Imphal, December 06 2009: "I feel quite comfortable at Yaibilen.

Here, I can study properly, play and have food to my heart's content", said one Bobo (not real name).

Nine year old Bobo has lost both his parents.

His father was shot dead.

Not long after, his mother too died of depression and mental illness.

For Bobo and likes, Yaibi Lenpham, in short Yaibilen has turned to be the most secured and much needed shelter.

Yaibilen is a children home located about 20 Kms away from Imphal at Keibi Sanapat.

Opened in September this year, Yaibilen is now home to nine children.

Bobo is the eldest of three siblings.

He has a brother and a sister.

His younger brother is also staying at Yaibilen while his sister is with his maternal grand-mother.

Earlier, all three of them used to stay together with their grand-mother who is a vegetable vendor.

Bobo now feels quite at home at Yaibilen and is quite hopeful that he said, "I will become an IAS officer when I grow up".

Yaibilen started as a school in 1983.At present, it has classes from Nursery to Class VII and it has been recognised by the Government.

Yaibilen Children Home was added to the school with the noble objective of adopting at least 50 destitute children.

The story of Bobo is nothing but a glaring narrative of the prevailing situation where the fates of many children are unpredictably insecure.

"My father was very fond of me.

He used to do every bidding of mine.

He used to work at Moreh", Bobo recalled.

"He was shot dead when he went to buy eatables from Namphalong market.

My mother wept a lot.

After Sradha ceremony, my younger brother was born.

After that her health broke down and three years later, she succumbed to the illness", Bobo recounted.

After the death of the mother, Bobo and his siblings used to stay at their maternal grand-mother's place for sometime before Bobo and his brother went to Yaibilen.

Yaibilen Children Home is being looked after by a committee of permanent donors.

Speaking to media persons at Yaibilen complex today, Yaibilen secretary Yangoi Piba observed that the number of orphans has been increasing in Manipur due to one reason or another.

"But such orphans cannot be left to themselves.

It is the responsibility of all of us to look after them, educate them and make them competent citizens", Yangoi Piba said.

It was under this principle that Yaibilen Children Home was established with the help of a number of donors, he said.

At present, the donor committee has 11 members.

They are M Boudhajit, Dr Mitrani Foundation Uripok, N Momon, RK Rameshwar, L Santikumar, P Nodia, RK Sanatomba, SK Sharma, P Ibomcha and W Shyam.

These donors have been looking after the needs of the children such as their food, dress, books, stationery and play ground.

Many other donors not included in the committee have also been making donation to Yaibilen.

"We can run the children home all because of these donors", Yaibilen VP SK Illawar said.

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