Ludhiana, Oct 5 Govind Godhan, a social organization in Punjab, has taken up the task of educating beggars and making them self-reliant.

Many poor families, who are unable to send their children to school, make them work as street beggars, an act which even the Government and several NGOs have failed to tackle.

However, the Govind Godham Temple trust has taken up the challenge and is trying to end the practice by educating beggars and most of their initiatives are yielding the desired results.

"We thought of educating these deprived children and making them good citizens of the country and so in this regard we called their parents. It was a big challenge for us to make them agree to it because these children used to earn good money from begging at the roads," said Sundar Dass Dhamija, Chairman of Govind Godham.

"They were also involved in thefts. So, the parents were not willing. We tried to convince them by saying why did they want to send their children to jail, make them thieves instead of making them good persons," Dhamija added.

The school that started in August 2007, has four voluntary teachers along with a principal, and currently over 70 children, who were earlier beggars, are attending a regular school. arlier, the trust used to give them money to make the parents send their children to school and also to curb their habit of begging. But, slowly they stopped giving money and now parents understand that begging should be avoided and education is absolutely essential.

"My parents were daily wagers and I used to beg on roads. Now, I study in school and I really like it. I have learnt names of fruits, animals and colours," a student at the school said.

Seeing the positive response of parents in sending children to school, the Govind Godham Trust has decided to add computer education to the course.

The school provides free breakfast and mid-day meal to the children, and the attempt has been applauded by one and all, as it has been successful in its effort to end begging in Punjab and make the chlidren responsible citizens.

Now, every child in the school has big dreams - some want to be policeman while others want to be doctors.

Govind Godhan has set an example worthy of emulation. By Karan Kapoor (ANI)