Bengaluru: On Children’s Day, Deccan Chronicle celebrates the city’s unsung little heroes, who have battled insurmountable odds violence, drugs and life on the streets – to lead a life of dignity and aspire for a bright future. These children have survived troubled times to excel as students, artistes and even activists.
Vikas (name changed) was 14 years old when he ran away from a childhood of constant physical abuse. He boarded a train, arrived at K.R. Puram Railway Station, began his life on the streets and underwent travails similar to Oliver Twist.
He came in contact with anti-social elements and was taught to steal and scavenge for a living. He did this for nearly two years until he was found by city-based NGO Bosco Mane.
Today, he is a state-level hockey player and his troubled past has steeled him to fight for children’s rights. During the protests the city witnessed after Vibgyor school rape, he was in the forefront and even met the Chief Minister. Now he is in his ninth standard and preparing for his upcoming exams at St Joseph’s Boys School.
Another boy Kumar was only five years old when he lost his father and soon after his mother too abandoned him. An uncle of his stepped forward to take care.
But this did not provided any respite to Kumar. His uncle had fallen into the debt trap of an unscrupulous brick-kiln owner and Kumar was sent there as bonded labourer.
His tiny hands, which ought to have been holding a pencil, were holding bricks, sieving sand and carrying load that equalled his body weight for long hours without any holiday.
“I worked seven days a week, starting at 6.30 am, even if I was sick. If I showed any reluctance, I was severely beaten,” he said. “I wanted to study, longed for my parents and dreamt of playing with other kids,” he added.
He was rescued by the International Justice Mission, also a city-based NGO. With pride he said, “I go to school now and I want to become a police officer. I want to make a name for myself in my society.”
Due to his hard work he has now caught up with children of his age. After completing several grades at an accelerated pace in a school specifically for former child laborers, he is now continuing his studies in a mainstream school.
During leisure he either cycles around or tends goats he purchased through the special financial assistance Central Government.
For Ranjitha, who grew up in a home filled with alcoholism and abuse, life was chaotic and dangerous right from childhood.
Her mother left home and her alcoholic father threw her out on the streets when she was only six years old. She who lived all alone on the streets, in the southern part of the city.
She was rescued two years ago by activist John Devraj. Today, Ranjitha has proved herself to be ace gymnast and a singer, having performed at international forums.
Child psychologist and director at Turning Point, Dr Sulata Shenoy explains, “After abusive treatment, a child, whose cognitive development is still underway, begins to perceive the world as a bad place.
They start believing that every one is mean and evil and that there is no good in the world. This leads to depression and emotional aggression.
However, with time, things can be improved. Children are very resilient and with the right kind of treatment, they can learn how to trust others and have faith in themselves.”
She further added that though the child needs therapy, often the caretaker also requires it. “It is not easy to deal with such a volatile situation and to overcome that and help the child, they need to be counseled as well,” she expressed.
These kids, if they were lucky, would knock on car windows for spare change. Fate might have a role to play in turning their lives around, but these kids have shown remarkable courage in the face of the greatest challenges, living exemplars of hope, meeting every difficulty with a smile.
