Educate 100 orphan girls in rural India

NALAM Child Development Centre is a project of Buds of Christ and has been working in Namakkal and Salem for the past 10 years with children and families orphaned and affected by Chronic Illnesses. The target group of children are orphan children who have lost one or both parents. These children have specialised needs as they are also children who experience stigma and discrimination due to their ill health condition.

Educational support has been realised as a major support for the girl children, as most of the care takers of these children are not educated and work as coolie workers. The income they receive is also not regular as most of them are agriculture based coolie workers and the work depends on the monsoons.

Education is an important strategy at NALAM child development centre and as we believe empowerment of a child comes through education. This further enables to build a positive outlook about their future. Every year, academic school support like school bags, note books, stationery kits, study guides and school uniforms are given to most deserving girl children and orphaned children. This encourages children to enter the new academic year with great enthusiasm and also a feeling that they are cared and supported.

This year, the support has been provided to 80 children in Namakkal district and 50 children in Salem district. The school kits were distributed on 30th May 2018 in the presence of Mr. M. SHANMUGAM, BA, M.P.Ed, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tiruchengode, Dr. RANGARAJAN, Headmaster, Devanankurichi Govt Hr Sec School and Mr. S. DAVID AMALRAJ, B.Sc, MBA Block Development Officer, Tiruchengode the special guests encouraged the children the importance of education and continue learning throughout life. The importance of life skills education in addition to academics to be live a potential life was mentioned by another speaker.

“I always feel excited at the start of the new academic year ,especially in taking new bags and new books to school. I feel I am cared just like other children in my school when I take all these things new” - orphan 13 year old girl looked after by her grand parents

“I always have felt bad to ask my mother (widow) for a new bag and try to manage with the old bag if it in worn out, as I know the struggle she goes through in doing the coolie work . But now I am happy with the support of Buds of Christ, I have been supported with educational support from my 9th standard and now i am going to 2nd year of my college and happy to receive my college bag this year.” - semi orphan 18 year old girl living with her widowed mother.

As March 8th is commemorated as the International women's day, we at Buds of Christ Charitable Trust take this opportunity to thank all the donors who through their generous donations have built confidence and hope for the widow women in ensuring their daughters are educated and empowered. Buds of Christ would like to present a case study to show how GlobalGiving has impacted in the lives of women in ensuring their daughters are educated.

Sangeetha is an orphan herself brought up by her aunt. She had studied till 8th standard and when she was 13 years old, her aunt got her married to a man aged 30 years old. He was a truck driver, but very loving towards her. She had her first child, when Sangeetha was just 14 years old and second child, when she was 17 years old and when she was 20 years old her husband passed away due to a chronic health condition. Being young and with two little girl children, her in laws started treating her badly and accusing her as the cause of her husband's death.

It was during that time, she felt the need to move out separately as the in-laws were even threatening to kill her and her two daughters. She started looking out for small jobs and with the income she managed the family. When her first daughter attained puberty, there were many marriage proposals brought to her to have her married, it was at that time, she was reached through Buds of Christ and supported with the educational support for the two daughters. Now her first daughter is completing her first year graduation in English and her second daughter is doing her 10th class.

She always mentions that if not for the educational support of her daughters, the situations that had aroused in her life would have repeated in her daughters lives and thank the GlobalGiving Donors for building the lives of her children with their generous contributions.