Support orphaned children at our Sunshine Homes

Hello all,

Love and Greetings from Sunshine Homes!

Balraj* (Name changed) is a 17-year-old child staying at Udayan Care Noida Home. He became part of the Sunshine Homes in the year 2022. After the sudden demise of his parents, his grandmother looked after him and her elder sister. After some time, she came to Delhi to secure a better future for them. Due to the tragic turn of events, Balraj was taken to the Child Welfare Committee and transferred to Noida Boys Home. Here at Udayan Care Home, he has enough opportunities to grow. He now realizes that he is part of a family.

Due to frequent disruptions, he was not able to continue his education. After coming to Udayan Ghar, he was not found fit for age-appropriate admission at regular schools. So, he was enrolled in Open Schooling to continue his education.

He is happy about his fellow home-mates and care staff. He says that they have always been very supportive of him. A few months back, he was diagnosed with Jaundice. Udayan Care provided him with expert medical advice. He is now recovering well.

This year in August, he was enrolled for chef training at ‘Haldiram’, a popular fast-food chain in India. He feels that one day he will become a famous chef, a dream that he always cherishes.

Kanhaiya* (Name changed) is one of Balraj’s home-mates. Kanhaiya is one of the prominent shining stars of Udayan Car Home who has become a source of motivation for his home-mates. Kanhaiya arrived at Udayan Care on the 4^th of April, 2018 through the orders of the Child Welfare Committee, Noida. At the time of his arrival, he was struggling to cope with his loneliness and insecurities. Owing to not getting enough opportunities in his life prior to his arrival at Udayan Care, his academic performance needed improvement which he later worked on effectively.

Before his arrival at Udayan Care, Kanhaiya completed his education till 6^th standard. After coming to Udayan Care, he was admitted to Kendriya Vidyalaya Noida. After persistent efforts from the counselors and mentors of the home, he successfully managed to overcome the issues in subject comprehension. His academic performance improved a lot since then. The planned counseling also enabled him to excel in extracurricular activities like sports and art. Apart from excelling in sports, he is also a good artist and regularly participates in the Art workshops conducted by a partner NGO Artreach Foundation.

Kanhaiya is now getting training under the guidance of a cricket coach. He is regularly doing his routine practice at Grassroot Cricket Academy, along with his studies. He is currently enrolled in 11^th Standard at Kendriya Vidyalaya. In the last week of July 2023, he participated in an Inter-regional Kendriya Vidyalaya sports competition held at Etah (UP) and secured a silver medal in a 100-meter Relay Race. He came third in the 100 and 200-meter Race.

From overcoming his quiet nature to becoming a responsible elder brother-like figure at home, Kanhaiya has come a long way to prove his mettle. He has shown his skills ranging from home to schools and cricket academy. His affectionate conversation with his fellow housemates and constructive group activities have endeared him among the housemates. 

Kanhaiya now aspires to become a full-fledged social worker to uplift the lives of children who need care and protection. He says that whatever Udayan Care has endowed him, he is morally obliged to return this in the form of service to mankind. He sincerely believes that Udayan Care has brightened his career prospects.

Millions of children worldwide are devoid of parental love, care, and support, with their futures at stake. The children at the Sunshine Home, want to reach out to people by taking them through Kanhaiya’s journey of growth so far at Sunshine Home. Children of Udayan Care want it to echo among people who can extend their helping hand to disadvantaged children. Udayan Care hopes that one day, every child will be cared for, and supported through thick and thin.

Now, here are the highlights of the activities done by the Team of Sunshine Homes during the last quarter-

SESSION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

The workshop was held with the objective of understanding psychological development. It was attended by children of the home. It was aimed to make participants understand the type of physical, social and psychological changes that a child undergoes during adolescence and puberty. The session included group activity, group discussion and critical thinking methods.  During the session, the counsellor talked to the children about the concepts of puberty, menstruation, emission, masturbation etc. with a focus on psychological and social changes. During the session, children were asked to make a story reflecting on the psycho-social and physical aspects of the characters given in the pictures. The children explained the story. Then, the counsellor collated the physical, social and psychological depiction from their explanation and facilitated a discussion on the changes that occur during puberty.

It was observed that participants were already aware of the physical aspect of psychological development. They all were able to comprehend and answered accordingly, but they sought help in comprehending the psychological aspect of the pictures.

TRAINING SESSION ON NUTRITION

Children and Staff attended an in-person Training session on Nutrition facilitated by ChildFund India.In the session, children were told about the importance of nutrition, a balanced diet and safe practices to be ensured while taking care of a diet. Considering the crucial time of their age with respect to their mental and physical growth, the session benefitted the children to a great extent.

EID CELEBRATION

Children from various homes celebrated Eid at their respective homes. On the occasion of Eid, Children from Mehrauli home went to Vasant Kunj for a small get-together to celebrate the feeling of brotherhood on the holy festival of Eid. The children had snacks and enjoyed a lot.

