Zamung Kor: A home for street children inaugurated in Peshawar

Initiative aims to rehabilitate street children, create child sensitive society

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has inaugurated Zamung Kor, a home for street children in the city.

This was stated in a handout issued on Friday. According to the document, the home established in 216 abandoned flats in Nassapa was opened for children to mark Universal Children’s Day. The initiative aims to rehabilitate street children.



According to the document, a street child admitted to Zamung Kor inaugurated the modern institute. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak were also present on the occasion.

The handout stated the Rs447 million project will accommodate 1,000 children who will be provided facilities such as education, health, recreation, sports, boarding, food, career and psychological counselling.

“All expenditures will be borne by the K-P government which will also acquire an additional piece of land measuring 100 kanals to construct a sports ground, an auditorium and a cricket academy,” stated the document.



“Setting up a home to rehabilitate street children in a dignified manner was a unique project undertaken by the provincial government,” the handout quoted Khattak as saying. He lauded the efforts of the government in achieving the goal in a short span of time.

“Given the facilities Zamung Kor will provide, these children will undoubtedly become responsible and valued citizens,” the CM added. He said the government was committed to investing in the youth of the province and was willing to provide all the necessary resources and opportunities.



According to the handout, the chief minister said intensified efforts to get all children enrolled into schools and eradicate polio from the region were under way. “Zamung Kor project aims to create a society where children can enjoy their rights without any discrimination and deprivation,” the document quoted Khattak as saying.

Pakistan’s children are unsheltered, uneducated and uncared for

The chief minister also said children groomed at Zamung Kor under the guardianship of the provincial government be called ‘state children’ instead of ‘street children’. He added a welfare package will also be launched for children in prisons very soon.

K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, MPA Meraj Hamayun Khan, provincial ministers Muhammad Atif Khan, Shah Farman, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, special assistants to CM Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Dr Mehar Taj Roghani, Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, Additional Chief Dr Hammad Owais Agha, members of K-P Assembly, social welfare secretary and many other related officials and social welfare organisations’ representatives attended the function.

Monitoring function

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Imran said he was monitoring the implementation of the plan himself. “A lot needs to be done, particularly regarding the supply of clean drinking water,” he added. The PTI chief said Zamung Kor will be converted into a model centre for street children and the K-P government will be replicating this modern centre in other districts too.



Imran also said a board of governors will run the centre which will not only educate children but will also provide them with recreational facilities. He urged the government to utilise the abandoned Auqaf land for a sports ground. “The sports ground that will be constructed adjacent to the centre will be accessible not only to the street children but to everyone else as well,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^th, 2015.