They have helped enroll the kids of Yerawada Central Prison inmates into schools, or are helping them pursue their studies independently
An NGO helped enroll these sisters whose parents are jailed at Yerawada Central Prison, into a school
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The children of convicts usually have a bleak future, but thanks to few NGOS and the Yerawada Central Jail authorities, some of them can dream of doing something good with their lives.
Maharashtra Central Prison authorities have been working for the past two years with the Gala Bhet project with the Bhoi Foundation and Aadarsh Mitra Mandal in Pune at Yerawada Central Prison. Under this initiative, once a year, the children of convicts can go to the jail and meet their parents.
The story of two sisters, who complained to their jailed parents about their lives during Gala Bhet so moved a 44-year-old businessman, Vinayak Deokar, who also runs an NGO, Jeevan Mitra Education Society, that he enrolled them in his school (run by his NGO).
Parents jailed
The sisters who are five and three, stay with their maternal grandmother, who can barely take care of herself. Their father is jailed with a murder charge against him, and a year back their mother was also jailed under a murder charge. No relatives had come forward to look after the girls due to social taboo.
Deokar, who enrolled Sita (name of the five-year-old has been changed) and her sister in a school, himself was raised by an old couple who found him abandoned as a baby. He said, "I run a school from nursery till Std III. During Gala Bhet I interacted with few parents and children. I decided to enroll some children in my school. This is Gandhian ideology and we need to give back to society." Deokar has also enrolled 35 children, one parent each of whose is jailed, in a school in Solapur district.
NGOs say
Bhoi Foundation founder, Dr Milind Bhoi said, "We have a list of around 212 inmates' children. We take care of their education and other academic requirements. During Gala Bhet such children are given books, stationary, and also taken on a day-trip to science and technology centres. We also keep tabs on their progress and inform the inmates about their child's progress." Uday Jagtap of Aadarsh Mitra Mandal said while they help their children, they also help inmates. "We help inmates who want to study. We help them get jobs when they are freed," he said.
Grateful for school
The children are grateful that they can go to school. Sita said, "I was too young when my parents were arrested. I was often told later that my parents did something wrong, due to which God has punished them. I used to see my neighbours' children go to school, but my grandmother did not let me to go school, as we have no money. I am happy I got a school uniform and bag. I want to learn lot."
17-year-old Sumit (name changed) who has given the SSC exam, said, "My father worked as a security guard and there was a robbery in the building where he worked. He ran away and police arrested my mother in order to trace him. After couple of months my father was arrested. Both are jailed. Everyone called me a 'robber's son' and I felt de-motivated. I lost hope and got involved in illegal activities, but last year due to Dr Milind Bhoi and Uday Jagtap who helped me, I could give the Board exam externally. I want to be a lawyer and free my parents."
Police speak
Jail superintendent U T Pawar said, "Gala Bhet is a successful initiative. The first question the inmates asked children was about education, and they would get demoralised on learning about their children's suffering. So these NGOs came forward to help them. But some NGOs make money in the name of inmates' children. We appeal to people to verify with us before helping them."
Also read: Bank accounts opened for Yerawada Central Jail's women convicts
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