Bhavnagar (Gujarat): For the last three years, a person from Gujarat's Bhavnagar has been running a school for orphans and destitute children who are largely into begging and may, otherwise, never enter a school in their lives.
Dr Om Trivedi runs 'Bhaibandhani Nishal' in Pill Garden, Bhavnagar, where children from the poorest of poor families are taught to read and write. "I have been running this school in a government garden for the last three years. The 34 students here are children of families that live on footpaths. These children are mostly into begging and attend this school from 7 pm to 10 pm. I teach them and also provide food to them," Dr Trivedi told ETV Bharat. He said the children have been able to learn Math tables and English letters.
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According to Dr Trivedi, the children do not have any certificates or documents proving their identity. "Majority of them do not even have a Date of Birth Certificate as their parents do not know the exact dates they were born. They do not have any Aadhaar cards as well. I have tried to make legal documents for two of the children and it cost me Rs 10,000 including the affidavit and advocate fees. I am seeking public funds to make such certificates for all the children I teach," he said.
Dr Trivedi said he wanted the children to have the documents to be able to study further and not be exploited in their lives. "They come from families that are very poor and live below the poverty line, don't have a home, not even an identity card to say that 'I am an Indian'," he said.
