The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Charting a new destiny for less privileged children

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Charting a new destiny for less privileged children

Ramya Kannan

An arts-based mentoring programme designed to benefit children from 18 residential centres

— Photo: R. Ragu

Former President Abdul Kalam launching ‘Puthiya Pathai Ini Oru Vidhi Seivom’ in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: It was not quite the way you would have expected destiny to be re-written.

In a dimly lit auditorium filled with a bunch of sometimes restless, sometimes attentive children, a few adults, kind of low key, except for the man on stage. “Ini Oru Vidhi Seivom” (Let’s chart a new destiny) was launched on Monday by none other than former President APJ Abdul Kalam to rewrite the lives of a number of children who have not had it good for long. A joint initiative of NalandaWay Foundation, an NGO, the Department of Social Defence and UNICEF, “Ini oru Vidhi…” is an arts-based mentoring and training programme that will help children from 18 residential centres run by the Department of Social Defence.

The aim of the programme is to benefit children in child/juvenile care institutions, as well as children in Observation Homes and Special Homes run by the government. The entire project will be divided into two, one for children under the care and protection of homes – ‘Kanavugalin Kondattam’ – and the other for children in conflict with law – Puthiya Pathai.’ “This is something that has never been done before. How we are going to do it is by ensuring full involvement of the staff of the homes themselves after training them first,” says Sriram V. Ayer, founder and CEO of NalandaWay.

Obviously inspired by Subramania Bharathi’s famous first line “Ini Oru Vidhi Seivom,” the effort will help, via the medium of arts, children reduce depression and overcome disruptive behaviour. “Further, it will encourage creativity in them, teach them life skills and infuse self-confidence in children, thereby creating that new destiny,” says Mr. Ayer.

Mr. Kalam warmed the hall with inspiring tales of enduring past adversity and disability. He urged the students gathered there to dream and chase their dreams, but not to forget the fact that they also had to help others along the way. “What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves, even if that means slowing down,” he said to spontaneous applause from the children and adults alike.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu