Pahalgam- With an aim of reaching out to the conflict hit children and their guardians, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation -RGF held a two days psychosocial workshop for around 40 children at Pahalgam on November 16th and 17th. These children have been orphaned due to militancy related incidents in the recent past in different districts of Kashmir valley. The workshop was also attended by the guardians of these children, mostly mothers and grandparents.
This was the first physical interaction between these children who are enrolled for scholarship during the last 5 to 6 years. These children are getting financial support for their education from Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and their fathers have been killed by militants in different areas of Kashmir valley.
“The main aim of the workshop was to meet these orphan children face to face and also to interact with their guardians. Rajiv Gandhi Foundation -RGF has been supporting these children for the last many years and we provide them educational scholarships up to class XII. This programme is known as INTERACT -The Initiative to Educate, Rehabilitate and Assist Child Victims of Terror. We have been running this programme since 1993 in J&K .There are 700+ INTERACT alumni who have completed their education and are working in different fields. Students supported under INTERACT Program are called INTERACT Scholars”said Ajaz Ahmad Sofi who is the local coordinator for RGF in Kashmir
Among others who attended the workshop included noted Clinical Psychologists, educationist and child rights activists. The mothers of these orphan children appreciated the way this workshop was conducted. They appealed to the RGF management to hold such events frequently at district level.
Noted Social Activists Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, Dr Rouf Malik and Mushtaq Pahalgami also attended the workshop. Rajiv Verma from RGF New Delhi office was also present during the programme. He assured that RGF will continue to support such children who are the victims of violence. RGF counsellor Sujatha addressed the children and their parents through virtual mode. The CEO of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Vijay Mahajan assured full support to the children. He addressed them from Hyderabad through virtual mode. He hailed the efforts of RGF team Kashmir for holding the workshop. Ajaz Sofi thanked Pahalgam Development Authority CEO & JKTDC for their support in organising the event.
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