New: Open Shelter programs started

Fortunately, two government-funded programs were launched in spring 2022. In February the “KCWC Open Shelter Home Program” in our center in Robertsganj, Sonbhadra and in March/April 2022 the “Shelter Home Rail.Childline Cant” in Varanasi. Both programs target children from poor families, but also runaway and stumbled children. All the children have not yet been to school. “KCWC Open Shelter Home” in Robertsganj includes daily care for 25 boys between the ages of six and ten years from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays. The children are brought to the center in the morning and start the day with a morning prayer and promise for the day. In a conversation, a topic of the day will be explained to them and what it means. This is followed by a three-hour lesson in English, math, and general knowledge. The children receive daily instruction in these subjects. At 1 p.m. there will be lunch together. After the meal, the children have time until 4 p.m. for games, dancing, and other leisure activities. This promotes social interaction, as some children are shy and reserved. After the play phase, the children are brought back home by 5 p.m. Over time we will bring the children from this program together with the school children from the inclusion school so that individual classes are created. We can then also use our newly purchased playground for the children opposite the Keshwa Child Welfare Center. We are very happy that we launched the first major program after Corona.

The “Shelter Home Rail.Childline Cant” in Varanasi is a program funded by the ChildLine India Foundation, which has been running in our center in Varanasi since March/April 2022. As the name of the program suggests, children are “picked up” at the train station in Varanasi or live there in the simplest dwellings and go begging. These children are referred to us for care by the local Child Welfare Committee. But there are also street children and other needy children. We offer a 7 days 24 hours service in this program and the missed children are admitted to the center. All children get food and education during their care. A further solution is then sought for the missed children together with the authorities, so that the some children will leave and other children will come. The work with all these children is a huge challenge. A total of up to 18 people are employed in both programs. We have thus reached the first major milestone and can demonstrate our outstanding infrastructure and experience with our partner Creation India Society.