Rehabilitation centre in Mysuru helps migrants acquire skills, build confidence

Ram, a 28-year-old youth from Chikkamagaluru, who used to sleep by the roadside in Mysuru, after spending all his day’s earnings on liquor, is now working in an Ayurveda plants nursery and has plans to meet his mother, after a long time, with some savings.

In the wake of lockdown due to coronavirus or Covid-19, the rehabilitation centre at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry, operated by Centre for Rural Education Development and Innovation Technology of India (CREDIT-I), on behalf of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has given a new lease of life for some of its inmates. Besides providing food and shelter to homeless migrants, the centre induced some discipline and also engaged them in a vocation — making of paper covers — to impart skills and also to generate some revenue.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

Life on streets

“After the demise of my father and a personal problem, I was shattered. I came to Mysuru and used to sell soda and masala soda on a push-cart near Gandhi Square. I used to sleep at a Gaadi (Bus) stand. I was a drunkard and spent all my day’s earning on liquor. I had no goal in life. After the lockdown was imposed, MCC officials took me to the rehabilitation centre,” he recalled.

“We were engaged in Yoga, meditation and lectures or demonstrations by inspiring personalities every day. The activity of making paper covers kept us engaged. I made around 60 kg of covers and earned Rs 1,800, which gave me confidence, when I stepped out of the rehabilitation centre on May 16," Ram said.

"Since April 8, when I joined the centre, I led a disciplined life. We heard a few de-addicted persons from Alcoholic Anonymous. Now, I do not feel like consuming alcohol. The volunteers of CREDIT-I helped me find work. As I know a new vocation, of making paper covers, I can survive somehow,” he said.

Kiran Kumar, an executive of Paytm in Bengaluru, could not travel to his native Chikkaballapur as the lockdown was imposed. Thus, he was admitted to the rehabilitation centre at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry.

“I used to work for Paytm in Mysuru and was stuck here, as public transport was suspended. Instead of whiling away my time, I was engaged in making paper covers. It is good that I learnt a new skill. I also got some money,” he said.

M P Varsha, a managing trustee and CEO of CREDIT-I, said, “We wanted the rehabilitation centre to be a model. Our centre was self-sustained, even though it was established by the MCC and the premises was given by the District Administration. We got the support of government officials to experiment. We urged donors, who wanted to donate food, to provide other needs of the inmates”.

“We wanted to keep the inmates engaged and train them in some skills, but both time and resources were limited. We initially bought raw materials, newspapers. Later, we sought donations of newspapers, reducing production cost. When we concluded, we had made covers weighing 1,700 kg and earned Rs 51,000. We were still left with 900 kg of raw newspaper, which fetched us Rs 8,100. Many NGOs, individuals, government officials and businessmen like Nasir Mohammed, promoter of A2Z Square and A2Z supermarket, helped in our endeavour. We could give some money, depending on their effort, to the inmates, when they left the centre,” Varsha said.