At least 12 minors were reported missing from a slum area in Cuttack city, a senior police officer said today.
DCP Sanjiv Arora directed the city Mahila police station to register a case based on the complaints filed by the district child welfare committee (CWC), a city police officer said.
Besides the CWC, the district child protection officer Pragati Mohanty also visited the slum and enquired about the incident.
"While there are complaints that some minor children have been sent to Andhra Pradesh by a broker as domestic helps with assurance of monthly remuneration, some others have been trafficked without any known purpose in past 10 months," CWC member Bikash Mohapatra said.
He expressed apprehension that they have been sold in Guntur and Visakhapatnam areas.
Five of the children are minor girls, the complainant said.
"I dropped out from school and was working with a
pathology laboratory due to bad finances at home. But Aseem sir convinced my family how crucial education was. He told me how education can get me a good job. I have resumed my studies. I also take documentary classes at the centre," says 18-year-old Abdul Kareem said, who wishes to become a filmmaker and run an event management company.
In order to beat resource crunch, the foundation has adopted crowd sourcing and the help of local NGOs to fund its events.
"Social media offers a plethora of opportunities. A lot of support has poured in through Facebook, Twitter and other networking sites. Eminent personalities like Ram V Sutar, Aruna Vasudev, Muzaffar Ali, Mahasweta Devi, Qamar Dagar, Padmashree Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar etc have lent their support to our work. Jamia Millia Islamia has been providing us with the space to conduct our events and workshops," says Aseem Asha.
The artist says it is crucial to instill a sense of confidence and self-worth among the children from a young age and how education should be about employability.
"A lot of time, it is rote learning that takes place. At the centre, we teach Maths, English, Science and other subjects through visuals, music, PowerPoint presentations and films. The students, especially the ones whose access is limited, learn faster at the centre and also inculcate a curious mind.
"Computer training is given to girls from the minority community. They might not be fluent in English but pick up fast on technology. It makes them employable as well as confident," he says.
"The children are also taught how to make documentaries and short films. They are trained how to write a story, prepare a story board and shoot with different camera angles. They generally tell their own stories. Filmmaking starts a dialogue and that itself reflects freedom of thoughts," the artist says.
The foundation is currently working on a series of paintings on the work of Umrao Jaan fame lyricist Shahryar.
"Two students from the centre - Adeeba Saifi and Farhana Saifi-- are reproducing the 'shayari' and poems of the legend on the canvas. We are planning to exhibit the work in July," says Aseem Asha.
