THIRUVANANTHAPURAM :The Kerala Child Welfare Committee’s Ammathottil welcomed its 600th child on Saturday morning. The seven-day-old baby girl, weighing 3.4kg, has been named Ritu by Women and Child Development Minister Veena George.
The minister, while visiting the holiday camp ‘Kilikkoottam’ organised by the committee on Friday, urged parents to never harm their child and instead entrust the government with their care if they are unable to provide for them.
As Ritu arrived the next day, the minister expressed her gratitude to the anonymous person who decided to bring the child to Ammathottil.
As soon as the message about the arrival of the new baby reached the adoption centre, the duty nurse, caretakers and security staff took the baby to the Thycaud Women and Children’s Hospital for a health check-up.
On May 20, another baby girl named Mazha, weighing 3.14kg and approximately three weeks old, was brought to Ammathottil. Ritu is the 14th child and fifth girl to be admitted to the centre this year.
So far, 25 babies have been adopted by new parents through the committee this year. Meanwhile, Kilikoottam, the children’s holiday camp, concluded on Saturday at the committee’s headquarters in Thycaud.
The camp, which started on April 3, came to an end with children showcasing their skills they learned over two months. MLA V Joy handed out certificates to the children. The two-month-long camp with the theme ‘child-friendly India’ nurtured creative skills and textual learning among students.
The participants learned acting, music, dance, painting, musical instruments, literature, origami, cinema, science, mathematics, newspaper production, film production, magic, yoga, and karate at the camp.
There were also debates with distinguished guests, a guru vandanam, excursions, and other entertainment programmes. A total of 450 children from kindergarten to Plus II, including about 100 children from Sreechitra Home and Child Welfare Committee, participated.
State Child Welfare Committee vice-president P Sumesan presided over the event. General secretary G L Arungopi reviewed the camp. Executive committee member O M Balakrishnan delivered the welcome address and M K Pashupati delivered the vote of thanks. Joint secretary Meera Darshak, treasurer K Jayapal, and camp director N S Vinod attended the function.
In safe hands
The baby is now under the protection of the committee’s adoption centre in the city. Ritu is the third child who has been admitted to Ammathottil in May and the second within the same week. Women and Child Development Minister Veena George urged parents to never harm their child and instead entrust the government with their care if they are unable to provide for them.