The Child Welfare Committee will open three more Ammathottil, a facility initiated by the government to take care of abandoned children, at various places around the state including Kochi. The committee plans to improve its activities in Kerala so that more children could benefit. It aims to shift the automated baby cradles, where helpless mothers can leave their child, from public places so as to conceal their identity.
Thee cradles with modern technology will be more comfortable for the babies.
The committee opened its new building at Janatha Road, near Vyttila, Ernakulam, on 11 October. This would function as a home for the little babies who are abandoned in the Ammathottil and would also accommodate the children from Thanal, another child-care centre run by the child welfare committee. The facility would also act as the centre which coordinates the adoption procedures. The sub-centre would be inaugurated by tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran at 4 pm.
The child welfare committee secretary SP Deepak said that the government aims to transform Kerala into a child-friendly state. The project which envisions the opening of care centres in all the districts would be flagged off soon. An adoption centre in Malappuram and child-care centres in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Kozhikode districts have already been opened.
The Ammathottil initiative is to ensure that no baby would lose its life just because he/she had been orphaned. It is the responsibility of the state government to take care of orphaned or abandoned children and make sure that they are raised in a safe and secure environment. It also is committed to safeguard the identity of the woman who decides to leave her child in the cradle installed by Ammathottil.
The cradle would automatically open its door with the help of sensors, when a woman comes near it carrying a child. Meanwhile, a recorded message too would be played, giving the mother a chance to revoke her decision to abandon the child. When a child is laid inside the cradle, the details about it including the baby's weight and picture would be immediately sent to the president of child welfare committee or the concerned authorities. The technologically advanced cradle system also makes sure that a committee official reaches near the child within 2 minutes.
Crèche and balabhavan
The crèches run by the women and child welfare committee are for the benefit of children below the age of 6 years. Around 220 crèches are currently functioning in the 14 districts. This project especially envisions the development of children residing in the slum areas.
The Balabhavans functioning around the state are committed to provide educational opportunities to the children below the age of 6, and to nourish their cultural and artistic flairs. These cultural centres also provide opportunities for the kids to showcase their talents in front of the general public. The authorities say that a balabhavan would soon be opened in the Pinarayi panchayat in Kannur district.
