Help us equip and sustain the children's home

Unlocking Doors, Opening Futures

In May we celebrated the opening of the new KBM Children’s Home in Darjeeling. While there is work still to be done, the main elements have been completed—thanks to the amazing generosity of supporters from all over the world. But speaking as someone privileged to attend the opening, it wasn’t the splendid building with its modern facilities which struck me most forcefully: it was the hand-written letters, most of them beautifully illustrated, we were given by the children.

Instead of providing summaries, let me share three examples from across the age spectrum. It’ll mean so much more.

[GLOBAL GIVING: PLEASE INSERT THE THREE LETTERS HERE]

By providing accommodation and facilities which were a world away from the appalling conditions they replaced, we sent the children a message which, perhaps, they had never received before: “You are worth every rupee.”

By the date of the opening ceremony, our supporters’ generosity had enabled us to:

•   complete the boundary wall, so important for the safety and security of the children;

•   install water tanks to harvest water during the monsoon (at other times of the year, the water supply is woefully inadequate); and

•   complete a great, multi-purpose, activity room

But we have more still to do.

Apart from providing, in the newly-built home

•   maths, English and computer classes (essential for those children attending local government schools where the provision lags behind that of the local private schools), and

•   eye, dental and mental health clinics and girls' health awareness classes

we intend to

•   provide 100 new mattresses to replace the pitifully thin mattresses in both the boys’ and the girls’ dormitories;

•   provide 25 wardrobes to replace the dilapidated furniture;

•   provide 73 new curtains; and

•   guarantee sufficient water for the home 365 days of the year. 

Links:

• Darjeeling Children's Trust Website

In Darjeeling, as in most places across the globe, food is the way to the heart. With this in mind, it was essential to ensure that the children at KBM Children’s Home had access to the best kitchen facilities we could provide. The installation of the kitchen also marks the last major component of the 12-year construction project of the KBM Children’s Home. 

Over the last few months, we have:

• Installed gas pipes, electric wiring and ample storage to streamline the process of food preparation and cleanup.
• Created a designated area for washing dishes and utensils so that the kitchen team can ensure high levels of hygiene and sanitation standards for the children.
• Added a large window overlooking the dining room which means that the children and the staff can interact and create community together. 

The cooking team at KBM Children’s Home, Samuel and Sanju, have happily reported that the new kitchen is a very comfortable space to work in. The supervisors, Jigten and Sangham, have involved the children and young people in food preparation so the older children help serve the younger children at meal times. Kitchens, though sometimes overlooked, are the cornerstone of many of our homes - and that is now no different at KBM Children’s Home. 

Safe and Secure

The safety and well-being of the children continue to be critical as we near the completion of our construction. We have added:

• An outside fence and railings to ensure that the children are safe and secure when walking up and down the stairs in the building. 

• Security railings on the activity room windows to ensure that the children and young people can continue benefiting from the new computers and facilities installed. 

Online Event

We were thrilled to welcome supporters, like you, from across the globe to join us for our second online event, held on February 25th 2024, to celebrate the near completion of this ambitious construction project. 

The event gave valuable insights into the diverse ways we support children across project areas - some inside the home and others in the Darjeeling community. Our trustee, Tshering (who grew up in Darjeeling herself) hosted a gathering of friends at her home to view the event on a large screen, while many others connected online to embark on a journey across continents with live links to presenters in the UK, France, Switzerland and India spanning Delhi and Darjeeling. 

Ardent supporters Mike and Tom captivated viewers with images from their fundraising adventures. Mike shared his expedition on a Tuk Tuk from Jaisalmer in the desert of Rajasthan over to the mountains of Kashmir, while Tom recounted his epic four-and-a-half-month road trip from London to Singapore. 

The pinnacle of the event was the presentation by Marilyn and the team engaged in the children’s home construction project. Project architect, Raghavan, contributed to the captivating discussion from his home in Delhi. The event concluded with a short yet powerful film produced by Aashwin, our project lead in Darjeeling. 

You can catch up with the event recording to hear about how your generous support of this project has allowed children in Darjeeling to create a safe, fun and nurturing community in the hills.

Links:

• Watch our online event to mark the completion of the home here.