Four Abandoned Children Sheltered

Our Railway Staff spotted a couple with 7 children travelling by train. Immediate doubt was whether the children were being trafficked. But they were looking for shelter for four children. Our staff brought all of them to the office. After talking to them we found that three children were of the couple and other four children were of their neighbor! The neighbor’s first wife had deserted the family and was living separately with their children and filed a case against husband for maintenance.  During this time he met another lady with five children and not having a husband. He started to live with her and her five children. Meanwhile his wife left their children and took off with another man taking only the last girl child who was too young.   She left the children with the couple who were presently finding it difficult to look after all seven children. The couple sought the help of his friend to come to CHILDLINE to find shelter for the four children. We produced all four children before CWC and provided shelter for two boys at Don Bosco Shelter home and two girl children at Chithra Home.  

As all the four children are presently without their mother or father it is appropriate that they be given in continuous foster care. A family atmosphere for a child can never be replaced with an institution. The alternative child care systems such as adoption and foster care are very much inadequate in Kerala. Because of this there are a large number of children who lose their childhood due to insufficient care in children’s homes. Appropriate laws and prompt implementation are the need of the hour.

The Firefly Shines on…

Fort SI Sherry Distributes School Materials to Children

This year’s Don Bosco Summer Camp MINNAMINNI (FIREFLY) 2013 concluded with the valedictory function on May 10^th 2013. 

The function started at 11.00 am by the Welcome speech from Fr. P.D Thomas, Director, Don Bosco Veedu, and the function was presided over by the Rector of Don Bosco, Fr. Francis Karakkatt.  He gave the message on being a good child always and to shine on like Minnamminni (firefly).  Chief Guest, Sub Inspector of Fort Police Station Shri. Sherry, encouraged the children to do good always to help others in his felicitation talk and gave away the prizes to the groups.  He also distributed the educational materials such as School bags, Note books, Umbrellas, and pens all the campers.

The campers showed their abilities by performing good dances, songs and other porgrammes. Ms. Aswathy presented the detailed camp report of one month and the function came to an end by the vote of thanks by camp leader Mrs. Amala to the guests, teachers, and those who participated in the camp.  The children departed happily with the dreams of a picnic to Happy Land on the next day.

We appreciate the help from generous persons who contributed the expenses for the school materials and picnic expenses for over 100 needy and poor children.

Children Performing

Five Children and their Mother on the Street

On 25^th April one concerned person called to our helpline and informed that there were four children wandering on the streets with a lady and that she had sold the smallest child.  Our ever alert team immediately rushed to the spot but the effort was in vein because they had disappeared.    One week later another informer tipped us off that he found some children with a lady.  This time our team went prepared having informed the police.  Four children and the lady were brought to CHILDLINE office. After inquiry we found that the lady taking the children around the streets was their grandmother.  She informed us that her daughter Sindhu (Given Name) was a sex worker. She said that the fifth child was with Sindhu. She had given the child to a person to look after when she wandered the streets.

We arranged shelter for all four children in shelter homes for care and rehabilitation of the children through the Child Welfare Committee of the District.   In the next week, Sindhu called to our helpline and sought permission to see her children, so our staff asked her to come over to CHILDLINE office with her youngest child.  She brought her child and our staff talked to her for a length of time. She revealed that she was abused by a man at the age of 12 for the first time.  Then she had a live in relation with different people and mothered all the children from different people.  She was carrying the small child with her wherever she went.

We counseled Sindhu and she expressed willingness to surrender her small child and we arranged a home for the child.  Sindhu also wanted to return from her deviant ways and we found a job for her and she wants now to live for her children.

We find that after over 23 years of our efforts there is a great awareness among the general public to the issues facing children. The very fact that people immediately call up to our helpline when they find children in distress is a positive impact of our incessant efforts to restore child rights.