Trust holds out hope for rag-picking children

Rajkot, Oct 15 (UNI) For hundreds of rag-picking children here, school was a distant dream until a philanthropist, Vijay Rupani, decided to give them a future.

Following the untimely demise of his three-year-old son Pujit, Mr Rupani, now a Rajya Sabha member, decided to set up a trust to care for deprived children in memory of his son. Thus, was born the Shri Pujit Rupani Memorial Trust (SPRMT) which took 60 rag-picking children under its fold. That was ten years back.

Since then, 3200 children, aged from six to fourteen, have been benefitted by the trust's benevolence.

The trust runs several projects for the benefit of the rag-picking children ... the ''Gyan Prabodhini'' project being one of them. The project is intended for the bright children and the trust takes care of their educational needs from the eighth to the twelfth standards. Mr Rupani, while speaking to UNI, claimed that over 60 children have benefitted from the project and have pursued higher professional education thereafter.

Under the trust's ''Raj Deepaka'' project, rag-picking women are taught to read and write, imparted religious knowledge, and provided vocational training every Wednesday and Saturday. The women are also provided with food, free medical facilities, and an insurance coverage.

As for the children, it is not just all studies. The trust has arranged for their recreation too. They can play with a plethora of toys, while the trust also hosts puppet and magic shows and screening of cartoon films occasionally.

They are also taught music, dance and arts by professional teachers. Special drawing classes are conducted by expert art teachers duing vacation under the ''Saptasur Sangeet Vidyalaya'' project.

Under the ''Sanjeevani Yojana'', the trust has set up an ultra modern medical centre to provide medical treatment at just Rs 5 to outdoor patients and free treatment every Wednesday with free vaccination to infants. Patients suffering from tuberculosis are provided free treatment. The scheme also allows poor patients to pay Rs 150 and avail medical treatment throughout the year.

Apart from these activities, the SPRMT also conducts computer training and embroidery classes for women at a low fee.

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