Transitional Home for boys in Kammanahalli, Bangalore.
The Transitional Home was started on 4th April 2001. The home accommodates up to 50 boys who are confronted with the legal system for a period of a few months. ECHO believes that a proper home is indispensable in the grooming of children and hence takes effort in placing these children into their respective families, after home visits and discussions with the parents. Only when a child is refused entry to his family, he comes to ECHO’s Transitional home. Since ECHO’s foundation till March 2008- more than 760 children stepped into this home from different places in Karnataka.
The activities in ECHO’s Transitional Home are aimed at preparing the children to face the world outside. ECHO doesn’t believe children consciously commit crimes. It is their environment, like poor economic background or family situation, which force them to disobey the law. Therefore the children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection undergo rehabilitative programs to return into society as empowered citizens of the country.
In order to achieve reformation, the boys follow a structured day programme. Every morning starts with music and physical exercise like jogging and yoga practice to maintain the body and to provide peace for the soul. The children help in gardening and feeding the home birds. This learning allows them to become responsible and aims at increasing their self.
After a shower and breakfast, the inmates attend a non-formal education in our institution, like the Karnataka Open School, or formal education in a nearby school. Education is the foundation for a good future and therefore we give much importance to it. The classes continue after lunch until playtime starts. In the evening school-going children get additional coaching to help them with their studies.
Every Sunday the children conduct Bala Panchayat (child self-governance) with their peer inmates. They discuss the previous week and look for ways to improve their life and behaviour in the week to come. The aim of Bala Panchayat is to provide opportunities for them to take responsibility for their actions. On Sunday evenings, the inmates are encouraged to organize various cultural programs,where they can show their talents. ECHO’s staff provide the boys with specialized counselling to help them with goal motivation and personality development programs. These activities help the children to prepare for their return to society. Once the boys successfully complete their transitional period, they are shifted to ECHO’s Rehabilitation Centre.