TEZPUR, July 13 � A group of more than 25 children, who come from different social backgrounds but share similar experiences like loss of dear ones and various other reasons are discovering a new world at the Nabaprabhat orphanage at Tezpur Ketekibari located near the historic Ketekesor Dewaloi.
The orphanage and the old age home set up on January 1, 2006 with the objective of providing shelter as well as a new direction to the children who have nobody of their own is being run amid various obstacles and financial troubles. It has also become a place for building a concept of oneness, overlooking past bitterness.
For, at this place, Tina Saikia (Ingti), a Karbi child who lost her parents to tuberculosis a few years back and Deepjyoti Saikia (Pal), son of a Bengali family who became an orphan when his father committed suicide after burning his wife to death for not being able to provide dowry, have become friends.
Tina is now a student of Class III and Deepjyoti is a student of Class V at Ketekibari MV School. Deepjyoti is one of the best students of tabla and art in the Ketekibari Rupkonwar Music School. Deepjyoti also plays the nagara (a traditional musical instrument used in naam kirton) at naam prasanga programmes held in and around the Ashram. It is not important from where they hailed, but it is imperative enough for them to take the opportunity of learning and growing up under the root of the Ashram.
It is noteworthy that along with other activities including going to school and taking part in outdoor sports, cultural functions and the Rabha Divas programmes, the ashram has been providing opportunities to these less fortunate children to go ahead with a positive frame of mind. Run by prominent social worker and journalist, Bidyut Saikia and Trisnamoni Saikia, the orphanage has been receiving support from people of every walk of the society, including reputed NGOs like Rotary Club, Lion�s Club, Tarun Asom Sangha and prominent social worker of Tezpur Dr Lakhi Goswami among others.
The couple, while interacting with this correspondent, said that the Ashram received the Chief Minister�s best community action award for development work in 2009 for playing a commendable role in the social line. �Motivated by such awards along with the selfless help of the people of the society, we have dedicated our valuable time to looking after these less fortunate children,� the duo said. It is observed that children who have nobody in this world to call their own should be treated differently. Many children have lost their guardians following untold miseries. The future of these children was at risk, but now they can�t feel that they are orphans as we try our level best to provide them the much neded help and care,� the duo continued. Bidyut Saikia informed that the Ashram would at start imparting certain need-based exercises to the children in the days to come. Already the children of the Ashram have become expert in dealing with every possible civic work like keeping their surroundings clean, helping each other, etc.
Moreover, the students of the Assam Valley School near here conduct social service in Tezpur town, taking the help of the children of the Ashram.
The Ashram has concentrated on education of the children through which they can become good citizens of the society.
