13 years old Nisha (Name changed) lives at railway station Jaipur with her mother and 5 siblings. Her mother, who is the sole earner of the household through rag picking, has a stepfather who is mostly on drugs. Due to the unsupportive environment, the mother chose to enroll Nisha and her younger sister in a shelter home in Rajasthan. Prior to that, the child used to be a regular child, along with her sister, at FXBIS Day Care Centre and also used to come to the centre whenever she came back to her home from the shelter, during her holidays.
In September 2020, the child visited the centre and started coming continuously. Although she participated and received services in the Day Care Centre, the FXB team noticed that she looked more unhealthy than before. Therefore, the Project Officer spoke to the child separately and got to know about her bad health and severe pain in her chest.
A discussion with the mother revealed that the child was suffering from heart illness and was therefore sent back to home from the shelter home.
Immediately the team went to the nearby Government hospital for consulting the doctor. Consultation with the doctor revealed that the child had a hole in her heart and required immediate surgery which would cost 1.5 lakh. This became very challenging for the family to pursue.
FXB team immediately took up the case and escalated the matter to the Rajasthan Child Rights Department and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
Applications were submitted citing the situation of the child and requiring immediate support and attention before the Child Welfare committee too. The entire process took around 20 days and later after continuous advocacy the child was admitted to the hospital under the supervision of the Government shelter home and FXB.
The child was operated free of cost including providing medicines to her. After her discharge, the child was kept in the Government shelter home for better care.
Presently, the child is with her mother and has recovered fully. She is a regular visitor of FXB centre. FXB has been continuously following up the case and facilitating in her regular check ups in the hospital. Pictures