Mangaluru: Children’s Day was celebrated at Prajna Counselling centre here on November 14.
The programme began with an invocation. Founder of Prajna Counselling centre Dr Hilda Rayappan welcomed the gathering. In her welcome speech, she recalled about the students who were abandoned by their families and are now working in various companies after completing their studies. One student after completing his engineering is working in a Gulf country and is sending Rs 30,000 every year to take care of the children.
Addressing the children Minister for Health and family welfare U T Khader said, “When I was young, I had the opportunity to meet Mother Theresa who was serving the poor and the neglected. Today I have the opportunity to meet the Mother Teresa of Mangalore Dr Hilda Rayappan who is serving the poor and neglected children”.
He further said that today we are celebrating our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday which is also the Children’s day,Chacha Nehru loved children very much, he said that children are the future of the country. If you want to see the future of the country, do not count the stars in the sky but see the eyes of the children. If they are bright and happy, then the future of the country will also be bright.
Dr Hilda Rayappan has wiped the tears of many children who were abandoned by their parents, some of whom were forced to work as child labourers. While concluding he said, “You can be born in poverty but it is not necessary that you also die in poverty”, the children in Prajna Counselling center may be born in poverty but under the guidance of Dr Hilda Rayappan are leading a respectful life in the society by getting good education.
MLA J R Lobo interacting with the children said that all of us should recollect what Chacha Nehru was, and teach the present generation about Chacha Nehru. He was the first prime minister of India and he was the architect of the country. Gandhi’s freedom fight and Sathyagraha movement swept Nehru completely into the national struggle and helped him to emerge as a great national leader. Children should follow in the footsteps of Chacha Nehru and learn about his life.
Mubeena a child labour who was rescued by the Prajna counselling centre speaking on behalf of the students, shared her plight and said, “I was interested to pursue my education. Due to financial crisis, my mother sent me to work as a domestic worker. When I refused she said that, being very poor it was difficult to send her school. I agreed to work as a domestic worker and my mother brought me to Mangalore. People where I was working were torturing me, when I asked them to let me go home, they threatened of handing me over to the police. One fine day, I made up my mind and escaped from the place. I was afraid because I did not have any money, but through the technicians of a nearby garage, I was introduced to Suresh Uncle, who then brought me to Prajna counselling centre. Now I am learning Computer graphics. I find difficult in learning because I studied till 7th standard. But nothing is impossible, I am trying my best to learn computer graphics.
Later all the children enjoyed the evening playing and flying kites. U T Khader provided Ideal ice cream for all the children present.
Courtesy : Manglorean