SHILLONG: The Open Shelter – A 24 hours Crisis Management Centre for children in need of care and protection, a project run by NGO Reach Shillong Ministries at Nongmensong, was inaugurated by H.M Shangpliang, Director and Secretary of Social Welfare Department, on Friday.
Speaking as the Chief Guest on the occasion, Shangpliang lauded the efforts of the NGO to take in abandoned and street children. He said the Department would help the NGO provide the children a better life.
R.G Laloo, president of Reach Shillong Ministries, said the need for an open shelter began with Rahul, a familiar face on the street of Police Bazar. The boy chose to stay on the rod despite several attempts by the NGO to rehabilitate him.
“We sought the help of Sandi Syiem from SANKER but it was all in vain. Thus a vision for the opening of the Open Shelter becomes a necessity,” he added.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “It will help the target population of children, including runaway children and street and homeless children. The shelter home will provide relief till the children are restored to the families. It will be a night shelter for homeless children.”
Speaking of the organisation’s close association with street children, Laloo said, “We have contact points at Wahriting (Mawblei), Iew Mawlong with social workers who come to meet them.”
The concept of the Open Shelter is on the lines of the Centre’s Integrated Child Protection Scheme and is not meant to provide permanent residential facilities to children but complement the existing institutional care facilities.
