“It is just for the social good that we are associated with this orphanage,” they say in unison. The administration has put up posters of Kaaba, the holy place of Muslims, ‘Allah’ and ‘Prophet’ (SAW) written in beautiful calligraphy on the walls which have been painted in bright colours but the cracks on them are vividly grotesque.
The office is perhaps the only room in Alamdar Yateem Trust which has been somewhat maintained. The rest of the building is lying in shambles, especially the rooms where the orphans read, study or eat. They are not only in a bad shape but stink too. There are carcasses of birds interspersed with garbage on the top of the building. “I will have a severe headache after leaving this place,” says an independent donor, who wishes not to be named. He had come to meet the orphans, to help them. “The place is in a real bad shape and needs a lot of attention.”
“I visit these orphanages to know the mental state of these children. I have prepared a questionnaire for that. In this case, the cracked walls of Alamdar Yateem Trust are a tell-all story of the horrors faced by its inhabitants,” Qurat Masoodi, a social activist says.
Qurat is presently doing a research on the mental status of orphans in various orphanages across the valley. She has been visiting different orphanages for her research. “So what if these children are destitute and orphans. This doesn’t mean that we will exploit their needs. This is certainly not a place for these children to be in. The doctors who accompanied me are worried about the condition of these children. After seeing the hygiene and sanitation, the doctors said that these children are prone to severe infections and other diseases. The so-called social work at this orphanage should be immediately suspended,” Qurat says.
psychiatrist accompanying Qurat during her research has alleged that the children living in Alamdar Yateem Trust, like in many other orphanages, are suffering from social phobia. “Less interaction with the world outside often leads to social phobia,” Qurat explains, “The children who are cut off from the outside world often hesitate to talk to strangers.” She has now filed a complaint with State Human Rights Commission against this orphanage. The others in her list are SOS Children Village and Chinar Kashmir.
But Shaista, the owner of Alamdar Yateem Trust, says she sends the orphans on tours. She claims that five to six children from their orphanage go on an all-India tour sponsored by Indian Army under Sadbhawna each year and visit many famous Indian places. Indian Army each year arranges an all India tour for children of conflict under this mission. A group of 20 to 30 children, both boys and girls, are part of entourage. Mostly children from orphanages and Army-run schools get the pleasure to be a part of this trip. To substantiate her claims, Shaista hastily takes out a photo album full of her photos and the children posing with different army officials.
Also, there are a few orphanages in Srinagar where only field collectors exist and not the orphans. “Zero accountability of this orphanage mafia has made them audacious to operate freely and loot people,” says Qurat.
Al Noor Yateem Trust at Bemina in Srinagar in one such orphanage. The administration has an office, a few vans which help them to raise funds, a proper staff, but do not allegedly help orphans or destitute. Their offices are even difficult to locate and often remain locked. “I gave them donations few times but have never seen a single orphan in there. Many times I even asked them about it but they dodged my queries giving one or the other reason. The common reason that Al Noor administration provided was that they were collecting funds and that as soon as they raised infrastructure of their own, they will get children from their homes,” says Manzoor Ahmed. Manzoor is a resident of Bemina who has been helping various needy persons in his locality as a Mohalla committee member.
SOS, an international chain of Children’s Villages, is another orphanage which has come under Qurat’s radar for the lack of facilities, improper hygiene and living conditions. SOS also sends orphans on Sadbhawana-backed all-India tours.
