Court which states that it is the duty of the local civic body to provide shelter and care for the homeless,” adds Keshav.
Those who want to do something to make the lives of these children brighter and happier may call any of those, whose numbers are listed in the factbox below.
Help can be in any form, including spending time with children by narrating stories based on moral values, teaching handicrafts, yoga and meditation, training in kitchen gardening, conducting tuitions, donating books, stationeries and any other useful exercise.
