SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGE-ROURKELA
An overview of it's History and New Dimension
The history of SOS Children's Village Rourkela is just four years old. During this period it has succeeded to bloom a smile on the faces of many children in distress and had promised them a secured life. There were of course many trying times, but moving forward with a firm conviction and clear vision. Nothing could stand on the way for long.
BACKGROUND
October 29, Year 1999: Super cyclone hit the coastal line of Orissa with a gigantic speed of 300 miles per hour. A large trail of death and destruction followed. SOS CVI rushed to the emergency relief work immediately and during the process of relief work many children were found in urgent need of care who were brought to SOS Children's Village Bhubaneswar for temporary accommodation.
This incident paved way for inception of second Children's Village in Orissa. Sri J. N. Kaul, President, SOS Children's Villages of India and Mr. Siddhartha Kaul Deputy Secretary General, Asia, SOS Kinderdorf International with their untiring and continuous effort could secure a gift of 5 acres of land from the Government of Orissa at a prime location site at Rourkela for the construction of second children village in Orissa.
An unfortunate incident that became the cause for the setting up of a new children's village in Rourkela turned into an abode of peace, hope and happiness for many children in urgent need of SOS care.
PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT
Many children from the cyclone hit area were restored to their living relatives who showed their willingness to take care of the children during the restoration process. Despite this there were many children left requiring the help and support of SOS. Small kids were immediately provided with home in the existing children village at Bhubaneswar.
SHIFTING
58 cyclone-affected children along with 8 numbers of mothers moved to Rourkela in August 2001.SOS children's Village purchased four HIG flats in Rourkela for accommodating the children and mothers. It functioned from those buildings till the final shifting to the newly constructed village.
CONSTRUCTION
The construction work of SOS Children's Village, Rourkela commenced from 8th November 2000 immediately after shifting. With a provision for 15 Family Houses, Village Facility, Kindergarten, Dispensary and Guest House besides co-worker residence and Garage / Workshop in the Village, the construction was completed in July 2003.The original geographical structure of land has been left unhurt that gives an added beauty to the view of village with its gradual greening.
HOUSE WARMING
All the 58 children and mothers shifted to the newly constructed Children's Village on 6th July 2003. A grand house warming celebration was organized and Mr. Pradeep Singh, National Director graced the occasion by attending the house-warming puja. Children were very happy to live in their new family house.
DEDICATION CEREMONY
The Dedication Ceremony of the Children's village was held on 2nd December 2003. This was a grand function The Chief Minister of Orissa Mr.Naveen Pattanaik Dedicated the village to the service of children in presence of Shri Siddhartha Kaul, Deputy secretary General, SOS Kinderdorf international, Mr.Svein Gronnern Secretary General SOS Norway and Mr. Pradeep Singh National Director, SOS Children's Villages of India. Many Distinguished personalities of the town, including MLAs, Minister of State Government of Orissa & District Collector, Mr. S. K. Vasisth were present on the Occasion. All the children, mothers and co-workers were extremely happy on that special occasion of the village. On 6th July 2004 with the opening of two new family houses, all 15 family houses became functional with 136 children under our care, exactly with in a year of the house warming function.
Today 160 children are living happily in all the 15 family houses under the loving and earnest care of their mother. They have the courage to laugh back at the face of any odd in their life and proceed ahead with a sense of confidence. Their small and beautiful mind nurtures a sketch of their future and wish for its fulfilment. 109 children are studying in 10 different schools of Rourkela. 39 children are studying in the Village Kindergarten.
Our eldest girl child Kamini Rout made each one of us proud by passing the 10th Board exam with 1st division in year 2004.She was the first child from the village to successfully complete her class X. Her success came as reward to our efforts. Kamini is now pursuing her further education in Science at SOS Hermann Gmeiner School in Bhimtal. Three girl children are now pursuing their higher education in engineering. We have always remained focused and had put in our effort to maintain the academic growth of the each child. We also thoroughly plan out and ensure various social exposures for our children that are made frequently to boost their confidence and give them a broad idea of contemporary society. Nonetheless we have also supported their spiritual growth that is very essential to develop them as better and compassionate human being.
