Christopher, a social worker, Maya, a specialist in paediatrics
and community health, and Venkatesh, a clinical psychologist, were happy
with the little boy they screened for Shanti Bhavan. His socio-economic
background made him an ideal candidate. His health was good and the
evaluation of his cognitive ability was positive. The social worker
at Abhay Ashram, a government halfway home remarked, "Vinay is a very
mischievous and active little boy.
"That was early August 1997. In a fortnight there was no trace of
the bright little boy or his pretty young mother. Christopher was
determined to track him down. After 3 months, in the sprawling slums
surrounding the national games complex, his queries evoked a gory
tale of suicide by burning. The young woman, said the slum dwellers,
had poured kerosene over herself in the dark, dingy confines of her
small hut. Her despair was the result of a gang rape she reportedly
suffered when job hunting in a nearby city. As the flames began to
devour her, she cried out to her five-year-old son. The child rushed
in and put his arms around his burning mother, only to get burnt himself
in the process. Neighbours heard their screams of agony and rushed
in. They managed to save the boy but the mother was already gone.
"Yes," said the labourers, "We are sure that is the child you are
looking for." Christopher's search took him to Victoria Hospital where
he found the severely scarred and traumatised child with his grandmother.
Christopher decided in that meeting that Vinay would heal emotionally
and physically in the company of the other children at Shanti Bhavan.
The peaceful, loving atmosphere and structured routine of Shanti Bhavan
would give Vinay a new lease of life.
Vinay's arrival at Shanti Bhavan was a red-letter day. His grandmother
was asked to spend a few days at the school to ease the child into
his new surroundings. Venkatesh and Christopher held a special conference
with the staff at the request of the principal. The staff was instructed
on how to attend to the physical, emotional and psychological needs
of a severely traumatised and bewildered child. The jeep with Christopher
and Venkatesh had scarcely left the outskirts of Bangalore when a
distress call came from Shanti Bhavan. The child was emitting animal-like
cries of fear and was trying to scale the walls of the dormitory.
On seeing the other beds, Vinay thought he had been brought back to
the Victoria Hospital ward.
Three weeks later, Vinay was engaging in lively conversation with
his schoolmates. He is still distrustful of others. But he no longer
has emotional outbursts. The once unmanageable boy has become calm
and unafraid. He is even mischievous on occasion, much to the delight
of Shanti Bhavan staff. The other children seem to have no problem
accepting his deep scars of disfigurement. On January 25, 1998, when
Dr. George addressed a gathering of parents of children of Shanti
Bhavan, Vinay's grandmother stood up and said, " I want to express
my gratitude for what Shanti Bhavan has done for my grandson. Only
we know the state he was in when he was brought here. Today he is
a changed boy.
" Need we say more? "
