31 million.
This is the number of orphaned children in India, if not more. Unfortunately, girls form a large part of this statistic, with reports stating that nine out of ten abandoned children are girls. This, though shocking, has been the condition of female-born children in our country since time immemorial.
Generations of patriarchy, sexism and cultural and traditional biases have led to horrific practices such as female infanticide, child marriages and in many cases, abandonment. Girls are still considered a ‘burden’ in many parts of India even today and are expected to adhere to gender-based roles. There have also been several cases where orphanages have even refused to take in girls because of the perceived additional societal responsibilities like getting them married.
At a time when there has been a cultural shift towards fighting for equality and freedom for all, thousands of girls continue to silently suffer.
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel?
Although the facts are grim, there seems to be some hope. NGO founders like Dr Harminder Singh and Hare Ram Pandey have proven to be messiahs for thousands of girls in India.
Heartbroken by the fact that baby girls were being abandoned by their families, Dr Harminder Singh from Punjab took it upon himself to take care of these abandoned girls and give them a home they could call their own. That was how Jyoti Sarup Kanya Asra, an NGO based out of Kharar, Punjab, was formed. He works wholeheartedly to uplift the girl child who has been deprived of family care and love.
Although from different states, Dr Harminder Singh and Hare Ram Pandey shared the same purpose – to rescue abandoned girls and give them a better life. Hare Ram Pandey and his wife have spent sleepless tending to abandoned infant girls in Deoghar, Jharkhand. They started Narayan Seva Ashram to give them a home and the warmth of a mother’s love. Here they’re given food, education and a second chance at life.
Dr Singh and Mr Pandey have been working towards this cause for nearly two decades now and they’re responsible for transforming the lives of countless abandoned girls.
“As of today, I have 143 girls living in this orphanage and they’re all my daughters. The youngest one among them is hardly a year old and we are doing our best to give her everything she needs. Jyoti Sarup is not just a home but also a place where we encourage these girls to be independent and fulfill their dreams. The joy I get in seeing them happy can’t be compared to anything,” – Dr. Harminder Singh, Founder, Jyoti Sarup Kanya Asra.
It’s become more and more evident that the only way our country can progress is if our girls and women are given equal respect, the right to life and opportunities. We can all be a part of the solution by supporting NGOs like Jyoti Sarup Kanya Asra and Narayan Seva Ashram to make this world a better place for girls.
After all, the future is female.
Written by Charita Cariappa