SPORTS FESTIVAL

Children of the home participated in Sports Festival under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav as instructed by the Department of Child and Women Development. Children played various games as per the list shared by the legal authorities and actively participated in the same. The activity infused a sense of brotherhood and patriotism into the minds of little children.

NATIONAL MUSEUM VISIT

Children from various homes of Udayan Care went on a visit to the National Museum, wherein they explored Art Galleries and also made sketches. There were three groups (as per their age group) who alternately went to the museum. They all enjoyed this excursion visit and learned a lot. They took selfies with the staff of the National Museum. Visit benefitted them a lot as they knew about various historical facts concerning India’s cultural heritage.

AMBEDKAR JAYANTI (AMBEDKAR BIRTHDAY)

The constitution of India was written by Dr. B R Ambedkar.  On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti (B R Ambedkar’s Birthday), children prepared posters, wrote essays and recited quotes from Dr. Ambedkar. These activities were conducted to introduce the children to his vision of India. All the children liked the activities and got inspired, they pledged to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Ambedkar.

EOD ADVENTURE PARK

The children went for an outing at Every Other Day Adventure Park. Children enjoyed a rain dance, beautiful views, rides and delicious lunch. Overall children had a lot of fun. It was a great day for the children as they came out of the home for an outing along with children from other homes as well. The cross-learning among the children during this kind of event creates a synergy among them to strive for holistic development.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY

Children celebrated International Labour Day on the 1^st of May. Children at the home also got to know about the plight of labour in the world and respective social workers at the homes briefed them on the importance of the day in the history of human rights and labour rights.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATION

 All the children celebrated World Environment Day by watering and tending to the garden. They planted a few decorative plants in the planters. Children also held a group discussion on the theme of End Plastic. They all sat in the garden and discussed air, water and noise pollution, its reason and ways to curb it.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

All children celebrated World Yoga Day by practicing Yoga for an hour in the morning. They all discussed the theme for this year YOGA i.e. VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM (One Earth one family one future). The benefits of yoga for Mental Physical and Emotional well-being were stressed upon. The children did breathing exercises (Anulom, Vilom, Bhastrika, Bhavri etc). They also performed Surya Namaskar asana or Sun Salutations.

VISIT TO KIRAN NADAR MUSEUM

Children visited Kiran Nadar Museum for four days in the summer vacations. This place has a beautiful collection of art pieces and sculptures as well as photographs of ancient architecture. The children saw the paintings and were also explained the basics of art. The children enjoyed it a lot.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Several birthdays were celebrated in this quarter. The celebration was done in the presence of all the children, staff and mentor parents. Children decorated the entire house with balloons and ribbons and prepared handmade greeting cards whenever the occasion came.

ADVENTURE ISLAND VISIT

Children of various homes visited Adventure Park Rithala, for an outing. They were accompanied by caregivers and a home social worker. They enjoyed all the events there including Aqua Bump. They had a sumptuous lunch in between the activities. It was a wonderful recreational activity enjoyed by all. 

This is all that Udayan Care had to share on behalf of the children and team at Sunshine Homes. With this, Udayan Care thanks GlobalGiving and the associated donors for their sustained support. 

Hello all,

Love and Greetings from Sunshine Homes!

My name is Shalini*, and I am 13 years old. I became part of the Sunshine Homes run by Udayan Care in Faridabad, in the year 2019, along with my sister. After the tragic demise of my father, I with my sister was living with our grandmother. Due to her deteriorating health conditions, we need someone to support us and Udayan Care came to our rescue. Here at Faridabad home, we get care and protection, apart from education and health services. This year in February, we participated Annual Sports Day event at Vasant Kunj, which was sponsored by Adidas, along with all the children of Udayan Care scattered over 16 homes. This wonderful event has been a real fun and we enjoyed it to the fullest.

I would like to share the story of my friend Manyata* (Name changed) who is turning 18 this year. She is one of the major towering figures at our Udayan Care Home which motivates others to leave behind the bitter past and look forward to a new start. Manyata’s father died when she was young. After her mother’s remarriage, she was looked after by her grandparents. Over there, her maternal uncle sexually abused her. Later, her Bua presented her to CWC and she was placed at one Home run by Udayan Care. She has already been restored to her family way back in 2019, but due to some unfortunate reasons, her Bua again surrendered her to Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Before coming to home, Manyata was uncomfortable and it has also been observed that she showed aggression and overreactions over insignificant inconveniences. To help her deal with her emotions and channelize them in a positive manner, regular counselling sessions with the child were taken by the counsellor. During her stay at Udayan Care, apart from giving counselling and proper nutrition, she was given vocational training as well to secure her future in addition to infusing self-confidence into her.

