IMPHAL, Sep 26: The Compassion Manipur Committee today organized a Children’s Day celebration at Compassion Children’s Home, Taloulong, Damdei as an encouragement to the inmates of the children home.
The celebration was attended by Thangso Baite, MP Lok Sabha, RK Nayansana, chairperson, State Social Welfare Board Manipur and Ngamthang Haokip, ex-minister, vice president MPCC as chief guest, president and guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion Thangso Baite stated that the various problems faced by the state like the ethnic conflicts, militancy problems and the spreading of HIV are the main factors which had led to the spreading of Children’s Homes in the state.
Elaborating on the need for self dedication by the people of the state in order to eradicate the problems faced by the state, he further stated that it is high time the people realized the vastness of the problems faced by the state.
Calling upon the inmates of the children’s homes not to imbibe any negative thoughts in their young minds, he requested the inmates to treat the elders of the Home as their own and for the elders to treat the children as their own.
The MP while speaking at the celebration also touched upon the developmental factor in the state, stating that the various schemes to help people earn their livelihood like the NREGS, MGNREGS etc. are meant for the development of the state. He also claimed that it is the Congress government that has implemented such schemes which are meant for the welfare of the people and the development of the state.
On the issue of national highways of the state, he stated that the Central government had already sanctioned a sum of Rs. 8 crores for the construction of two bridges on the NH-53.
He added that the people should not blame only the MPs for the non development of the hill areas as the concerned MLAs and ministers of the area also have certain responsibility towards the development of the areas.
With the institution of the recently elected ADC members, and the existing MLAs, Ministers and MPs, development of the hill areas is not far away, he said while adding that with the development of the state, peace will naturally follow.
He also promised that he will improve the roads connecting the Children’s Home with the NH-39 with funds from his local area development fund.
V Sitlou, founder of the Compassion Children Home, in his key note address stated that the plight of the children whose parents were killed either in ethnic violence of the early 1990s or by the dreaded HIV/AIDS had made him construct the Children’s Home in the year 2006.
The home is unique in the sense that it houses children from all communities including both boys and girls.
While stating that he is trying to increase the infrastructural building of the house so as to increase the intake capacity of the house from 50 children at the present to around 100 in the near future, he also added that the inmates of the house are mostly schooled at the Mount Orbit English School, Motbung.
Furthermore he added that the home also houses the two siblings from Phayeng whose mother and elder sister had become victims of militancy at the start of the year. They are studying and staying at the boarding house of North Point School, Luwangshangbam. However they returned to the Compassion Children Home during their vacations. He has also mentioned that the financial provisions for the two siblings are provided by the 39 Assam Rifles.
Today’s celebration also saw many cultural programmes enacted by the inmates of the home and was also attended by Sh Seipu, chairman, Sadar Hills District Council and other members of the council.
