TARGET GROUPS: • Marginalised Communities • Labour Groups. • Disabled Persons
• Children with single parents • Women & Children. • Sex workers
• Dalits, STs, BCs, and EBCs • Destitute.
EXPERIENCE WITH RAINBOW HOME: Bringing the dreams of supporting the single parent children to reality, CRDS has started the Rainbow Home on 28th May 2010, with strength of 16 children from different parts of the District. These children, basically, are the neglected children belonging to Single parents or the children living in physically and morally dangerous situations. The present strength of this Home is now 50. As a part of starting this Home we have sensitized the people on the issues of children living in difficult and adverse conditions. A survey was conducted by involving its volunteers in Anantapur town and in rural areas like Kuderu, Rapathadu, Athamakur, Narapala, Kalayandurg, Garaladina, Gooty, Pamidi, Guntakal, Nalachervu, Kadri, Puttaparthi, Hindupur, Penukonda, Kanaganapalli, Ramagiri and UravakondaMandals. We have identified about 260 children under this category. We interacted with their guardians and made them to decide about their children’s better future. For children selection, we contacted social activists, social legal persons, social leaders, SHG’s group members, and NGO’s, working on HIV/AIDS, MahilaMandals. Additionally, we contacted government employees, society groups, religious communities, religious leaders. Basing on the opinions expressed and recommendations made by these communities the selected children were taken into the safe hands of our home. These children are enrolled in the CRH for their continuing their regular education. PROBLEMS / ISSUES While the starting of the Home itself was challenge for us, the attitude of the neighbours of the Rainbow Home was a painful act. The neighbours treated these children as untouchable. They never allowed their children to play with them. When the children from Home come out the neighbours used to call their children to stay indoors. They used to complain of nuisance when the children of the Home start playing with loud voice and shouts of Joy in their playful world. Noticing this we have organized a meeting with the neighbours to explain them about the status of the children in the Home and the need for extending love and brotherhood towards these deprived children. They were explained about the Rights of Children and our efforts to ensure that each child feel at Home and enjoy their Childhood. We happened to organize two such meetings and the outcome was quite dramatic. Now the neighours come out and allow their children to play with the children of our Home. It is very much to our delight to see them come to our Home on the festival days to decorate the children’s hand with Mehandi – a touch of humanity, act of love and affection. The issue of allocating school building to run the Rainbow Home is on High. Out of the 3 identified schools, the Headmaster of BharathaMatha Elementary School, Anantapur has come up with consent to provide accommodation. Therefore 34 children from the Home are enrolled into this school in different classes. One child studying in 7th Standard is enrolled in Nehru Upper Primary School, Anantapur. Remaining children are taken care at the Home itself.
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