Three Telford residents have returned home from Northern India after taking part in a project which aims to take children out of poverty and provide them with a loving environment.
Ironbridge Rotary Club President Steve Evans, Ruth Evans and Helen Britton brought back stories of babies abandoned in bins and poverty ravished regions full of homeless children, and of orphanages with broken windows, bare metal beds and holes in the floor for toilets.
Mrs Britton explained what the living conditions are usually like for the lost children of India.
“Imagine being in a dark room all day and nobody there to give you comfort. It is appalling to think about.
“When we went to visit some of the homes they were more like a Victorian Bedlam than anything else.”
The project involved the construction and renovation of bungalows at The Snehalaya Children’s Home, in Gwalior, which is the first care home in India with a concept of community living. It currently has around 60 children in its care, all with mental or physical disabilities.
Mrs Britton said: “After visiting the other homes it really hit home about how important projects like Snehalaya are.”
India has one sixth of the world’s population and an estimated 25 million children under five die each year, many dumped on dusty streets because families simply cannot afford to look after them.
The Snehalaya home was founded by Dr B.K. Sharma, a retired consultant who used to work at The Royal Wolverhampton Hospital and who now spends half his time in Birmingham and the other in Gwalior.
Mrs Britton said: “For the people who had never been to India it was a huge culture shock.
“I have never done anything like this before. I can paint and decorate, whatever we could offer we did it.”
Mrs Evans said: “One of the most impressive things is that people, despite the living conditions, are still happy and really friendly.”
The volunteers were also struck about how curious, helpful and hopeful the children all were, Mrs Britton said. “I had a little girl helping me, she was a really pretty girl. One by one all the children wanted to help with the painting and took part.
“At one point I had a crowd of people around me because I was listening to my I Pod, they all wanted to know what it was.”
The money raised for the project currently stands at £8,500 which goes directly to benefitting the children.
The trip was organised by Jenny Brett and Helen Perkins from Wolverhampton who are members of the Rotary Club of Wednesfield and have been involved with a number of volunteer projects since 2001. Including charity work in countries like China, Vietnam, Peru, Guatemala, Uganda, and India.
For more information about the project in Gwalior visit the dedicated website www.helpthechildrenofindia.org.uk or contact the Ironbridge Rotarians on 01952 462179.
by Peter Finch