That's what moms really are!

BANGALORE: Trained to raise orphans and children of families caught in troubled situations, these 'super moms' do all jobs of parenting to help the kids, not related to them in any way, find a family.

Padma is one of 16 surrogate mothers at the Bangalore SOS village, a voluntary organisation and global network of SOS villages, that aims at providing family-based care to orphans and children of families caught in troubled situations.

Pamda and her colleagues are part of those who have been carefully screened and selected to ensure that they can fit into the role of mothers who can handle children of varying age groups and ensure a healthy environment that these kids could be raised in, informs a social worker at the campus.

These SOS mothers, mainly widows or spinsters without any encumbrances, are put through extensive training period and work as assistant mothers before they are handed over the important responsibility of playing mothers.

Though they carry out their duty as the mother, they are ably aided by educators and social workers in the campus, who assist and advise them on the upbringing of children, including dropping grades or a child playing truant, or handling a child stepping into adolescence or preparing a grown up child to enter into matrimony.

"Like any typical household, the family looks out for a suitable alliance through friends, supporters. Children are also free to make known their choice," says a mother.

"Once the alliance is formalised, the wedding preparations begin and as a mother, I bid goodbye to my daughter in the traditional Hindu rituals," she says while flicking through photographs.

"Children grow best in a family atmosphere where they have a mother to care and siblings to share their experiences and a home to call their own," says an educator at SOS.

Every SOS home has a mother who lives with around 10 children both boys and girls and runs a home like any other normal household -- cooking, purchasing household provisions,taking the kids for medical check-ups or attending teachers parents meeting.

The other motherly indulgence of tucking a child to bed, wiping a tear-stained cheek of a child who has discovered his favourite toy has broken is also on their list.

"I am mother to all of them," says another pointing to her children who range from a one-year-old new entrant to a 20-year old, who keep flitting in and out of the neatly kept large house, accompanied by their neighbourhood friends.

"Like any mother, I undergo the same pains, joys and anxieties," says one of the mothers.

"We have so far solemnised 18 marriages in this village since its inception over a decade ago. A budget of Rs 15,000 is set aside for the purpose," says Lokesh, Village director and a father figure to the children.

He says every mother is given a fixed amount per child and can put up a budget for any additional expenses or for unforeseen expenditure in the month.

The villages houses 222 children and many more who are pursuing higher studies outside. The village supports the children till they grow up to be independent adults.

Started in 1949 in Austria by Hermann Gmeiner, the first SOS village in India took roots in 1964 in Delhi and on Friday there are 39 children's villages in the country.

Keen on securing a bright future, the organization accords high priority to education and vocational training. "While my brother is currently working in the US. I am pursuing my academics in Norway," says Amar who came home on a vacation.

Young Prema, is a role model at the home, a post-graduate degree holder in social work, she now looks to completing a degree in management while her sister is employed with IBM.

Once these children complete their studies and settle, they leave the village to set-up homes of their own, homes which the organisation hopes would carry the same essence of love, security, warmth they received back at the SOS.

Few return back to the SOS to work as educators and ensure some others like themselves get an opportunity to blossom.

Inside the campus, an 18-year-old girl is getting ready for a function. Dressed in a heavy sequined apparel, she informs she is pursuing her dream of being an air hostess at a leading training institute. "I want to fly," she says echoing her dream.