At Ashiana, kids nurse big dreams

Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 1

Forty one inmates of Ashiana Children’s Home in Sector 16 hope that the New Year will bring with it opportunities that will help them achieve their dreams.

While one wants to be an astronaut and idolises Kalpana Chawla, another wants to represent the country playing badminton. They are happy and thankful for a New Year which will promote them to the next class in school.

The 34-year-old children’s home organised multiple events on the New Year’s Eve for kids. On Saturday, the kids had a musical evening and danced their hearts out and this morning they walked to Gurdwara Nada Sahib and offered prayers. They then went to a temple in Sector 29, Chandigarh, for another prayer session and then back to Ashiana where a lot of visitors, including college students celebrated the New Year with them.

General secretary of Ashiana Dr Vibha said, “Many of our kids, who went out and are living an independent life, came back today and celebrated the New Year with us,” adding that more than half of the kids are in Class IX and above and this year was a crucial one for them as they would make some career decisions. The kids wish to be independent and useful for the society as well.

A 22-year-old girl, Anjali, has done her masters in science and is now preparing to enroll in PhD. Other students are enrolled into engineering and architecture while former residents are working as nurses, hotel managers and engineers. The young ones are singers, dancers, painters, yogis and martial art enthusiasts while some have a flair for oratory and science.

The kids write their diaries and make greeting cards for each other on each festival and the same was done today. Greeting cards excite the kids as they show their artistic skills and make one for their friends while some make cards for each and everyone in Ashiana.

Many of our former children, who went out and are living an independent life, came back today and celebrated the New Year with us. More than half the kids are in Class IX and above and this year is a crucial one for them as they will make some career decisions. The kids wish to be independent and useful for society as well. — Dr Vibha, General secretary of Ashiana