(Child beggars and labourers study in a school run by Mr Mansa Ram Ahuja. Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan)The Tribune
Friday, September 9, 2005
Chandigarh, Indian Businessman M.R. Ahuja runs 10 schools for child beggars in Panchkula, July 24
Going to the temple to thank the Almighty for blessings was a daily routine with local businessman, Mansa Ram Ahuja. “I used to go there looking for peace, but was always troubled to see hordes of street urchins jostling with each other, seeking alms from devotees. I would often think that these children would grow up seeking alms, and begging would become a habit. It was then that I decided to set up schools for these children,” he says. And sure enough, Jeevan Mukt Nishulk Vidyalaya was born four years ago. Beginning from teaching the children of his domestic help, and servants working in his locality, he has now started 10 schools for 750 child beggars and labourers.
“I always believed that education was the key to enlightened souls. “Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya”... this sholaka has always inspired me and so I decided that the best option to deal with child beggars will be to educate and teach them self respect,” he says.
Their efforts are already beginning to show results. Ram Das (10), who has been in the school for three years, was a help at a dhaba in Industrial Area. He was taken in by the Jeevan Mukt Nishulk Vidyalaya and he now tops in his class. But it has not been an easy task. He began his first school at a family-owned vacant plot at Haripur village, Sector 4.
Most of these children who were used to begging near the temples in various sectors refused to come to his school. He then approached the managements of various temples, requesting them that some place be allotted to him to run schools for these children. Not only would the problem of child begging be solved, but it would be a perfect social service, he pleaded.
“Initially, these managements were unwilling to let the urchins use their premises, but slowly they let down their defences. As of now, we have schools running for children at Shiv Mandir, Sector 9, Geeta Mandir, Sector 11, Gita Mandir, Sector 16, and Parshuram Bhavan, Sector 12-A, besides schools in the open outside the Sectors 6 and 10 temples and in Sector 14 outside the Shiv Shakti Apartments. Our children are being weaned away from begging and some of them work with their parents after school,” he says.
Recently, Andale Public School, opened its doors to the NGO. “We have allotted rooms to the NGO where these children are given initial training. Once they learn to read and write, we assess their calibre and allot them classes along with our regular students,” informs Principal, Mrs Kiran Bhasin.
A commission agent by profession, Mr Ahuja says that his philanthropic activities now leave no time for business. “Since I have a joint family, my brothers realised my penchant for social service and have not bothered me much. Over the period of time, fellow businessmen and some professionals, too have come out to help us run these schools. We have employed 16 teachers, and two of these teachers are working on honorary basis,” he says.
He says that they are now looking for help in terms of building, to shift open schools. “Since we intend keeping these children at school for longer hours and teach them other activities, we are now trying to arrange for lunch for our students by some NGO,” he adds.
“I always believed that education was the key to enlightened souls. “Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya”... this sholaka has always inspired me and so I decided that the best option to deal with child beggars will be to educate and teach them self respect,” he says.
Their efforts are already beginning to show results. Ram Das (10), who has been in the school for three years, was a help at a dhaba in Industrial Area. He was taken in by the Jeevan Mukt Nishulk Vidyalaya and he now tops in his class. But it has not been an easy task. He began his first school at a family-owned vacant plot at Haripur village, Sector 4.
Most of these children who were used to begging near the temples in various sectors refused to come to his school. He then approached the managements of various temples, requesting them that some place be allotted to him to run schools for these children. Not only would the problem of child begging be solved, but it would be a perfect social service, he pleaded.
“Initially, these managements were unwilling to let the urchins use their premises, but slowly they let down their defences. As of now, we have schools running for children at Shiv Mandir, Sector 9, Geeta Mandir, Sector 11, Gita Mandir, Sector 16, and Parshuram Bhavan, Sector 12-A, besides schools in the open outside the Sectors 6 and 10 temples and in Sector 14 outside the Shiv Shakti Apartments. Our children are being weaned away from begging and some of them work with their parents after school,” he says.
Recently, Andale Public School, opened its doors to the NGO. “We have allotted rooms to the NGO where these children are given initial training. Once they learn to read and write, we assess their calibre and allot them classes along with our regular students,” informs Principal, Mrs Kiran Bhasin.
A commission agent by profession, Mr Ahuja says that his philanthropic activities now leave no time for business. “Since I have a joint family, my brothers realised my penchant for social service and have not bothered me much. Over the period of time, fellow businessmen and some professionals, too have come out to help us run these schools. We have employed 16 teachers, and two of these teachers are working on honorary basis,” he says.
He says that they are now looking for help in terms of building, to shift open schools. “Since we intend keeping these children at school for longer hours and teach them other activities, we are now trying to arrange for lunch for our students by some NGO,” he adds.
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