We find a number of orphans and deprived children in our society who do not get well balanced food to eat, proper clothing to wear, appropriate facilities to enjoy, and adequate financial support to continue their studies. They are found engaged in child labor, loitering, begging or even stealing.
There is tremendous need of establishing rehabilitation centers (Homes) for proper nurturing and wellbeing of these children. Children, it is said, are the future of a nation, but the distressed lot among them is isolated from the joys of childhood and is in desperate hope of their future. These tiny tots require care, love, affection, warmth and education. Voluntary service for rehabilitation of these children is, thus, a desirable and most engaging in our society.
Accordingly, J&K People’s Education Trust (PET) came into existence on 26th April, 2000 with registration of the Trust Deed. The Trust was formed by a group of eminent personalities from different walks of life including Prof Abdul Salam Dhar, Prof Mohammad Muzaffar War, Prof Agah Ashraf Ali, Prof Huma Bhat, Nazir Ahmad Kawooss District and Sessions Judge, Mtr Atiqa Ji Director School Education Kashmir, Abdul Rashid Wani Chartered Accountant and Master Abdul Khaliq Dar, to name a few.
It is pertinent to put on record that it is with sincere efforts and initiative taken by Master Abdul Khaliq Dar from a modest family of Kachlu, Tehsil Handwara and later a school teacher, who had graduated from Government Degree College Sopore, that led to set up the foundations of the Trust to provide financial support to poor youth and enable them to continue their studies. Subsequently, in order to fulfil necessary legal procedures formation of J&K PET Welfare Society, an executive body of J&K People’s Education Trust (PET), became imperative.
J&K PET Welfare Society is a charitable, non-government, apolitical, non- sectarian and non-profit making organisation. The Society was registered with the Registrar of Societies and Firms Kashmir under erstwhile J&K Societies Registration Act, 1998, (1941 A.D.) Vide No: 5756-S/30, dated: 15-04-2009. Subsequently the Society was required to be re-registered under Societies Registration Act 1860 after J&K became Union Territory for which necessary documents have been submitted in the office of Registrar of Societies and Firms Kashmir. The Society stands registered with Income Tax Department Vide Document Identification No: AACTJ5740QF202220 Dated: 31-12-2021. The Society is also registered with Income Tax Department for donors’ Tax Exemption Vide Unique registration No: AACT J5740QF20222. DARPAN UNIQUE ID of the Society is JK/2020/ 0258424.
The organisation is not funded by Government or any other organisation and does not accept/receive donations from individuals or organisations from outside the country. It runs exclusively on the voluntary donations of the affluent people of the society. These funds are utilised to accomplish the vision and to serve the objectives of the society. The vision of the Society reads, “Assisting deserving youth to seek education and empowering them to live a productive life with dignity, honour and self-reliance and helping the needy to overcome hardships and to ameliorate the lot of those who have received buffets at the hands of time and chance”. Whereas, the objectives of the Society are:
To create awareness and provide counseling for economic uplift of under privileged and neglected sections of the society and build a knowledge-cum-education infrastructure for this purpose.
To raise funds and generate resources through donations, contributions, alms, subscriptions, zakat, etc. for corps of the Society.
To reach out to the people and provide relief, aid, assistance, succor to the needy and the deserving.
To open ‘Homes’ for orphans, destitute, blind and specially abled children.
To campaign against social evils like dowry, drug addiction, extravagance in marriages and similar other social functions.
To open welfare/rehabilitation and vocational centers for underprivileged and economically downtrodden persons particularly women etc. in order to train them in various crafts to make them self-reliant.
To safeguard the rights of women by creating awareness among the women folk regarding their rights and duties.
To offer scholarships or financial assistance to poor but meritorious students.
To provide assistance to widows and physically disabled people.
To cooperate and collaborate with other societies/institutions with identical aims and objectives in the field of social service.
In pursuance of the above vision and objectives the Society is engaged in charity mission comprising manifold activities which include:
Running of two day-and-night Child Care Institutions (CCI) for orphan and destitute children: Dar-ul-Muzaffar Children’s Home, Bagh-i-Islam, Baramulla with intake capacity for 50 female children and Dar-ul-Salam Children’s Home Jadeed Baghat, Sopore also with intake capacity for 50 male Children. Both the Homes are registered with Directorate of Integrated Child Protection Service (ICPS), Government of J&K.