During her stay at home, she attended Rotary Club Skill Development Center. The child’s performance has been good in her Vocational Training classes. Manyata’s teacher sees abundant potential in her. Her teacher expects the child to put in some extra effort to reach her potential to the fullest. Manyata tailoring samples were sent to Sri Aurobindo Ashram for getting her admitted there. We were looking forward her admission over there. Since the child has never attended formal school before her arrival at the home, she is facing difficulty to be enrolled in formal classes. The child is getting informal education to build her basics, in the form of home tuitions from Ms. Bhwana, tutor.

After the relentless efforts put in her case by our psychologists and counsellors, the child now recovered fully from the mental trauma she was fraught with earlier. Before her admission at Udayan Care, she was anaemic and had the tendency of eating cement and whitewash off the walls. After our intervention and regular treatment, she has now fully recovered. Her blood count is normal and after a successful counselling session, she has left the habit of eating cement and chalk. The child maintains good health now. Manyata’s recently recorded height is 159 cm, weight is 40.6 kg. During the quarter, the child went for a regular health checkup and shows no prominent health concerns.

It was observed that Manyata put in extra effort in skill and vocational training, but she is finding it difficult to concentrate fully on her studies. Our counsellors are working on this aspect. In addition to that the child is finding it difficult to passionately participate in the activities which are regularly conducted at the home. Regular counselling sessions are taken with the child to help her navigate through her future plans. Udayan Care sees a lot of potential in her and expects a bright future ahead.

Millions of children worldwide are devoid of parental love, care, and support, with their futures at stake. We, the children at the Sunshine Home, want to reach out to people by taking them through Manyata’s journey of growth so far at Sunshine Home. We want it to echo among people who can extend their helping hand to disadvantaged children. We hope that one day, every child will be cared for, and supported through thick and thin. We hope that one day, every child’s eye will shine with vivid dreams, and have the capacity to turn them into reality. We hope that one day, no child will be left behind.

Well, that’s all about us. Now, let me take you through some of the fun and learning engagements that took place at Sunshine Homes –

Republic Day Celebration

Republic Day marks the adoption of India's constitution and the country's transition to a republic on January 26, 1950. This year children and staff celebrated Republic Day by hoisting National Flag and learnt about the significance of the day at there respctive homes. Children watched the grand parade that was held in New Delhi virtually, which is performed as a tribute to India, its unity in diversity and its rich cultural heritage by the states of India by building beautiful tableaus. Children from some of our homes also went to Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri to celebrate the day with the manager and other dignitaries over there. Children were given fabulous gifts by the manager of the Leela Palace himself.

Session on “Epilepsy Awareness”

In association with Dr. Amit Agarwal, Assistant Professor and Consultant at Amrita Institute of Medical Science, a workshop on “Epilepsy Awareness” was conducted with the social workers, counsellors, caregivers and supervisors on 21st and 22nd December 2022 in two batches. The objective of the workshop was to help individuals working with children, be familiar with the topic so that they can deal with situations around epilepsy more effectively. During the introduction, Dr Amit Agarwal shared a brief introduction about himself and his experience in the field of neurology. Building on context, Dr Amit apprised the participants of the difference between epilepsy and seizure. He mentioned that a seizure is a brief, temporary disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain that may affect muscle control and movement, speech, vision and/or eye movement and awareness which can be considered as symptoms while epilepsy can be considered a disease. Furthermore, Dr Amit shared that seizures can be of two types firstly Generalized seizures which involve the whole brain and Partial Seizures which involve only a part of the brain. Dr Amit also shared some of the common signs of seizures such as extended blank stare movements, empty look in eyes, rapid blinking, eyes rolling upward, periods of unresponsiveness, inability to pay attention, repetitive movements of body parts, usually head, arms, legs, uncontrollable jerking body, loss of consciousness, dazed walking, temporary confusion etc.

Adidas-Udayan Care Annual Sports Day

This month children and staff of all the homes attended XV Adidas Group Udayan Care Annual sports day that was organised after two years. The theme of the event was Chakk De Balla- It's Sports Adda. The event was attended by all homes of Udayan Care across Delhi- NCR. The event started with march past performed by all children and staff presented. The girls of Faridabad home performed a group dance that gave an enthusiastic start to the event. The children from the other homes participated in many races organised according to their age categories. Children from all homes won medals at their respective races. Overall, the children enjoyed the sports meet and had a blast.

Science Fest

The fest was a conducted together by Vigyan Shala, Jagshanti Udayan Ghar and activity-based learning lead by Dr Vijay (founder of Vigyan Shala) on 7th January 2023. It was an activity to galvanize the scientific temper among the Children of Homes.

The fest was inaugurated by Mr Sagar. Mr Deepak Sharma, Dr Kiran Modi, Dr Vijay and Mr Sagar shared their experiences regarding innovation and scientific learning. They all motivated the children by citing their vast experiences and experiments. A PPT of the journey of the lab since its inception was also shared with the audience.

The guests then observed various working models developed by the children of Udayan Ghars and the Udayan Shalinis together, under the guidance of Ms Samta.

