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B y the middle of the year, we are confident that we will be able to bring the bulk of our orphanage services 'under one roof' in our new purpose-built Care Home.
"Snehalaya" (in Hindi it means "Home--with love") will be a real home to 60 people in the first stage.
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Main building nears completion --
landscaping starts to create gardens |
There will, in fact, be a number of roofs; we are building a complex of five individual houses (each to be home to 10 people) plus a two-and-a-half floor community centre. The main building will be a focus for a dining hall, volunteers residence and health centre. There will also be five big halls on the ground floor for play, school, physiotherapy and vocational training activities.
The buildings will occupy about 5 acres of our 15 acre property -- leaving 10 acres for gardens, playing fields, outside playgrounds and farming. The overall strategy has been to create a true family environment (with live-in carers in many cases) which offers the underprivileged a life of dignity and self-esteem with children, women and old people living together as a family.
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Mansi (Our volunteer and play teacher)
standing with mural painting. |
As our founder, Dr. B.K. Sharma has said , "We took this big step forward for the sake of children at Mercy Home and on the streets despite a shortage of funds. We made this decision relying on your generosity and future support as we have received thus far. With help, the completion of stage 2 will make a facility to house 200 children." But "Snehalaya" embodies more than the conventional idea of an orphanage for children --- it is a Care Home for all the vulnerable ones who are exploited or neglected and have no place to live.
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Mural covers one wall in living area
of one of the houses. |
Here they will live together and be provided with necessary care and support. The organisation will provide nursing and medical facilities to those who need or who cannot care for themselves. "Snehalaya" will include a school, health and vocational training centre which aims to make these children as independent as possible. "Snehalaya" will also have facilities for play, Yoga, Meditation, gymnasium, rehabilitation, gardening and farming with a Gaushala (cow shelter). The aim is for them to be equipped to give back to the community according to their ability and skills. This raises their self-esteem and brings dignity into their lives. The facilities, mostly housed in the main building, are used as well for the development of the surrounding community.
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Some of the children under our sponsorship
who will move to Snehalkaya |
Through education, health care and vocational training, "Snehalaya"residents will be made independent for their future to be able to live and fend for themselves. We aim to endow them with a meaningful life so that eventually they can become part of the community as a whole.
At present construction and development work of Stage 1 has been completed to nearly the 80% level. Our 'Sponsor a Brick' Appeal continues. It will help provide for the completion of this first stage---and for the many, many bricks needed for Stage 2. |
You can donate a "Brick" !
