Four Karunalaya kids clear SSLC exam

CHENNAI: All four students of Class 10 – one boy and three girls – all rescued from homelessness in a span of two years, and currently living in the Tondiarpet shelter of Karunalaya had cleared the board exam this year. Also, 17 students had cleared the Class 11 board exam and 8 had cleared Class 12 exam for the 2024-25 academic year – all associated with the city-based NGO that has been working towards the protection, rescue and rehabilitation of street and working children in the city for several years, along with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

N Paul Sunder Singh, secretary of the shelter said that education is given utmost importance at the NGO. “From the moment children are rescued, whether they are living in the shelter or with their family elsewhere, the NGO ensures they are enrolled in schools and write the final exams. Along with education, sports also hold a significant place in these children’s lives.”

In the Class 10 results announced on Friday, M Johnson scored 326 marks, B Shakina scored 313 marks, C Tamil Selvi scored 285 marks and C Sharmila scored 237 marks out of 500. And, in Class 11, overall 6 children from the shelter had appeared for the exam – and all of them scored high marks.

Students who cleared Class 11 from the Tondiarpet shelter are V Pavithra (421 marks) B Anbarasi (315 marks), C Poongothai (311 marks), R Nivedha (303 marks), T Ramkumar scored (335 marks) and M Surendhar secured (323 marks).

In addition to facilitating students in the shelter who had been rescued from different circumstances in Chennai, Karunalaya, under ‘shelter for urban homeless’ programme, also caters to ‘children in pavement dwelling communities’. In which, 11 students – Manoj (421 marks), S Anbarasi (334 marks), Pauldavit (333 marks), Hemalatha (290 marks), Hebshiba (277 marks), V Vishal (275 marks), Gokul (356 marks), Archana (272 marks), Akshai Kumar (247 marks), Karthick (238 marks) and Manikandan (226 marks) – had cleared Class 11 exam this year.

In Class 12 exams, Sangeetha from the shelter scored 274 marks, while 7 students under the ‘children in pavement dwelling communities’ cleared the exam. They are Sakthi (274 marks), Karthikeyan (348 marks), Mega (251 marks), Vickneshwaran (313 marks), Rishie (325 marks), Gowri (263 marks) and Deepika (336 marks).

So far, in Karunalaya, there are 18 children in the shelter for girls, and 30 in the shelter for boys, both located on different campuses in Tondiarpet.

Paul added, “The rescued children have been either enrolled by the Child Welfare Committee and through other means. But, mostly rescued from homelessness and those with difficult family conditions.”

Speaking to DT Next was Karthikeyan at the Tondiarpet shelter, who has cleared the Class 12 exam. “I am planning to write the bank exam. I’ve decided to pursue commerce in college. My achievements are not mine alone, and I hope it inspires others in my community too.”

Karthikeyan had served as the former state president of Federation of Children’s Movements for Right to Participation (FCMRP).