MONDAY, 18 JUNE 2012
22:03
SUDHIR MISHRA |
BALANGIR
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It is common in western Odisha to find thousands of people
migrating to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in search of jobs, mostly in brick
kilns, facing torture in the hands of unscrupulous owners and appealing for
rescue. Whatever motivation work is done by those working on migration, usually
falls flat on them.
But what has raised eyebrows is the story of a minor girl,
Kasturi, of Tara village of Kapani gram panchyat in Belpada block of this
district who succeeded not only in motivating two migrant children but also
managing to bring them from brick kilns in Andhra Pradesh and getting them
enrolled in school.
“Kshema Majhi and Pabitra had migrated to Andhra Pradesh
along with their parents who worked there in brick kilns. After the Village
Child Protection Committee discussed about the children and the
facilities offered by an organisation, YCDA, in the village to ensure
education to the orphaned and the left-behind migrant children, and other
supports, I decided to convey this message to Kshema and Pabitra who had
migrated to Andhra Pradesh along with their parents. I talked to their
guardians too. After I spoke, their guardians were somehow convinced and
both of them came back,” said Kasturi Patra.
“After their return from the brick kilns, Kshema has been
enrolled in Class III at a local primary school and Pabitra in Class II. Now
they are going to school.”
In each village, there is a Village Child Protection
Committee and Child Association in the operational villages.
“We have facilitated the process to form Village Child
Protection Committee and provided critical understanding on child migration
issue, which helps people to take action on child protection. This is also part
of the action plan developed by villagers against child migration,” says
Rajendra Meher of YCDA.
“The Village Child Protection Committee comprises Anganwadi
workers, SHG members, traditional leader of the village and Ashas. First
of all, we carry out an assessment of orphaned children and their condition.
After discussion and consultation with them all the data about the migrant
children are compiled and a Micro Level Plan (MLP) to ensure their study is
prepared. After preparation of the study report, it is submitted to the Child
Welfare Committee and only after getting order from the Child Welfare
Committee, necessary assistance is extended.”
“We are extending our support to 40 orphaned children and
32 left-behind children of the migrants in the district. The educational
support we extend them includes note books and other items,” said Sunita
Tripathy, a member of the child protection committee.
“As a member of the committee, I use to monitor their
regular going to school, their neat-and-cleanliness and regular study
besides teaching them dance and music,” said Kasturi Patra who is reading in
Class VIII.
Every child has a lot of potential. The hopes of YCDA for
children have come true in the case of Kasturi. She has proved her
potentialities in the form of persuading two kids from a dungeon and admitting
them in a school which may ensure the two children a future. Our input and
regular intervention has activated her latent capacity and the realisation in
her, said Sunita.
In Kapani panchyat, the community has also taken a major
role for reducing children migration in the panchayat, she added.
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