GUWAHATI, July 21 � The Assam Sishu Kalyan Sadan, located at Sundarbari near the Gauhati University campus, is providing yeomen�s service in providing a safe home for the homeless children since its formation in 1958 and that too without much financial support from the Government.
Since its formation, it provided safe home to around 300 children from different parts of the state of the age group from four to 17 years of age and the organization is surviving mostly on donations from the well wishers.
The vice president of the Sadan, Shyam Sundar Deka said that the inmates are admitted in the nearby LP school and also in GU Model High School and apart from schooling, vocational training classes are also organized regularly. Music classes are held every Sunday evening under the guidance of a music teacher and an arts and craft class is held in Sunday morning. The children regularly produce greetings cards and arts objects, which supplement the income of the Sadan.
A weaving house with traditional looms and tailoring facilities has been maintained in the Sadan where the girls get training under two experienced weavers. The sale proceeds added to the income of the sadan. A kitchen garden has been set up where fruit trees have been planted, while, a fishery pond in one bigha of land is maintained from which fish is supplemented for the children. The Sadan also maintains a cattle house and a bio gas plant is under operation to supplement the cooking gas need.
Commenting on the future plans of the Sadan, Deka revealed that the children face problems in studies due to lack of a group study hall and steps are being taken to set up a well equipped study hall. The sadan is facing problems in holding meetings, cultural programmes etc because of lack of a proper auditorium and the management has proposed to equip the first floor of the newly constructed building into a proper auditorium. The three abandoned wells can be utilized for water harvesting. The boundary walls need to be reconstructed ,while, the existing fishery pond needs development under expert supervision. Earth filling on the backyard is required to increase the horticulture garden area and the playground needs to be developed. The campus should be made more energy efficient by installing solar panels and CFC lamps, Deka added.
As to how the Sadan is suataining, Deka said that abundance of goodwill of cross sections of people of the society sustains the organization to carry out its services for the underprivileged children. The local people also extend their helping hand whenever required. The Social Welfare Department offers a meager grant, but �we have to depend mostly on donations from well wishers from different sections of the society. The Income Tax department has exempted all donations to the sadan under Section 80 G in recognition to the services offered by the organization.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member from the state, also paid a visit to the sadan on 1996 and he sanctioned several projects for the development of the organization from his MP�s local area development fund. A much needed drinking water project was implemented in 2008-9 with funds provided from the area development fund of Dr Singh. Other MPs from the state also played their part in the development of the sadan. Indramoni Bora provided Rs four lakhs from his MP�s local area development fund, while, Silvious Condpan provided Rs three lakh. With the funds sanctioned by Bora and Condpan and with Rs 4.40 lakh provided by the State Bank of India, a double story learning centre has been constructed, Deka added.
