From street to classrooms

CHITWAN, April 18: Forty street children, who were rescued by the district police, have now found new lives. Those children living in streets were in danger of falling into dreadful habits such as smoking cigarettes and sniffing glues. But thanks to the joint effort of the police and the locals, they are now admitted to schools.

“The children were in danger of falling into bad habits. Some of them left their family because of their personal issues and were in risk of committing criminal activities. Providing them with educational opportunities and showing them the right path was very necessary,” said DSP Rajan Adhikari, who worked with the locals to rescue the street children.

The Chitwan police started a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) -- For Children Together by Citizen and Police Campaign - supported by locals working in education and social sectors as well. The rescued children are sent to rehabilitation centers before being sent to the schools for their basic education.

The recently rescued thirty-nine boys and a girl have already been transferred to a government school of Bharatpur -13 with hostel facilities from last Friday.

“Bharatpur municipality has donated almost Rs 1.7 million for their scholarship program,” said Bishnu Prasad Kharel, chief of the school administrative committee.

President of the organization Binod Sharma informed that they have been collecting street children for the last six months. “We have already sent children to seven rehabilitation centers in Chitwan and also to a rehabilitation centre in Nawalparasi to help them remove their old habits,” he informed, adding, “We will shift them to schools once they show interest for education.”

Essentials such as foods and furniture were supported by businesspersons in the district. The organization has raised a fund of Rs 4.5 million to aid the children's emergency needs.  

The District Police Office informed that the children will be placed in the classes they are interested in for the time being and additional classed will be added later on. The children, whose ages are not suitable for schooling, will receive vocational training as well.

The campaign even aims at helping the children become independent. The organization has also planned to look for foster parents for the street children.  

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