Title - It’s family reunion time for these runaways

When Omprakash left his home in Nepal, he only knew that he hated his father and wanted to take revenge. After three years, he will be reunited with his parents who are coming to meet him in Bangalore.As a vagabond, this 13-year-old has been wandering the country working in small hotels, sleeping on footpaths and even resorting to stealing money or food during dire situations.Over 1,500 children in the country leave their homes daily, according to a survey conducted in 2010 by Sathi, an NGO. Some of them leave home owing to bad company and some simply in search of a better life.On Thursday, over 30 children were reunited with their parents. Most of these children were picked up by Sathi along with other organisations like BOSCO Mane and were admitted at the government boys’ home. The organisation also held a workshop for these children. “We have 105 such children in our home and every year we hold such programmes for them and help them unite with their parents,” said Rajendra Prasad, superintendent, government boys’ home.In Bangalore, every day, 8-12 children are found in railway stations. “Most of them come from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Hariyana. They only realise the value of their life when we talk to them and show them the right way to lead a life,” said Imran Khan, camp-in-charge at Sathi.

So far, the NGO has managed to trace 2,500 children and their families. However, its task is not easy. “We get beaten up by people who don’t know what we are doing. We sometimes get bystanders who come and claim that the child is theirs. We also face language issues. But we manage to get them to Railway Protection Force (RPF) offices and talk to them. Thereafter, we take them to the government boys’ home,” he said.

Some of the parents who came to receive their children said that it was a day of celebration and realisation. Naganna Gowda, who took to stealing, smoking and then ran away from home, narrated his experience.

“My friend taught me smoking and stealing. I stole about Rs3,000 from home and ran away to Bangalore. I was lost and did not know what to do or where to go. Sathi volunteers found me and took me to the shelter. I learnt about values of family and realised the mistakes I have made,” he said.

A mother whose child was rescued said: “It is only our luck that my child has come back home. I wonder how many such children are out in the country. I only pray to the almighty to help those children.”

Retired judge Shivraj Patil, who was present on the occasion, said: “There are many who deny the existence of God, but no one can deny the existence of a mother. This function marks the importance of mothers.”