Don Bosco Navjeevan Society gives missing children a better life

Every day thousands of children are reported missing and many are never found. Don Bosco Navjeevan Society in Chandigarh, a society of like-minded individuals are striving to make the world a better place for such missing children.

By Sunil Sharma

Chandigarh, Sept. 29 : Every day thousands of children are reported missing and many are never found. Don Bosco Navjeevan Society in Chandigarh, a society of like-minded individuals are striving to make the world a better place for such missing children.

They not only trace them, but rehabilitate them and then send them back their homes with the help of information technology. This is how it happens.

Brother Pascal is on the look out for another missing boy.

Following a tip off from an auto rickshaw driver Rajpal Singh, one of the community members, they have traced a new face in the city - Chhotu, as he is called by all. hhotu doesn't know where he came from or who are his parents?

"We try to take out all the information we try to get it. And through that information we give counseling and try to repatriate the child," said Brother Pascal.

Don Bosco Navjeevan Society, with a network in 65 cities, has a vision and mission to help the young at risk.

Through its website - www.missingchildsearch.net - it opens a channel of communication between the mission children, the police, the parents and members of the society.

Fr. Sebastian Jose, Executive Director of Society said, "Before the internet came into real existence, we used to work through phone calls. If a child says I am from Delhi or run away from Chennai. We forward the details to our stations and ask them we have this child with us can you trace out their parents. But, today with the home link and with the missing child search it is easier for us."

The organisation has nearly 28,000 street children registered with it nationwide. The Chandigarh region has 531, out of which about a dozen have been restored to their homes.

"I want to study and lead a better life. The sisters take good care of us and I enjoy life with the other children," said Rani, an inmate.

Many are being rehabilitated in the centres where all facilities are provided to make them well rounded and confident citizens of the country.

"If the child doesn't want to go back home we take them to centers. We send all of them to schools and provide everything like uniform, text books and stationery. The senior boys and girls who do not want to got to schools are given technical (vocational) training. There is still a third category for the boys and girls who are working."

Some children are abandoned, others run away from home, some are even trafficked. It is widely believed that one child go missing in India every 30 seconds.

Organizations like Don Bosco Navjeevan Society have taken a giant step. Others too can join them to give the innocents a better life.

ANI