When Subash (name changed) and his sisters laugh with their mother around a shared meal, it is more than just an ordinary evening. For them, these everyday moments are treasured milestones on a difficult journey, one marked by heartbreak, determination, and ultimately, hope. Life took a difficult turn when their father left. Their young mother, Rajalakshmi, was suddenly left to care for three young children and her ailing mother. With limited income and overwhelming stress, she made the painful decision in 2018 to send her children to separate Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in Tamil Nadu so they could at least have food and shelter.
No family should ever face such a choice. For Rajalakshmi, the separation was a daily ache, but she never lost sight of the future she dreamed of, a reunited family, safe and together. While systems provided temporary shelter for the children, Rajalakshmi never stopped working toward bringing them home. She found work on a cattle farm in Valadi village. Over time, with modest earnings and the support of a retired schoolteacher who offered guidance and solidarity, she rented a new home and began preparing for her children’s return. With support and encouragement, the CCI team also began to see the potential for a successful reintegration. They recognized Rajalakshmi’s determination and worked closely with her to make the transition possible. In 2021, with the support of Miracle Foundation India and the CCI team, the children were gradually reintegrated with their mother: first Subash, who returned home after completing Class 10, followed by his sisters.
Coming back was not always easy for Subash. He struggled to adjust and sometimes felt lost, but counseling and support helped him regain his confidence. Today, Subash has finished his B.Com. and is preparing for job interviews, while his elder sister is pursuing a B.A. in History, and his younger sister has entered Class 12 in the arts stream. The family is now living together again. The family’s reintegration and well-being have been supported through a combination of state schemes and direct assistance.
Rajalakshmi now earns around ₹10,000 per month from her job at a textile shop while receiving ₹1,000 per month through the Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme for single women from economically weaker sections. Her elderly mother receives ₹1,200 per month under the Tamil Nadu Old Age Pension Scheme. Subash and his sisters have benefited from scholarships worth each from the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes/Most Backward Classes/Denotified Communities/SC Welfare (post-matric) Scholarship. The entire family is covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, easing their medical burdens. With extra help, such as tuition support, a bicycle, study materials, monthly food rations, and even a goat for income, they are finding stability and happiness together again.
Rajalakshmi says she is overjoyed to see her family together and to hear her children talk to her like before. This hard-won normalcy is the truest reward of small joys, shared dreams, and the knowledge that, with compassion and support, families can heal. Their journey shows that reintegration is not simply about returning children to their homes, but about offering families the dignity and resources to remain together, to turn heartbreak into hope, and survival into flourishing.