For the nine gypsy children, including four girls, from the Narikurava Colony in Pettai, entering the air-conditioned Collector’s chamber was a never-before experience.
As Collector Sandeep Nanduri, after getting them seated in front of him, started speaking to them casually, they could not believe what was happening.
He spoke to them about his pet project, ‘Project Spark – Inspire and Ignite’ which he has designed for providing them with better education and uplifting their parents’ economic conditions.
“Since the gypsies, make little money by selling beads and other fancy items, they do not provide the right opportunities for their children to get proper education and force them in to ‘child marriage’. We want to create awareness among the gypsy children about the boundless opportunities available before them if they really want to pursue their higher education. Hence, this project that will tell them the importance and impact of education,” explained Mr. Sandeep. After accepting flowers from the children, the Collector gave them chocolates and interacted with them to understand their aspirations. While some of them wanted to become doctors and engineers, a couple of them wanted to be police officers.
“You’ll soon spend a day with the Superintendent of Police. I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Mr. Sandeep assured the ‘future police officers’. When the Collector formally inaugurated the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction signature campaign and a workshop for anganvadi workers, the gypsy children were also part of it.
Then they, along with the Collector, were taken in a van to Keezhanaththam in Palayamkottai union to witness the ongoing anti-dengue operations and other cleaning activities and then to ‘Handwashing Day’ held at the Government Higher Secondary School at Reddiyarpatti on Palayamkottai outskirts. The children also had a sumptuous lunch with the Collector in a hotel before returning to the Collectorate.
The children’s ‘Red-Letter Day’ came to an end with Mr. Sandeep gifting them motivational books on late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and stationary items.
