Children of Rson Heart for Poor People Trust (RHPPT), Grace Colony, Lengrijan, Dimapur.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 12
The Rson Heart for Poor People Trust (RHPPT), Grace Colony, Lengrijan, Firing Range, Dimapur is one among the only few children homes in Nagaland which is run without any assistance from government or other agencies.
RHPPT was formerly known as Heart for Poor People Trust when Dr. Roland Lotha first established it in 1999.
However, after the demise of his only son Rson in 2014, the word ‘Rson’ was incorporated with the nomenclature and the Trust got registered with the Government of Nagaland under Societies Registration Act of 1860 vide society registration (Nagaland Third Amendment) Act, 2008 (Act no 1 of 2009) Registration no 6845. Late Rson was serving in the Ministry of Defence Accounts, Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, New Delhi at the time of his death.
Having lost his only son and wife who pre-deceased her son, Dr. Roland went into depression with the constant feeling that he has lost the meaning and purpose for life. However, with intensive counselling and support from friends and relatives, Dr. Roland managed to come out of depression. Thereafter, he became fully committed to social works especially towards the downtrodden children and freely gave away his entire residential building at Grace Colony, Lengrijan Dimapur which houses the present RHPPT.
Donating the building constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.2 Crore approximately towards the welfare of downtrodden children was the first foundation for Dr. Roland, who is building several other similar homes in different places and districts. To work more actively for the poor children, RHPPT was also registered with the State Child Protection Society, Department of Social Welfare.
RHPPT presently shelters 25 children along with five staff to manage it. Out of 25 children, 21 are being sent to different schools. The four other children are unable to attend schools due to physical disabilities. They are however provided various vocational training according to their own capacities. The youngest child among them is two years old while the eldest is 19 years.
The 18 boys and seven girls are provided free clothing and food besides imparting them vocational courses like music, carpentry, tailoring and computer education. RHPPT also occasionally takes the children on exposure trips and facilitates their participation in various social functions in order to broaden their horizon. “During the course of RHPPT’s philanthropic activities across the state, it was found that most of the children left studies owing to poverty and in some cases, deaths of parents and divorce. The uncared children later become social misfits as they grow up without direction and education gradually turning out to be anti-socials in their quest for survival and becomes a liability to the society,” Dr Roland said.
He said that RHPPT initiates to look after these uncared children enabling them to grow up with values and stand on their own feet to become an asset for the society and not a liability. One of the main objectives of RHPPT is to build shelter homes for the downtrodden children and provide them free shelter, food, clothing, education and various vocational courses.
Without help from any agency, RHPPT is currently constructing children homes in Longleng, Tizit, Sangtamtilla and Maova village, Medzhiphema. “The endeavour of RHPPT was made possible with individuals coming forward to donate land towards the cause which was also well appreciated by Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya,” Dr. Roland said in gratitude.
