Novel initiative to lift destitute 

BHUBANESWAR: An initiative of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has become the new address for destitute children and daily labourers in the city.

Managed by Odisha Patita Udhar Samiti (OPUS), the shelter home has brought smiles on the faces of many children who used to roam around the streets of the capital unattended and neglected.

At the centre, children are not just provided with a shelter to live in. They also receive the basic amenities to lead a normal and healthy life. From getting nutritional food to having regular health check-ups, children are getting a lot of scope to learn new things such as yoga and art. It is turning out to be the perfect destination for the holistic development of a child.

OPUS was created with a vision of empowerment of the deprived section of the society. It is the first voluntary organisation to work for the red light area of the city for the betterment of the sex workers. The NGO is looking after five Shelters for Urban Homeless (SUHs) in the city. Abharani Choudhury, Secretary, OPUS said that they house more than 60 mentally challenged people in their SUHs.

“The mentally challenged homeless people need extra care and treatment than the normal ones. They cannot make adjustments with the normal people. So they should be kept at a single home by deploying caretakers and doctors,” she added.