Baishakh celebrations at Shishu Polli

Nazmun Nahar and her brother Syed Hamim Mushfiq call SOS Children's Villages their 'Dadur Bari' (ancestral home). It's because their father and his two siblings grew up here. Once they got established, they moved to different places, but Nazmun and Hamim come to their 'Dadur Bari' every now and then.

With the motto 'A caring home for every child', SOS Children's Villages, also known as Shishu Polli in Bangla, has been the home to thousands of orphaned children. Austrian physician Hermann Gmeiner founded the Shishu Polli in May, 1972 in Dhaka's Shyamoli area.
Children at Shishu Polli began the Pahela Baishakh celebrations at 7:30am rendering songs of 'Nobo Borsho' (new year).

Hasina Parveen, programme officer at the Shishu Polli, said the children celebrate Pahela Baishakh like they do on the two Eids.

There are 15 houses at this Shishu Polli, each accommodating 7-8 children. A woman looks after them and they call her 'Ma'. In her absence, an 'aunt' takes care of the kids.

"These kids had nightmares in their life. Their smile give my life a meaning," said Md Saiful Islam, project director at Shishu Polli.

Saiful, who has been working here for 24 years, said he feels proud to be a part of this dream project of Hermann Gmeiner.

"I stay here with my brothers and sisters," said Khadiza Akhter Sneha, a student of Class X. Girls can stay here till Class XII while boys can stay till they are 14. Once they leave, girls can stay at hostels next to their universities and Shishu Polli provides them with necessary help.

"In a village everyone knows everyone and offers to help when one is in trouble. We are like those villagers, everyone is close to one another," said Diana Monica Gomez, who is the captain of the Girls' Club that has 30 members.

Source: Prothom Alo