Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pondicherry (Agenzia Fides) - In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, one of the poorest India, childhood is difficult: many children are orphans, many live on the streets, without healthcare or schooling, many are forced to work. What is more in 2004 during the tragic tsunami 351 homes for children and 186 schools in Tamil Nadu were completely destroyed.
Childhood is difficult in cities as well as rural areas. In cities the economic conditions of families in slums are very precarious and children are often sent out to work without even elementary schooling and therefore condemned to a life of marginalisation. Also in rural families life is difficult and although child labour is illegal, children are sent to work at the age of ten or even before. They are a cheap labour force for work in the fields or textile and brick factories, working sometimes as long as 14 hours a day, and seven days a week. Many mothers, widows, separated or unmarried, are unable to look after their children and have to send them to beg on the streets or to a Children's Home.
To offer a solution to this problem with funds collected in a campaign in aid of tsunami victims an Italian NGO Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale AVSI recently opened a new Children's Home at Kolly Hills,. Betty Boys Home cares for 50 children aged between 6 and 14. The two floor building of 400square metres includes dormitories, bathrooms, kitchen, refectory, recreation room, a library, a study room and offices. The Home, run by a local Catholic religious congregation of Saint Francis de Sales, is named after Betty Buzzi, an AVSI volunteer who died not long ago.
AVSI - started in 1972 - is today present in 32 countries in Africa, Latin America, Middle East and eastern Europe with 70 programmes for healthcare and sanitation, caring for children in difficulty, education, professional training, small businesses, agriculture, environment protection. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/9/2007 righe 28 parole 289)
