BENGALURU: Robotics is his passion and Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, his inspiration. His eyes light up when he talks about his role model. “Some day I want to be like Dr Kalam. I am going to be a scientist,” says Rahim.
Life would have been much different for Class 9 student Rahim had it not been for his current home Socare Ind or ‘Society’s Care for the Indegent’.
Rahim hails from a village in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. His family was in crisis after his father was convicted and sent to prison. With no resources back home, he and his brothers were taken in by Socare Ind. Today, Rahim explains the basics of robotics in impeccable English.
Home to many bright young minds like him, Socare, a city-based organisation is run by a group of retired government officials, helping children of prisoners break free from their past.
Socare was founded in 1999 by late V Mani, a retired RBI official. The institution has two separate homes for boys and girls, one in Subramanyanagar and another in Laggere. As on date, 157 children are part of Socare.
Breaking free from past.
“The baggage of the past belongs to their parents. The children need not suffer on account of their parents’ actions. It’s the future that belongs to these children,” says MM Rao, a retired engineer from Power Grid Corporation and one of the trustees of Socare who has been associated with the organisation for over a decade.
Providing shelter is just one of the aspects of the organisation’s work. The children who are taken care of by the organisation can stay with them until they complete their higher education and secure jobs.
All of them are enrolled in nearby unaided schools. “We send them to schools which are open to admitting students from such background and those willing to give fee concessions,” Rao said. While children are encouraged to complete education at least till Class 10, in some cases children are taken back by one of the parents or grandparents.
Holistic development
Children are given tuitions on the premises of the organisation once they are back from school. Socare also organises in-house workshops for students. Some of the students are interested in sports while some have a flair for the arts. Socare encourages children to take up extra-curricular activities.
Rahim’s elder brother Salim, who aspires to be a doctor, has already attended brain creativity workshop organised in an education institution in Uttar Pradesh. Their friend, George, a native of Manipur, who is a budding artist got selected by the India Foundation for the Arts to get trained by reputed artists in the country. “I got to train with seven artists. It was great exposure for me,” George told The Sunday Standard.
Today, two students of Socare are Taekwondo masters in the city. Some of them are pursuing engineering in reputed colleges while others are employed at multinational companies, according to Rao.
Retaining community ties
Socare usually gets references to these children through jail superintendents. Once the children are taken in, the organisation ensures retaining ties with their relatives and community. During holidays, children are sent home to parents or grandparents. Every Sunday, parents can call their children too. Recognising their work, Sringeri Sharada Peeta has offered donations to Socare.
(Names of children have been changed on request to protect their identities)