By: G M Mir Nadim
All children particularly orphans need a safe place to grow. Caring for orphans & nurturing them with the basics like food & clean clothes and access to education increases the likelihood of them becoming positive members of their communities. Changing their narrative from being vulnerable to resilient.
Most of the time, children are left in orphanages because they don’t have anybody to take their care. Some orphans don’t have father. Their widowed mother can’t afford to take care of them. These widows put their trust in the orphanage to feed, clothe & educate their children and provide them with a stronger start in life.
With our donations together we can fund a future for orphans in need & help them rise out of poverty.
A simple donation to orphanages can clothe hundreds of orphans, feed them for months, give treatment to the severely or terminally sick, keep the heat on in orphanages over the winter, improve livelihoods in schools by building more classrooms, provide opportunity for more children to receive proper education and put widows at ease who worry about feeding their children.
Orphans can be given counselling treatment to help them overcome any trauma they have been through. It is the beginning of a better life for them and we will be here to continue to support them throughout their time in the orphanage.
Here I may mention the name of a young volunteer, class 11th student of Srinagar, Mir Babra has started to work for the orphans particularly teenaged girls to educate them about their hygiene and self-defense tricks.
Pertinently, she organized a workshop for the age group of 8 to 20 girls to educate them about maintenance of cleanliness and also tricks of self-defense at Gulshan-e-Banat, J&K Yateem Trust Gopalpora, the other day.
Workshop was attended by several Health Specialists, intellectuals and knowledgeable mediapersons. Columnist G M Mir Nadim and Chairman J&K Yateem Trust Mr. Zahoor Ahmed were also among dignitaries present on the occasion.
Addressing the workshop, G M Mir Nadim stressed upon the habit of taking daily shower, cleaning hair with shampoo or conditioner, brushing, combing and dressing it properly. Use of perfume after shower at least 2 sprays ensure refreshing effect to a person. He urged for cutting nails weekly and to clean teeth twice a day importantly.
Mr. Mir impressed upon all youngsters to offer five times Salah after performing Wadhu (ablution) which would ensure healthy & fresh look 24×7.
He appealed female teachers of the school to educate the girl students about good health habits during a special period in a day.
Speaking about the self-defense tricks, G M Mir Nadim said that gone are the days when kids used to walk back home from school all by themselves, go for a walk down the street late at night or drive alone. Parents didn’t have to constantly worry about their teens.
Due to increase in street crimes, girls especially are no longer safe. They are always accompanied by their parents or other elders of the family. But for how long can parents will spare time to accompany their daughters. So, it is need of the hour that girls need to understand the concept of self-defense. There is urgent need to start self-defense classes in various schools for girls to know about self- defense tips.
Mr. Mir asked girls to do regular physical exercises, plus walk and run activity on daily basis so that their limbs and overall body become smart, energetic and sharp to run fast when expecting attack, to escape from the site and seek help from someone around.
Besides Mr. Mir asked to attack eyes of assaulter if required. Make use of elbows and forearms to grip the attacker’s neck with one hand, hit his eyes then face. That way, a girl can save herself and her friends from assaulters and teasers.
Mr. Mir asked young girls, their respected teachers, care-takers and guardians present in the workshop to adhere to the norms of discipline and live a peaceful and dignified life. He impressed upon speaking truth in all circumstances and share love & affection with all particularly destitutes, needy, poor and aged humanity.
Mir Babra during her vote of thanks assured the orphans girls of all possible support from one & all besides care & love they deserve. She informed the girls that she is herself an orphan as she lost her mother last year who was a cancer patient. She said that she can well understand the pain & agony an orphan faces in life. Later she distributed various stationery articles among girls on the occasion as a token of love.
Mir Babra & Mr G M Mir distributed certificates of participation among speakers and orphan girls.
Miss Shafia Riyaz & Miss Sabahat Qoyoom also addressed the workshop and shared their experiences with the young girls of the school.
Snacks, refreshment, coffee and light breakfast were served voluntarily by Café 68 Jehangir Chowk, Srinagar through Mr Irfan Ahmad.
While interacting with the audience Mr Irfan assured such kind of support always for a noble cause. He said Café 68 is serving birthday parties, ring ceremonies, home deliveries of various food articles 24×7.
With engineering background, a science teacher of the Gulshan-e-Banat Miss Tabassum also attended the workshop
and provided all required logistics to the organisers.