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20 yrs of forming life's platform
Amchi Kholi initiative for destitute children began at CST in 1989.....Shwetaa Karnik Pradip Mishra, 22, an engineering student and Arif Shaikh, 23, a hotel management student would have been still begging for alms or indulged in some nefarious activities had they not reached Snehasadan 10 years ago.
"Our lives have changed. We ran away from our homes, and today we do not repent as we are not only well educated, but are confident that we can lead an independent life," said Mishra, who does not know where he came from.
"At the age of eight, I was all by myself without parents to look after me. I travelled to various places including Delhi, Howrah, Kolkata and then came to Mumbai. I was referred to this NGO which not only treated me, but educated me and made me independent. I will complete my mechanical engineering and later while working I will pursue an MBA," said Mishra.
Arif, on the other hand, ran away from his home in Solapur, boarded a train and traveled to Mumbai without a ticket when he was five. "I reached Mumbai and was very hungry; so, I started begging for alms. I made friends at the station and one of them referred me to the NGO which has a day-care unit next to platform no. 18 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). I bathed, had some food and that's how my journey began," said Shaikh who is pursuing his apprenticeship with Taj Lands End.
'Amchi Kholi' is an initiative by Snehasadan and Central Railway. On April 1, 1989, the then general manager of CR Vijaya Singh, the then divisional railway manager Ramji set up a contact centre for run-away and destitute children on platform no. 8. Later this was shifted next to platform no. 18 to accommodate railway offices at the earlier locations. This initiative completed 20 years on Wednesday. Over 20,000 children have already received a better life after being a part of this initiative.
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