A show was aired on TV showing a case study for a boy grown up in shelter. VATSALYA is carrying out the work in this for last many years and very credible work. There are some other institutes active in the field. One such is AASRA running shelter for street children. Your blogger had interacted with the institute to some extent.
VATSALYA was already known to Lions club organisation . AASRA was brought on the map of Lions' world by your blogger few years later on. It started with organising small donations as part of Service Week. First it was one home club soon joined by other neighbouring club. More serious partnership was in the offing oblivious to the personal knowledge but perhaps known to the destiny. AASRA was first and immediate choice when search was on for a suitable memorial for departed son SALIL 1997. A house was to be brought for the trust at Airoli. It was eventually brought with help of Lions including your blogger, local corporate Mhatre and of course the institute itself. The name was chosen as SALIL SAHJEEVAN. Now probably the name plate and name is gone into oblivion. No regrets for that. Memories last only as long as the person carries them lasts. Whose memories ? How long them to live ? Nothing in the world has permanent memory. That is not the issue.
Question relevant is what difference the shelter has made to the lives of inmates. The show aired today sought to showcase that. The AASRA has also few similar interesting stories to tell. Your blogger runs drawing competition for the children for last twelve years. In variably the children will draw a house and proudly put name AASRA conspicuously. It would be silly to call them homeless. Many of them would tell us how they want to build their homes wen they grow up. The name for house is already fixed. AASRA. Your blogger would give cash prize to any one standing 1st in the rank in annual school exams. Always more than one claimant would appear. They are still in touch even if they no more live at AASRA. Extra curricular activities take them out of shelter from where they are as much eager to return to their home as any other normal child would be. But the best part is kind of brotherhood to be found there. How a new entrant is initiated into routine of the shelter by old children ( not house master or so ) is to be seen to believe. The way senior children take care of younger ones will put many of normal houses to shame.
These are not only charitable shelters. Many others are also functioning. They are home away from home. Lucky are the children making their way to them. Salute to them. The future is bright.
Arvind Khare
khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
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