The list of models in the fest are as follows

1)         Blind Stick

2)         Nicola Tesla coil project

3)         Electricity generation through DC Motor

4)         Water treatment plant

5)         Fire alarm

6)         Automatic street light

7)         Conductivity test

8)         Printouts through 3D printer

9)         Home security system

10)       Robot with IR sensor

11)       Bluetooth remote control car

The children as well as the guests enjoyed this memorable evening of scientific knowledge and its practical application.

International Women’s Day

A session on "International Women's Day" was organised by the home coordinators. During the session, the children were asked to tell about the woman’s role models they had in their lives. Children participated heartedly and talked about the female role models in their lives as well as women around the world leading successful life. After the discussion, children made beautiful posters related to the D-day.

Holi Celebration

The festival of colours was celebrated by the children and home staff with full zeal and enthusiasm. Children celebrated Holi with gulal and chandan. They put gulal on each other's face and spotted chandan on the forehead as tilak. The home staff prepared delicious meal on the occasion. Overall, the day went well full of colours, craziness and joy.

This was a cursory glance at the fun and learning engagements during the past few months. Taking into consideration our holistic growth, Sunshine Home Family ensures that every child becomes able to take small but steady steps for the development of overall personality. These steps for betterment will definitely build a positive perspective in life.

This is all that I had to share on behalf of the children and team at Sunshine Homes. With this, I thank GlobalGiving and the associated donors for their sustained support which has helped us to continue to flourish in our Sunshine Home family.

Hoping to connect again.

Thank you!

Shalini*

Links:

• The 'Udayan Ghar Programme' literally meaning, 'Sunshine Homes'

• Project Photographs (PDF)
  

Hello all,

Love and Greetings from Sunshine Homes!

My name is Sameer* and I’m 17 years old. Being a part of one of the Sunshine Homes run by Udayan Care in Gurugram, I’m glad to connect with you and share the engagements that I and all the other children of Sunshine Homes had over the last few months. We participated in various fun activities and educational sessions, and we also went on excursions to Nanital in Auro camp! But before going into the details of the same, I would like to share the story of my friend Ramesh* with you, who is 15 years old and lived with me at Sunshine Home, Gurugram for a few years. His story is a personification of inspiration for us. I want to share his story to raise awareness among the masses about the superstition of people and the children get impacted and I really wish more and more people support children like us.

Since childhood, Ramesh’s parents struggled to provide for their family due to financial constraints. Ramesh has some issues in his left foot and his parents tried his treatment but couldn’t succeed. Superstitions around the health condition of child Ramesh, the family was forced by the community to leave the child at Temple, in the hopes that the child would be cured there. Ramesh escaped from the Temple in Bihar and found shelter on the stairs of the Temple in Gurugram. He was rescued by the child line and transferred to Udayan Care Home, Gurugram in 2019 for long-term care and protection by the orders of the Child Welfare Committee.

Ramesh was medically unfit at the time of his admission to Udayan Care’s Home. The initial 24-hour health examination was carried out at the Govt. Hospital in Sector 10, Gurugram which revealed that he has acute injuries in his foot. His treatment from a government hospital continued for few months. As the wound wasn’t healing, Ghar staff took him to the nearest hospital where it was diagnosed that the child is in urgent need of amputation of his left foot. His moment was very difficult due to deep wound at his foot. Thereafter through a volunteer, Udayan Care tied up with Medanta Hospital, Gurugram for the surgery, where his foot and toe were amputated in June 2020, and despite regular medication and treatment his wound was not healing, and the infection continued to spread. He was in severe pain, and we all get so sad when he used to shout in pain. He was taking medicine regularly.

In July 2021 Ramesh was again taken to the Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, after a thorough investigation, to stop the further spread of the wound Ramesh requires another surgery in which his affected legs below the knee part has to be completely amputated. Ramesh was provided with a prosthetic leg by an NGO.

During his stay in Udayan Care, Gurugram, he was engaged in basic literacy, through Non-Formal Education (NFE) at Ghar. He actively participated in all the activities of the Ghar. During his stay at Ghar our team was continuously following the childline and police in order to trace his family based on the clues that Ramesh has given to them. Ramesh was too young when his family left him at temple in myth that by serving God his wound will heal and he will be fine one day.

The long search for Ramesh’s family was finally completed as his family was traced, with the help of another NGO. They communicated with the family of Ramesh. Ramesh had also interacted with his family over phone. He informed his family that his wound has been completely treated and he is absolutely fine now. After three years of his stay he was restored to his family (based in Sasaram, Bihar) in November 2022. We are still in touch with him. I miss him very much. However I am connected with him through mobile and used to chat with him once a week.

Despite all the trials that came his way, the support and love of the Home staff enabled him to wade his way through challenges.

