6 yrs on, tsunami orphans still at mercy of charity

Six years after the devastating tsunami, at least 56 kids, sheltered at the Annai Fathima Child Welfare Centre, an orphanage in Karapakkam on Old Mahabalipuram Road, are still living at the mercy of public charity.

These children, aged between 5 and 14 years, were orphaned when tsunami hit the coast of Tamil Nadu on December 26, 2004. After the tragedy, many of the children brought in here by various NGOs and government agencies. Since the orphanage has only three classrooms, they get primary education here and depend on nearby government schools for further studies. But they do not have even basic facilities like benches or desks and have to learn lessons sitting on the floor. In hostels they sleep on the hard floor sharing space with other inmates at the orphanage.

"It was a difficult task to get them admission in schools as none of them had documents to prove their names, age, name of parents," says Rani Krishna, founder of the orphanage. A few of them were referred by the government, but very little help comes from the government. The government provides a grant of Rs 5,295, that too for a total of 25 children. "Even after several requests, the government has not increased the amount. To meet their basic needs, I have to depend on public charity," she said.

Savitha of Pattinippakkam, a Class IX student, is the eldest among the children. She was just five year-old when the tsunami struck. She and her mother escaped from the killer waves but lost her father and their house. "It was a Sunday and I was at home with my mother. But my father had gone out and he never returned."