By Keshav Pariat
SHILLONG: The love Jesus has for children, explained through the reading of Bible verses, was the way Reach Shillong Ministries opened their programme to celebrate the International Day for Street Children at the Talents Club Hall, behind Raj Bhavan, in Shillong on Friday.
Several activities were held for children who attended the function and they eagerly participated in singing and dancing. One of the songs sung was Jisu U Sngewbha ki khynnah.
A march was also held in the afternoon from Talents Club to Barik Point, past the Secretariat and back to the club. Children carried placards voicing the demands and concerns that surround street children.
The introductory speech was given by RSM president Reverend Reuben G Laloo. He explained that while April 12 has been celebrated as a day for street children since 2011, it has yet to be recognised by the United Nations and that is because “street children are a hidden phenomena”.
“Reach Shillong Ministries is hosting this function to stand in solidarity with street children around the world, to highlight the issues of street children and to tell Shillong of what help can be provided,” Rev Laloo said.
At the celebration were social welfare officers, representatives of other NGOs, churches and colleges in the city as well as a large number of children.
One of the speakers was C Kharsyntiew, a coordinator with RSM, who explained that conflict with parents, broken homes and migration from rural to urban areas were all reasons for the increase in street children in Shillong and “dustbins become their home”.
“Building skills is key for street children,” she said. “These include life, performance and vocational skills.”
The chief guest on the day, CN Marak, assistant director at the Social Welfare Department also saw the value of education when she said, “Education is important to reintegrate them (street children) and creating a sense of morals and giving them purpose.”
M Warjri, the District Child Protection Officer, explained in detail about how the Integrated Child Protection Scheme will help children in need of care and protection, those in conflict with the law and other vulnerable children.
Kharsyntiew added that many thousands of rapes and murders of children are reported every year in the world, but these are just a fraction, with many not brought to the attention of the authorities at all.
SP Vivek Syiem also spoke at the event and related some of his own experiences in dealing with street children over the years.
Street children are being used by adults to commit many crimes – be it petty theft, pickpocketing, or even larger-scale robberies, he explained.
“At first street children were scared of the police, but thanks to Pastor Reuben, attitudes have changed through the many interaction programmes between the police and street kids,” Syiem said.
Interestingly, Syiem admitted to a sense of failure among the police. “The police have failed, in a way, because we are so stretched due to the large number of cases involving children everyday,” he said.
Dr Sandi Syiem of Sanker was also present to speak about street children and health.
Due to the nature of the work many street children are in involved in and the environment they live in, children on the street are likely to suffer with their health.
Those who work on the street but live at home are likely to have some problems, but the real issues lie with those who live on the street.
Those children who do are more likely to start smoking and drinking from a young age. They may also be prone to skin diseases and tuberculosis, for example.
Sexually transmitted diseases are also a big problem as those who live without the protection a home offers can find themselves become victims of forced sexual activity.
Dr Syiem explained to the audience about the dangers of drug abuse too. “Inhaling glue can give a sense of euphoria for a few minutes, but once the high wears off it can lead to depression,” he said.
Continued use can bring about hallucinations and mental illness. Street children are also at danger of falling prey to other drugs.
In Meghalaya, “values are deteriorating,” added Dr Syiem. “Parents do not have time for their children and they, in turn, are unable to know what is right and wrong.
“If we can provide children with love, we will see them grow to lead productive lives,” he said.