Providing day and night care and every type of facility including boarding and lodging, clothing, medical facilities, books and stationery, private coaching and skill development training like computer education to the boarders of the Homes;
Admitting these children in nearby schools and bearing all costs;
Engaging adequate number of part time subject teachers to provide private coaching to these children in all subjects including computer education round the year.
Offering skill development training like cutting and tailoring to female boarders during winter vacations.
Organising Seminars, symposia, debates, quiz and other contest events, picnics and outings regularly for the children.
Arranging Indoor games like table tennis, chess and carom and outdoor games like badminton, volley ball courts, etc. in place for physical fitness of boarders. Similarly, two libraries have been set up with around 400 hundred titles on different subjects for intellectual growth of children. Special attention is given towards their health and hygiene;
Running Skill cum Craft Development Centre at Khawaja Bazar, Nowhatta, Srinagar where batches of girls are provided training in cutting and tailoring, embroidery, etc. between 10 am to 4. 00 pm for enabling them to earn honorable and adequate livelihood.
The Board of Governors of the organisation comprise: Prof Mohammed Muzaffar War former College Principal has been the Chairman of the Society from the day it was formed. However, he retired himself from the responsibility due to health reasons. Consequent upon this Prof Mohammad Ismail is officiating Chairman/Vice Chairman till elections for the post of Chairman are held. Mr Mohammad Sadiq Wani is the Secretary and Mr Nisar Hussain Qadri the Treasurer. The other members of the society are Mr Khazer Mohammad Wani, Haji Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo, Master Abdul Khaliq Dar, Er. Khurshid Ahmad Badoo, Mufti Niyaz Ahmad Rizwan, Mr Imtiyaz Ahmad War and Dr Naira Sultan.
During the year 2021-22, 48 female children were on the rolls in Dar-ul-Muzaffar and 42 boys in Dar-ul-Salam. Out of them, 6/6 female and 3/4 male students after qualifying Matriculation Examination with good grades were discharged and handed over to their respective parents/guardians. It is pertinent to mention that all such students who pursue higher studies after leaving the Children’s Homes are provided financial assistance to continue their Studies.
Based on audited financial statements, during the year under report, the Society has been able to mobilise funds to the tune of Rs. 40, 43, 389/- on account of Atyat (donations), Zakat and Sadquat. Besides, eatables and usable items in kind were received.
An amount of Rs. 36, 33, 435.12 was incurred during the year. The details of expenditure activity-wise are : Rs. 20, 91, 959.12 were incurred on account of board and lodge, clothing, medical treatment, formal education of boarders of the two homes; Rs. 11, 17, 442/- were disbursed as honorarium to part-time teachers and supporting staff of the two homes and trainers of the Craft Centre; Rs. 55, 500/- were spent on recurring expenses of the Craft Centre; Rs. 99, 500/-were disbursed among 15 deserving destitute as financial aid; Rs. 41, 000/- were paid to 04 ailing persons for medical treatment and Rs. 63,000/- were disbursed among 07 indigent girls for enabling them to get married. During the lockdown period due to Covid-19 Pandemic the Society disbursed relief of Rs. 50,000/- through bank accounts (DBT) among 50 beneficiaries residing in the vicinity of the two Homes to provide them succour in difficult times. Further, Rs.1, 15, 034/-were paid as Waqar Memorial Scholarship under Endowment Fund to 13 students to pursue higher studies.
The Society plans to diversify and expand its operations:
To set up a nursing home facility for medical treatment, diagnostic center, dialysis clinic, drug de-addiction rehabilitation center and old age home depending on availability of funds;
To establish Centre for Skill based Certificate and Diploma Courses in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning, block chain technology and so on in collaboration with NIELIT Srinagar and other institutions.
To conclude all the activities are performed in pursuance to the vision and mission of the organisation to enable our students to carve a niche as global citizens to live a well disciplined and honorable life and to help fellow citizens. All the respected members of the society at large deserve special thanks who always come forward with their financial and in kind support to run the activities of the organisation hassle free.
The author is grateful to Dr Nazir Ahmad Gilkar for his perseverance and assistance in compiling the write-up.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK