The Hindu : For them, a step from the streets to school

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

For them, a step from the streets to school

By G. Mahadevan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 6. Even though the eldest among them is only 12, the lives of Shibu, Murugan, Shiva and Sunil have been full of pain and distress. That was until they came to the Don Bosco Open Shelter at Thampanoor.

Now, a few months after the four came to the Shelter, they are preparing to take their steps into the world of letters. They are going to school.

While Shiva (7) will join the first standard, Shibu and Murugan, both 12 years old, will join the seventh standard at the Don Bosco School at Palluruthy, Kochi. Sunil (7), who cannot speak, will be sent to the Evangel Ashramam at Paravur.

It was quite by accident that Shiva reached the Shelter. Five months ago, when the Shelter staff were driving by the main road, they saw the little boy sitting desolate along with a group of gypsies at Statue.

When one of the staff called out to the boy, he got up and ran up to the Shelter staff who were taken aback by his impulsive response. Now the little boy cannot wait to go to school and claps his hands eagerly whenever someone mentions `school' to him.

At least one among these four has already decided what he wants to do in life. Murugan, who came to the Shelter from Coimbatore, says he wants to be a schoolteacher. "I want to teach students a lot of things,'' he says falteringly.

According to the Shelter staff, Murugan has seen and experienced a lot of violence in his family. He has been at the Shelter for the last seven months, during which time he ran away twice only to come back of his own accord.

Now, dressed in a T-shirt, trousers and canvas shoes, he looks every bit like the average school-goer about town. The difference, as the staff point out, is in the scars he carries in his mind.

Shibu, who has been at the Shelter for six months now, hails from Attakkulangara in the city. This boy too had tales of a violent family life to tell when he came to the Shelter. Perhaps due to this, Shibu does not smile easily, nor does he volunteer an answer immediately when asked whether he likes going to school.

Sunil, unable to speak, watches the other boys in silence, happy for them. Soon he will be separated from them, for going to a normal school will not be possible in his case. When he came to the Shelter two months ago he was little more than a living skeleton.

The helpline (1098) for children at the Home, called "Childline'', functions round-the-clock.

The staff, trained to counsel children, mostly deal with calls from children frustrated with their home life. Calls from those with, say, suicidal tendencies are routed to such places as "Thrani''. The Shelter currently houses eight boys.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Clinical Club at MCH to be revamped

For them, a step from the streets to school

Chalachitra Academy wings clipped?