The other form of God in every home " Mother " whom all the children idolize in their life has always with their pure dedication and hard work, unfailingly build up lives of many children. We have always laid a supporting hand to them and understanding their practical base of work in a changing socio – political arena, tailor a lot enrichment programs and exposure for them. We still believe that mother plays a very vital role for determining the future of each child. We encourage variety of vocational programs that helps our mothers in their day to day life. On 20.11.2004, Youth Hostel Associations of India, Rourkela Unit on the eve of its 27th Annual Day function felicitated SOS Children's Village, Rourkela with a Trophy and Citation for its outstanding performance in the field of Social and cultural ambience of Rourkela.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
Strengthening Motherhood Programme
Apart from taking care of needy children, Children's Village, Rourkela took its first step towards community work as a responsible social service organisation by providing support to needy and neglected women in the society.
It identified 12 such women in the near by community and provided them financial support under the Strengthening Motherhood Program designed specifically to meet this purpose. A function was organised inside the village campus on 5tn April and in presence of guest and social dignitaries Mr. Brahma Mishra, President of All India Steel Plant Executive Association, distributed financial aid to all the women beneficiaries for the first time. Since then the program is continuing and 34 children are able to continue their education in formal schools. A self-help Group is formed by these women and it is hoped that, this will further strengthen their efforts to bring a positive change in their life. At present SMP has embraced 27 such needy women and 81 children under its fold. We make a small effort to help these women realize that they are the source of strength, energy and power and can live their life with a marked difference.
Social Centre
In introspection we strongly visualize that our long term support for children will be solidified, if we workout any concept to combat risk factors at personal, family and community - related reasons that cause children to get in to situation in which they are unprotected or abandoned, or in which their basic needs is no longer satisfied. Our approach towards running the social centers has progressed with this prospective.
SOS CVI, Rourkela conducted a survey in 12 villages with an object of improvement of socio-economic status of the people living in the fringes of the industrial capital of Orissa during the period October-November 2003 within a maximum radius of 16 kms from SOS CVI, Rourkela.
12 Balsevikas from these villages were selected through Mahila Mandals. They were trained in Pre-School education. Community Participation through Mahila Mandal, formation of Self help Group and running of SHG.
Enrichment of the childhood has become our soul aim, which complies with our organizational vision.
317 children under the age group of 3-6 years are attending 10 Balwadi Centers that have been formed in 10 villages. The Balsevikas sincerely look after the education, health, nutrition and developmental aspects of these children.
Creation of adequate level of awareness for self-employment, boosting of moral of the womenfolk and utilization of their skill have been our prime concept. Strengthening the existing Youth mass to create concentrated force for the community development work is another perspective.
Our approach always remains at grass root level that encourages active participation of the beneficiaries giving top priority to our programme.
We believe this will go a long way for removing the age-old deprivation of basic amenities of the lives of the masses and children in every household enjoys their rights to live and grow as a human being.
At the point of initiation the main framework of our social center has been to create awareness among people and help them to help themselves at large.
OUR STRATEGIES
We ensure maximum satisfaction of basic needs (nutrition, health, education) of our children with a secondary effort aimed at reducing the risk factors within the society. We work out alternative ways for our children to equip them best with moral, physical and intellectual powers that will help them lead a life full of dignity and cause in the changing face of society.
We are working towards the setting up of our Youth House Project in recent future. We emphasize on training our youths with a multitude of vocational training that will work in line with child's future plan for settlement. This is deliberately thought, to initiate settlement process of children in their early youth in a decent manner. This will again benefit the child as they are re-linked to their natural family at an early age consolidating family relationship in a natural way.
We work for improving the availability of resources with us at the same time making the best use of them for a safe and secure future for each child. We have adopted prevention as our prime strategy that benefits the family unit in the community, one of the key issues for the sufferings of many children in the present social setup.
We are focused to promote and strengthen the families and communities- so as to avoid institutionalized care for children. We exhibit courage to take the responsibility not only of children, placed under our care but also, of all the neglected children in the society, that gives a silent message to all concerned in the society to carry out their part.
Understanding the magnitude of the work, we work with various groups, social representatives, institutions, communities and government to take the responsibility for the protection of the children. We string up together all our efforts to integrate children in to the main stream of society, which is also our prime organizational goal.
We always believe that together we can and we will make a difference
To quote Swami Vivekananda,
We are in this world by our action. Just as we go out with the sum-total of our present actions upon us, so do we come into it with the sum-total of our past actions upon us which takes us out is the very same thing that brings us in. What brings us in? Our past deeds. What takes us out? Our own deeds here and so on and on we go...."
Mr. H. P. Mahapatra Asst. Village Director