The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Looking at a better future

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 05, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Looking at a better future

Raghava M.

BANGALORE: Fifteen-year-old Ajay’s eyes gleam as he talks about PowerPoint. “I learnt Windows when I was in third standard. I have developed a fascination for drawing… more so for the PowerPoint feature,” he says and explains the way he recently made a presentation on ECHO (Empowerment of Children and Human rights Organisation), where he lives.

How did this bright child, son of Central Government employees, end up at a home? His eyes now glisten with tears. He lost his parents — father, two years ago and mother, a year ago. He then went to stay with an aunt.

“A friend of mine asked my help to overcome some money problems. I obliged by giving some of the jewellery at home. A family member filed a complaint of theft against me,” Ajay claims.

Having spent more than 100 days in the State Observation Home, he has now come to ECHO where he is readying himself for the future. “I want to become a software engineer,” says Ajay, who is preparing to write SSLC examination under the Kannada Open Scheme at the ECHO.

Into the mainstream

ECHO works towards bringing into mainstream juveniles who are either in conflict with law or are in need of care and protection, says its Director Antony Sebastion O. Praem.

(The names of the juveniles in this report have been changed.)

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