Date:27/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/27/stories/2007112754100500.htm

New Delhi

Rebuilding their lives from scratch

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Juli Basumatary, Ranjay Ray from Assam, Gurudev Singh and Priyanka from Jharkhand, Suhaib Bin Yousuf and Tawfiqa Jan from Jammu and Kashmir and Asif Ali Pathan and Shivani Ben from Gujarat hail from different States but have one thing in common: they are all children who fell victims to either communal or terrorist violence.

Trying to rebuild their lives from scratch, the children, in the age group of 8 to 17 years, were brought under the National Foundation for Communal Harmony which functions under the Union Home Ministry. In absence of any regular source for their families, these children have nowhere else to go but look up to the foundation to arrange for their welfare and education. In almost all cases, the children lost their father who was also the main bread winner of the family, to terrorist violence or communal and ethnic riots.

Set up in 1992 by the Home Ministry, the foundation has spread its activities to nearly 20 States and has its presence in 145 districts. For its financial needs and to support such children, the foundation has to depend on its resources like bank interest on its deposits and sale proceeds.