Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 7
The illustrious life of Soyielo Posheno Wetsha, 76, is testimony to the fact that with courage and conviction, and with a heart of compassion, stumbling blocks in the path leading to helping others have to crumble.
Before he started the Nagaland Childrens’ Home in Diphupar, Dimapur, Wetsha was in the Naga Army, while also into the mission of spreading the Gospel. And he prefers to say that he never surrendered officially. Now grey-haired, Wetsha has also met the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, twice.
When he first established the home in 1972, others rained down insults on him. They, clergymen included, brashly said he was spoiling the Naga name and was up to “politics.” With the passage of time, though, those who heaped criticisms were soon to realize how wrong they were, and return to Wetsha to ask for forgiveness.
Before World Vision stopped its child-care programme, the home would accommodate up to 200 children. Now, owing to the paucity of funds, it can only accommodate 50 in a given year. “Only the most deserving get seats,” Wetsha’s son says, and adds that they wish to keep many more children, but cannot. To support the home-which also has a school open for day-scholars too- members work in the fields. Besides, the government provides a grant and private contributions are also received from time to time. But despite all of these, the cut-off number stands at 50.
Food and education for the children are the topmost priorities for Nagaland Childrens’ Home. The written profile of the home declares that its main aim is to receive neglected children and destitute women and provide them basic needs and requirements, and also impart both formal and non-formal education so as to prepare them to lead a normal life in the society. “The home shall defend and safeguard the rights of the children, the poor and the needy from any kind of oppression and exploitation,” the profile adds. When last year’s matriculate exam results came out, one of the home’s children secured a berth in the Top Ten.
And as The Morung Express distributes toys contributed by its readers to the children, happy faces warm the January evening, making the visit all the more worthwhile.
Nagaland Childrens’ Home
Diphupar, Dimapur, Post Box No-10
Dimapur- 797112, Nagaland, India
