Chitwan, December 17

Chitwan once plagued with helpless street children and abandoned elderly has in recent times witnessed some positive changes.

Police-Public Campaign and two Manab Sewa Ashrams (human service homes) have been availing treatment and protection to the homeless, including the mentally ill ones. In Narayangadh, one of the major business hubs in the district, the homeless people used to commit theft and robbery.

Police-Public Campaign Chairperson Bel Bahadur Gurung said there are around 36 children who are being looked after by the campaign. “Of the 42 kids picked from the streets, a few were reunited with their families while the rest have been kept at a facility in Anandapur,” he said, adding that the kids were also being provided informal primary education.

On his part, Diyalo Pariwar Narayangadh Executive Director Sitaram Bhatta said 200 children were on the streets in the district until last year.”We’d been providing the homeless people with snacks and tutoring them until last year but have been able to discontinue in recent days as the number of street kids has decreased,” he said.

Child Protection Officer Maheshraj Poudel at Women and Children Office, Chitwan, said there were 30 child care homes in the district housing 940 kids.

According to Manab Sewa Ashram central chairperson Ramji Adhikari, their Bharatpur centre searches the city streets for helpless elderly twice a week. “As for now, we visit the city streets on Tuesdays and Saturdays with the help of the local police and bring in elderly in need of support,” Adhikari said, adding that 54 elderly were taking shelter in the Ashram at present.