Millions of children worldwide are devoid of parental love, care, and support, with their futures at stake. We, the children at the Sunshine Home, want to reach out to people by taking them through Ramesh’s journey of growth so far at Sunshine Home. We want it to echo among people who can extend their helping hand to disadvantaged children. We hope that one day, every child will be cared for, and supported through thick and thin. We hope that one day, every child’s eye will shine with vivid dreams, and have the capacity to turn them into reality. We hope that one day, no child will be left behind.

Well, that’s all about us. Now, let me take you through some of the fun and learning engagements that took place at Sunshine Homes.

GANDHI JAYANTI

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of the Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Movie screenings and informative sessions are organised for all the homes and the children are encouraged to make posters and charts around the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

DUSSEHRA Celebration

Dussehra, a major festival of India also known as “the day of victory”; denotes the victory of good over evil. The children from various homes participated in the community organised celebrations, such celebrations provide the children the necessary exposure and opportunity to engage in cultural celebrations. The children at every Home celebrated Dussehra with great zeal. They were explained about the significance of the festival. The children made effigies of Ravana using Colour papers, sticks etc. We all had fun during festival

DAAN UTSAV

Daan Utsav is a weeklong 'festival of giving' celebrated from the 2nd of October to the 8th of October every year. The children across all Ghars celebrated this festival by giving notebooks, pencils, and chocolates to children living in a nearby open communities. The children understood the significance of practicing the virtue of kindness and sharing in their lives.                   

Diwali Celebration

Diwali is one of the major religious festival of India and people celebrate it with greta happiness and joy. The Udayan homes were decorated with beautifuyl lights and children made rangolis and participated in celenrations organised by the residential associations. The children had a real celebration time during Diwali. The mentor parents of all the Homes also come to meet and greet children. The alumni were also part of festival celebrration. Diwali festival is a great reunioin time for all mentors, children, aftercare Young adults and alumini and they celbrater festival with great zeal.

Youth Camp at Aurobindo Ashram, Nainital

A week long Youth Camp fondly called the ‘Auro Camp’ was organized for the Aftercare Youth in association with Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, from 30th October 2022 to 5th November 2022. The Trust has been organizing such camps since 1977 as one of their Programmes, wherein youth across the country participate with joy to gather knowledge and spiritual awareness. The youth and staff were full of zeal and enthusiasm to experience this adventure as the trip came with a blend of fun and learning.                               

The mornings would start with refreshing exercises and musical games which would give an energetic boost to the children for the fun activities lined up for the rest of the day. After having breakfast, the children would go for awestriking treks, explore caves, and experience enthralling scrambling and rock climbing.

The trip was packed with exciting, adventurous activities and experiences which came across as an opportunity to build a sense of teamwork and strong friendships among the participants. The camp came to an end with moments of enjoyment captured in beautiful and scenic photography. With an adventurous streak of learning, the trip proved to be a vivid one.

Inter NGO Sports Event

On 19^th November, children from both the Lajpat Nagar Ghars and Vasant Kunj Ghar participated in Inter NGO Sports Event organized by Modern School Vasant Vihar. Children participated in all the events like the 100m race, 200m race, 4 × 100m relay race, sack race, hurdle race and tug of war. All the children have participated enthusiastically and were amazed to see the performances by the other children who participated from other NGOs while cherishing the hospitality by the children from Modern School. Two children from Lajpat Nagar Ghars won the Silver and Bronze Medal in 200m race and sack race, respectively. All children have received a Certificate for Participation and refreshments.  

Nakshatra

On 20^th November, a vibrant event called Nakshatra was organised by Bhumi NGO in North campus, DU. This fest provided a platform for children to ‘Dream’- exhibit their talents, ‘Discover’ their potential and ‘Dazzle’ in an atmosphere of healthy competition. It contributes to their holistic development through extra-curricular activities. The children were able to showcase their creativity and skills by participating in various events. Three children from Ghaziabad and Faridabad Ghar also won prizes in various activites. Nandini won 1st prize in Pot Designing, Mahi won 1^st prize in Pot Painting, Soniya won 1st prize in Poem Recitation and Prachi won 2nd prize in solo dance performance Bhumi Got Talent.

FICCI FLO Anshukam

The women's wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) i.e., 'FICCI FLO' organized a grand National Level event ‘Anshukam’, a two-day event, with the subject 'Weaving Stories Through threads,' that showcased the work of weavers and craftsmen from different part of the country. Children from our Udayan Ghars enacted various street plays on social issues which were written and directed by the children themselves. Children also showcased clothes designed by Udayan Care’s other project- Udayan Skill Development center.

We would like to thank Jayanti Dalmia, National President, FICCI and Madhuri Halwasiya, National Initiative Head, FICCI for providing our children with this opportunity to showcase their talent.

Hoping to connect again.

Thank you!
Sameer

Hello all,

Love and Greetings from Sunshine Homes!

