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Arpita
is eighteen years old. She saw her mother die infront of her
eyes. She was very scared of the male figure. It was because
of her uncle, that her mother had died. When she joined us
she was mentally disturbed. Her aggregate marks in school
were two. It was very difficult for her to cope up with her
studies and social environment. But with special care and
attention she came up to a certain standard. She is very slow
but steady. Today she passed X std from open school and finished
her sewing course .She is assisting in our school and undergoing
pre primary teacher`s training course. She has developed confidence
and likes when others residents call her `Teacher`.
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Seema had witnessed the death of her full family members one
after another. When her mother died, she did not react. But
after twelve days, it was very difficult for us to look after
her. She needed constant attention, care and love . We prayed
for her mother for 12 days in our evening on her request.
Time and again, she had to be assured that her mother had
left her in my care and that I would be her surrogate mother
and look after her. Today she is fine. She is very intelligent
and completing her 5th std.
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Jamma is now 12yrs old. When she was 4 yrs old,she came to
us along with her mother who was CSW. She was dressed in long
clothes. After her mother’s departure, weundressed her
for bath, and realized that her body was fully covered with
scabies. But she had a beautiful smile on her face. After
some time, her mother stopped coming to see her as she was
afflicted with AIDS .she used to wait for her mother to come
from Pune and hoped she would visit her at least on her birthday.
But she did not come for three yrs. She did not get any call
from her. Slowly she was prepared to accept the fact that
her mother would never come. We found a God father for her
from a neighbourhood. Jamma was very happy but her happiness
short lived. Her God father died of illness and old age. This
was another shock, but she is gradually getting over it and
learning to
be strong.
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Conclusion and reflection
These children bear the scars of their experiences. Many of
them have experienced the full range of negative emotions
and feelings from rejection and abandonment to being orphaned.
They are withdrawn, frightened and emotionally drained. Amcha
ghar is residential HOME which facilitates a lot of emotional
ventilating and sharing. Over time, the children have shared
their likes, dislikes, joys, sorrows, hurt, big sorrows, hopes
and frustrations. Since we work with all groups of vulnerable
children such as commercial sex workers, street children,
slum children, children at risk,. We have come to understand
what they face –social disapproval, marginalized, humiliation
and deprivation. What they need above everything else is a
sense of security.
Susheela
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