If the idea of orphanages doesn’t evoke enough sympathy already, the state of abandoned children in remote areas, outside of the city is even more saddening, and for various reasons. A major factor is the lack of recognizability which adversely affects sponsorship that many homes thrive upon.

And witnessing this exact scenario in my area is what gave me the drive to pool in my earnings and start a small orphanage, making complete use of the space available in my terrace. You see, I worked formerly with the Indian railways and was always passionate about uplifting my community. In a church mass in 1994, I heard the pastors tell me about a bunch of kids and elderly people who were homeless are in need of support. With a family of four sons to take care of me, I knew we had to make a difference to their lives too. So joining hands initially with a few colleagues, we piled up our resources and started ‘Love Foundation’- a home to help the abandoned in inaccessible or lesser-known locations.

Starting then, there’s been no looking back in our 26 years of existence. Regardless of the times, we’ve somehow been able to stay afloat and provide for our group. And as the years passed, we’ve had many kind supporters too, who’ve helped the kids with their education and medical needs. With the love, a lot of our children grow up to complete their education and in certain cases even get married post their time here.

But what makes me the happiest is seeing my kin take up this initiative seriously and getting into it full time. I am seventy-eight now, and with my days numbered, I’m humbled that my grandson has taken up the responsibility of managing our NGO full time. Seeing in him, the same level of dedication to serve, tears me up sometimes, for I know the tragic pasts each of our inhabitants come from. Today we’re able to provide them, a safe space where they genuinely feel happy. It’s truly a testimony to the fact that family doesn’t have to be blood-related. Of course, there’s still room for a lot of improvement but I’m sure we’ll be able to take the right steps and reach the goal eventually!

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