My name is Kriti and I’m 17 years old. Being a part of one of the Sunshine Homes run by Udayan Care in Greater Noida, I’m glad to connect with you and share the engagements that I and all the other children of Sunshine Homes had over the last few months. We participated in various fun activities and educational sessions, and we also went on excursions to tranquil mountains! But before going into the details of the same, I would like to share the story of my close friend Jane* with you, who is also 17 years old and lives with me at Sunshine Home, Greater Noida. Her story is an epitome of inspiration for us and is an alibi of the impact our society can make. I want to share her story to raise awareness among the masses about children without family care and I really wish more and more people support children like us.

Since childhood, Jane’s parents struggled to provide for their family due to financial constraints. This often led to discord between her parents, which would manifest itself in an unfriendly environment for her. Her family’s struggle to earn forced them to send her far away from home to work as a domestic worker. As she was exploited by her employers and had a very bad experience working there, she left her job soon enough and ran away. Fortunately, Jane was helped by ChildLine officials. Through them, she was brought to Sunshine Home, Greater Noida in October 2016. A ‘home’, in every sense - it proved to be a blessing in disguise for her.    

During the initial few months at the Home, Jane was a little apprehensive about what the future held for her. A little shy to express her emotions with the staff at the home, she wasn’t sure of how others will react to her feelings. However, the staff at the Home, especially the mentors came across as parent figures for her, just like they are for other children at the home. They assisted her in slowly but steadily developing her life skills. With acceptance and affection, the Home staff stood by her side while she flourished.

Jane faced various challenges in keeping up with her academics. In order to ensure her holistic development, the Home Staff organized her psychological assessment. Through the results of the same, the staff of Sunshine home got to know about her requirements better as they took the right steps for her growth. Soon, she was enrolled in a Special Education School, where she bloomed with learnings and skills acquired.

While I worked on her educational skills, Jane also got the opportunity to explore sports, something that she has always cherished. Recognizing her knack for sports, the Home staff and the mentor parents encouraged her to pursue her interest in sports and soon, she started practicing volleyball. She loved the sport and practiced volleyball with resilience and diligence for more than a year. Volleyball became her passion as she honed her skills in the sport. She found her purpose in it as she proved to be a prodigy. 

This year, her untiring zeal for Volleyball shone brightly as she got shortlisted for Special Olympics Bharat Volleyball team (National Level). She will also be attending preparatory camps for World Summer Game 2023. We are so excited about it!

Despite all the trials that came her way, the support and love of the Home staff enabled her to wade her way through challenges. She found her own path with this sunshine, building her identity from scratch.

Millions of children worldwide are devoid of parental love, care, and support, with their futures at stake. We, the children at the Sunshine Home, want to reach out to people by taking them through Jane’s journey of growth so far at Sunshine Home. We want it to echo among people who can extend their helping hand to disadvantaged children. We hope that one day, every child will be cared for, and supported through thick and thin. We hope that one day, every child’s eye will shine with vivid dreams, and have the capacity to turn them into reality. We hope that one day, no child will be left behind.

Well, that’s all about us. Now, let me take you through some of the fun and learning engagements that took place at Sunshine Homes –

World Environment Day

World Environment Day was celebrated across all Sunshine Homes with children making posters on environmental awareness and participating in a plantation drive. A session on environmental issues, such as global warming, and marine pollution, among others, was conducted by the staff for the children. With the hope of a better tomorrow, all pledged to preserve the environment. With this, all children made posters and wonderfully acknowledged the importance of the environment. The children also participated in cleanliness drives that were organized in nearby parks and painted old, used glass bottles, making them reusable as colorful, creative show pieces.

Trip to Auro Camp, Nainital (9th June to 15th June’22)

A weeklong trip to Auro Camp, Nainital was organized for the children in association with Sri Aurobindo Ashram. A total 31 children and 9 staff members went for the camp that was held at Van Niwas, situated at a height of 7400 ft on the top of a hill in a serene retreat, nestling among the Himalayan peaks of Uttarakhand, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The week-long summer camp to Nainital was truly a relaxing adventure of the summer. Being the first group trip post-Covid-19, with participants from all Sunshine Homes for Girls situated in Delhi NCR, children and staff enjoyed this adventure with zeal and enthusiasm. To ensure the safety of children and staff, it was made certain that all the participants going on the trip are fully vaccinated and adherence to COVID protocol was ensured.

At the Ashram, the mornings would start with refreshing exercises and musical games which would give an energetic boost to the children for the fun activities lined up for the rest of the day. After having breakfast, the children would go for awestriking treks, explore caves, and experience enthralling scrambling and rock climbing. On 14th June, 2022, nearing the end of this wholesome trip, the last night at the camp was relaxing. A bonfire party was organized wherein, everyone had a special dinner while recollecting the sweet memories made during the last few days. The children enjoyed the final moments at the camp with fun, music, and dance.

The trip was packed with adventurous activities and experiences which came across as an opportunity to build a sense of teamwork and strong friendships among the participants. With an adventurous streak of learning, the trip proved to be a vivid one.

