CHENNAI: Twelve-year-old Sona's crayon drawings is a colourful yet poignant collection of her life without a roof over her head. Her sketch shows a woman rocking her baby in a cradle tied to a tree and her pet dog beside her; children have their food, with their plates a stone’s throw away from speeding cars.
She was among the 15-odd children, all living on the streets of Broadway, asked to draw slices of their lives ahead of World Homeless Day on Sunday by Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC). It was part of the Chennai-based NGO's larger campaign for adequate housing.
The drawings throw light on the need for a policy for the urban homeless. IRCDUC also highlighted gaps in the existing Shelter for Homeless (SUH) scheme in the State. In a statement, the NGO said a visit to shelters in various parts of the State revealed that there is a need for rehabilitation services to also include vocational and skill training, credit linkages, psycho-social rehabilitation, permanent housing, and employment linkages.
To address the existing gaps in rescue, repatriation, and rehabilitation services, the welfare schemes of the State need to be linked to these shelters; this requires interdepartmental coordination. The convergence will be effective only when there is a State-specific policy or a guideline that details the roles and responsibilities of the departments, it stated.
Meanwhile, the corporation on Sunday took out a cycle rally with people living in its shelters. The group, on around 100 SmartBikes, started from Island Grounds and circled back via Mount Road. Residents may inform the corporation of the homeless in need of help on 1913, 94451 90472, 044 2530 3849.