The office bearers of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Ranchi district were surprised when a boy who had topped matriculation examination in his district sent a well drafted WhatsApp message to one of the helpline numbers requesting for the help.
Call him Suraj, call him Aditya or call him by any name, he is synonymous to anything that is bright and brilliant. A student of DAV School, he had scored 96.4 per cent marks last year and became topper of Jamtara district.
Single child of his parents, the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed his dream as he lost his father and mother. Somewhere he came to know that Ranchi CWC has announced to take care of such children affected by COVID-19.
Apparently he is slightly above 18 years of age and as per the rule only a child up to 18 years, is eligible for care and protection as per the government guidelines. But irrespective of the age and district factor; Ranchi CWC has decided to take care of this child.
Tanushree Sarkar, member of Ranchi CWC admitted having received a request from a matriculation topper.
“This meritorious boy has suffered tragedy. He doesn’t know whether his parents had left any savings and properties for him. He wants to study so whatever care and protection he requires Jharkhand government will ensure. We are in touch with our Jamtara counterparts in this regard. The state government is committed to care and protect such children,” she said.
Realizing that the pandemic too has left children traumatized, the state government directed all districts to track such children who have lost their parents and there is none to care and protect them. Besides, there are children who need temporary shelter as their parents are in hospital and those who are unable to get care and protection due to Covid. Accordingly, the government floated public notices along with child line number 1098 helpline number 181 besides contact number of district CWC members. The government appealed to people to inform them about such children. The government also assured financial assistance to people who come forward to foster such children.
Ranchi district administration has received as many as 45 requests and information about such children. An elderly woman of Ranchi needs support for her five years old grandchild because she is financially weak.
“We are working on each case we come across and we can go extra miles and rulebooks to support such children. In fact children are silently suffering Covid 19 trauma in various forms,” said Rupa Kumari, another member of Ranchi CWC.