Trip to Dalhousie and Amritsar (17th June to 22th June’22)

A trip to Dalhousie and Amritsar was organized for the children of five Sunshine Homes. All the members of the trip thoroughly enjoyed the trip which included visits to beautiful spots and places of historical significance. The child also had the opportunity to enjoy some scrumptious dishes of the native cuisine. To make it engaging for the children, the trip was full of fun games, group activities, and bonfires.

Children enjoyed the scenic beauty of the mighty mountains and the low-lying clouds in Himachal Pradesh. The benevolent nature of the locals made the trip much more memorable for the children. One of the places where the children visited was Khajjiar also known as “Mini Switzerland of India”. In Khajjiar, children enjoyed the open blue skies and the scenic beauty of the location with games, and group activities. Seeing the cleanliness and lush green valleys, the children understood the importance of keeping one’s surroundings clean and being responsible for the environment.

After leaving Himachal Pradesh, the trip continued to Amritsar. The children experienced the spiritual aura of the Golden Temple and the energetic beating retreat of Wagah Border, which instilled a spirit of patriotism in children. Children returned to their Sunshine Homes safely with beautiful memories and interesting stories to share with their friends.

International Yoga Day

The children of Sunshine Homes celebrated International yoga day with structured yoga poses and came to know about several asanas such as Bhujangasana, navasana, etc. They learnt about the history of yoga, being an important asset of our culture. Children came to know about the prominence of meditation and pranayamas by performing anulom-vilom. They chanted the Om mantra and felt the energy within, it spread positive vibes in each and every one.

Independence Day celebration

Rejoicing in the spirit of patriotism, freedom, and creativity, children and staff across Sunshine Homes celebrated Independence Day on the 15th of August. The children celebrated Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with various activities such as dance, poem recitation, and poster making.

Teacher’s Day celebration

The children celebrated Teacher’s Day by paying tribute to their teachers on 5th September. Staff at all the Homes conducted an activity with children where they made a card thanking that one special teacher who inspires them to be better and achieve more. Few elder children prepared a skit through which they reflected on education as a treasure, which only a teacher can provide. Some children wrote poems for their teachers where they express gratitude and respect for them.

This was a peek into the fun and learning engagements during the past few months. The last few months were really fun for all of us as they were packed with fun-filled activities. Ensuring our holistic growth, Sunshine Home Family ensures that every child is able to take small but steady steps of development in every aspect. These steps to betterment build a positive perspective in life. Which for all of us as growing children is the ultimate achievement. 

This is all that I had to share on behalf of the children and team at Sunshine Homes. With this, I thank GlobalGiving and the associated donors for their sustained support which has helped us to continue to flourish in our Sunshine Home family. 

Hoping to connect again.

Thank you!

Kriti

Hello all,

Love and Greetings from Sunshine Homes!

I am Isha. I am 13 years old and currently staying at one of the Sunshine Homes run by Udayan Care in Faridabad. I am delighted to connect with you and share updates about the fun that I and the other children of Sunshine Homes had during the last few months, by engaging in various activities and sessions. Before going forward, I would like to introduce myself!

It’s important for me to share my story because I have achieved a lot of things, big or small, since I became a member of Sunshine home, Faridabad. I’m voicing my story with people so that children from humble backgrounds, who are devoid of basic necessities, even a family, get help to reach out for their right to celebrate their childhood, with proper care and education.

In 2019, I came to Udayan Care along with my younger sister, Shivi. I was only 10 years old while my younger sister was 8 years old when I came to Sunshine home in Faridabad. This was after our parents left me and my sister to be taken care by our maternal grandmother. My grandmother was growing old and due to the financial constraints, she couldn’t look after us for long. My younger sister and I were deeply affected when we were cut off by our parents which affected our overall development, it took away the charm from our childhood. However, the stars aligned for us when we become a part of Sunshine Home in Faridabad. The care and support provided to us by our lovely Sunshine Home family added colors to our life.

My family at the Sunshine Home gave me so much love and care that it strengthened my well-being and I was able to build a better version of me. The love & affection of the Mentor Parents and the staff at the Ghar did not, even for a moment made me feel alone.

I along with my sister soon started going to school after a long break. I got the opportunity to learn new things and made so many new friends! Along with educational development, I honed my extra-curricular skills by taking part in the activities that were organized at the Sunshine Home as well as the school. Over the years, I have developed a confidence in my capabilities which gave me the courage to dream about a vivid future! All the members at my Sunshine home, especially the staff put in relentless efforts over the years to enable me to do my best in order to achieve my aims.

Today, as I strengthened my academic base, this academic year, I became a part of one of the most prestigious boarding schools in India that is not only known for its academic curricula but also has a wide range of extra-curricular activities ranging from swimming, horse riding among others. I always look for opportunities to get exposed to new and different experiences which help me develop my personality. A plethora of opportunities have opened up for me and going forward, I’m so excited to know what’s in store for me!

