The Child Welfare Committee of Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu has been creating a remarkable impact on the innumerable lives of children whom they had rescued after they went missing.

In 2020, the committee rescued 50 children, including 20 from states like Orissa, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh as well as from Nepal, and handed them over to their parents. They have rescued about 1000 such children from across India and neighboring countries since 2018.

The committee renders its services to support the education of differently abled children, halt child marriages, take care of newborn babies from underprivileged families, provide awareness and sensitize children as well parents regarding ill effects of child marriage, facilitating adoption as per the government guidelines etc., through training sessions.

Especially in case of child marriage the committee has faced a lot of opposition from the communities. Hence, they try to raise awareness and sensitize the families involved about the vices of child marriage. Despite the resistance, if a family insists on getting their girl or boy (below the adequate age) married, the committee promptly informs the local police station so that they can intervene and take immediate action. However, they stress on raising consciousness of the community to successfully stop this practice for good.

Over the years, they have ensured that special care and protection is given to the homeless, orphaned, socially backward, poor and needy children and have made sure that they are admitted in government homes and recognized NGOs. The committee members also try to ensure that children with disabilities are included in games and other sports and thus spread the message of inclusion.  During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic they provided groceries, masks and sanitizers to families of 446 children. In coordination with the Wheelchair Fencing Federation of India they also provided wheelchairs, artificial limbs, and study materials for children with disabilities.

A few years back, Dr. Damodaran (a committee member) rescued a teenager (aged 15-16) who had nowhere to go as the home where she has been staying since she was an infant was shutting down. The committee helped the child by linking her to a government home. The teenager completed school education from the home and is currently working as a doctor in Australia. Such success stories motivate them to keep on going as their efforts may completely change someone’s life for the better.

When a child enters the Child Welfare Committee, they make them feel comfortable and safe by involving them in games, toys or storytelling sessions of Rabindranath Tagore and Abdul Kalam which have strong messages about education and well-being.

The Child Welfare Committee, Kancheepuram, received the Plan India Impact Award 2021 in the ‘Child Welfare Committee’ category and view it as a huge honor bestowed upon them. They highlight that it has motivated the members to work on issues beyond their tenure in the Child Welfare Committee and make it their goal in life.