Well, that’s all about myself. Children like me, can touch the sky if they are provided the support and love needed to flourish. I hope my story raise awareness among the masses about children like me and I really wish more and more people support children without family care.

Now, let me take you through some of the fun and learning engagements that took place at Sunshine Homes –

adidas-Udayan Care Virtual Winter Carnival

Keeping up the spirit of oneness and being together even in the tough times is what defined "Umang - adidas-Udayan Care Winter Carnival 2022". The virtual event on 21^st February 2022, consisted of children grooving to their favourite songs and preparing fun advertisements. The event was filled with fun with the mind- blowing magic show, zumba and interesting energisers. Sparky dance performances and creatively amusing AdMad acts put together by the children and staff of Sunshine Homes, added zest to the carnival. Over 250 kids and youth, 100 staff members and mentor parents, volunteers from adidas India team and numerous guests came together to enjoy the day filled with fun and excitement.

Women’s Day Celebration

On the occasion of Women's Day, the children of Sunshine homes celebrated the achievements of women. Stories of various successful women who fought patriarchy in various ways- culturally, politically, socially- were presented to the children, while discussing the significance of Women’s Day. The children expressed gratitude to all women who take care of children and resonated that the carers are Pillars of Strength. The children prepared a skit, had a dance performance and prepared cards for all.

Setting up Upcycled Edible Gardens at Sunshine Homes

With an initiative towards environment sustainability which would children closer to nature by inculcating a sense of ownership and responsibility, team adidas and Udayan Care have come together to build upcycled edible gardens at Udayan Ghars. The upcycled edible garden means a garden which has been set up using waste material such as bottles, tyres, drums etc. to grow vegetables, fruits or other edible plants within a confined or limited area. In association with Ashim, an environmental consultant, children were sensitised on Upcycled Edible Gardens and set them up in their Sunshine Homes.

Trip to Agra and Bharatpur

In the month of March, children of Sunshine Home in Faridabad, went for a 3-day fun-filled trip to Agra and Bharatpur. The marvelous Taj Mahal and Agra Fort were visited. We enjoyed this educational visit, as a guide explained them the history and some interesting facts related to the Taj Mahal as well as the Fort. After spending the night at an aesthetic and peaceful hotel in Bharatpur, the following morning, we visited Keoladeo National Park, where we saw many species of migratory land and water birds. We also learned the names and nature of the birds they saw, with the help of a guide. Visit to this ‘Bird Paradise’ was a unique experience for us, as we had never witnessed anything like this before. After returning from the park, Holi was celebrated at the hotel with vibrant colours and playful shenanigans, this was the first time that we celebrated a festival outside the home, since the pandemic. The trip was truly wholesome in every aspect!

Holi Celebration

From tainting each other’s cheeks with colours to relishing sweets together, the festival of Holi is celebrated with exuberance, every year. The festival of colours always brings joy to the children. Celebrating Holi in the true spirit, this time it was even more colourful with everyone coming together to play with natural colours and enjoying a special meal.

Earth Day Celebration

On the occasion of Earth Day, officials from MG Motors visited Boys Sunshine Home, Gurugram. The day was marked special as MG Motors officials brought various saplings for the children to celebrate Earth Day by planting them together. All the children along with the staff representatives and MG Motors officials planted the outdoor plants in the open ground available in the home. During the plantation drive, the officials got to know the children better as they worked together to do their bit towards long-term ecological sustainability. The interaction also touched upon the need to preserve earth and cherish the beauty of Mother Nature. This synergy to make the home greener was captured in vivid photos.

Trip to Golden Temple

A city with historical significance, Amritsar is one city of India which attracts many worldwide. After the long time spent indoors due to the Pandemic, in April, children from the Greater Noida Sunshine Home went for a one-day trip to Amritsar where they witnessed the sanctimonious Golden Temple and also got a chance to be at one of borders of India taking them through the stories of Partition. The children enjoyed the trip and came back with a bag full of knowledge.

Art Workshops by ArtReach India Foundation

Art is the expression of the mind and translating this expression on paper is the essence of the workshops by Artreach India Foundation. These workshops facilitate catharsis with colors, for the children. Children across the Sunshine Homes engaged in creating masterpieces while experimenting with collages, abstract art and portraits.

This was a peek into the fun and learning engagements during the past few months. After two years into the pandemic, two years of not being able to go for an outing, children of many Sunshine Homes were able to go out on much-needed rejuvenating trips/outings during the reporting period. In a way, these jaunts lauded our resilience and patience, which helped us overcome various unfamiliar challenges that came our way, over the past two years. Settling into the ‘new normal’ has made me appreciate relentless efforts of Udayan Ghar Family and support from like-minded people/organizations, to provide us with the best healthcare, education and support, all the more.

This is all what I had to share on behalf of the children and team at Sunshine Homes. With this, I thank GlobalGiving and the associated donors for their sustained support which has helped us to continue to flourish in our Sunshine Home family.

Hoping to connect again.

Thank you! 

Isha