Introduction
As the sun rises over the wild foothills of the Himalayas, bringing a new day to the villages, cattered in the valleys and hillsides, time flows at a different rhythm, that of the growing wheat or the trot of a mule. The silent murmurs of rousing villages eventually culminate to a lively bustle of activity, while children dressed for school in their blue uniforms dot the winding lanes or form a little procession, as they make their way to school. The captivating beauty of the Himalayas and the charm of village communities evoke a sense of serenity and simplicity, while concealing the harsher realities of unseen pain. Amongst these unheard voices are the orphans and semi-orphans, some of whom are provided shelter and schooling by the local government, while others become wage earners in single parent families, thus foregoing their education.
About the RADHA Children’s Home
The RADHA children’s home is more akin to a big family than an orphanage, hence the name “RADHA children’s home” is merely an approximation rather than an accurate description. Rather than starting off with a concrete conception of creating a children’s home, Mrs Sudershana’s compassion led her to take in a few destitute children and to nurture them as her own, even though she herself has 2 children who are now in their 20s. As word spread, more orphans and semi-orphans were brought by their mothers or relatives to Mrs Sudershana, and were taken in with open arms. At present, 12 children from the age of 2 to 13 are being sheltered and cared for. Since the children have not attended school, Mrs Sudershana had initially coached them in Maths, Science, and Hindi. A few months ago, 2 teachers from the government schools in the vicinity have started to tutor the children, in order to prepare them to enter mainstream education. Fortunately, funds have now been raised to send the children to private schools, where the teachers can pay more attention in helping these children catch up and be more attentive to their needs.
Despite this positive news, financial resources are still very tight for this big family. Mrs Sudershana’s meets their basis expenses on food, clothing and rent by having to knit 5 caps a day in order to generate Rs 150 daily. In the past, Mrs Sudershana and the children had sought accommodation in a construction site. There were housed in one room, whose structure was barely completed. In the midst of the rubble, dust, and bleak, grey structures, they lived under hazardous conditions, with only some blankets, rugs and a small portable heater to keep out the bitter Himalayan winter.
In March 2006, with additional resources at hand, they were able to rent 2 rooms and a kitchen and hence shifted to proper housing. However, the rent consumes a large proportion of their expenses, and hence it would be far more sustainable and financially efficient if they could purchase their own housing. Moreover, the lack of space means that the children are largely confined to the two rooms and the little area on the rooftop, and hence cannot run around or play games outdoors, as other Himachali children do so freely. Since most of the children are still quite young, while Manali, the town in which they reside, is full of traffic and chaotic, the children are further prevented from venturing beyond their housing area. Nonetheless, whenever possible, Mrs Sudershana brings the
children out for picnics.
Recently, the Himachal government has donated a piece of land just outside Manali to Mrs Sudershana. However, since her income goes to sustaining the basic needs of the children, the funds needed to construct new housing are far beyond her means. The estimated cost of the construction work is ₤10,000, which we hope to raise as soon as possible.
About RADHA
RADHA stands for “Rural Association for Development and Helpful Assistance” and is a registered Indian NGO. It comprises not only the children’s home, but also includes a women’s cooperative and provides the unemployed and poor immigrants with support. Mrs Sudershana perceives and seeks to address the embedded problems in her society them through active action, rather than accepting them with resignation. She is often approached by those in need of help, and hence the NGO was born directly out of the dire need to respond to these problems. Thus, RADHA is a pertinent NGO with a direct impact.
One such illustration is the support given to youths from the poorest regions of India who have come to Himachal Pradesh to seek out employment, and who are often exploited by their employers, who see that these youths have no support in Himachal. Mrs Sudershana ensures that these youths receive their salary, and she also feeds and helps the newer migrants with no resources settle in, despite her limited resources. One night when I was at the children’s home, a group of young boys from Bihar were brought to Mrs Sudershana by a Buddhist monk. They had just arrived in Himachal Pradesh and had no belongings on them. The boys were fed and accommodated, and for the next two days Mrs Sudershana was on her feet finding employment for them and settling them in, while having to take care of her home at the same time.
While RADHA is an NGO that seeks to provide help to all those who seek it, and hence is engaged in a variety of activities, the bulk of the work is borne by Mrs Sudershana, and helped by other locals whenever the need arises. Mrs Sudershana sustains her work mostly through her own financial resources, and does not have sponsors, with exception of the children’s sponsors.
On a personal note
A heartening reminder of Mrs Sudershana’s aim of providing the children with a loving atmosphere and the indispensable familial support that they had been (partially) deprived of, resonates constantly in my thoughts. The importance she places on cultivating enduring qualities such as love, trust, hope, faith, steadfastness and cooperation is reflected by the children’s behavior. When I left the children’s home for home, I was heartened to know that these children do belong to a home, are nurtured with love, and have a strong pillar of support. This feeling lies in stark contrast with the feeling I had when I left another government orphanage, where the children could only depend on one other for support and love, and were eventually to be left to fend for themselves after finishing high school.
During my time at the orphanage, I gave English lessons, carried out art activities, and had several picnics and an excursion with the children. Through the time spent with them, I observed how affectionate, expressive, and jovial there are, despite a bleak past. This reflects the strong resilience and optimism in children, and how these qualities can bring out the best in them when they are provided with a good environment and nurturance. There was also an underlying spirit of cooperation amongst the children, although a few fleeting squabbles by the younger ones were, as in any other circumstance, inevitable. The elder ones were responsible for looking after the younger children, and they lived up to their responsibilities. I was impressed by the maturity reflected by the eldest girl, Rajni, who shared the cooking, cleaned up and looked after the younger ones. At a tender age of 13, she reflected such calmness, understanding and sensibility, and went about her daily tasks steadfastly and dutifully. These memories of her are mixed with poignancy, for I also remember how dearly she wanted to learn, how she would want to go through exercise after exercise with me, proceeding with such care not to repeat her mistakes, and trying hard to root out her recurring mistakes. Step by step she figured out, almost from scratch, nouns, pronouns, plural and singular, sentence structures. She was quick to comprehend other things, and she would hush the younger ones whenever they asked for sweets and picnics, for I had told them a couple of times that it was not proper to demand.
The children were also readily disposed towards showering the youngest child, Shristhy, 2 years old, with affection. One of them, Shalini, 9 years old, took special care of her, carrying her in her arms, filling her milk bottle and feeding her, changing her diapers, and playing with her. The children ask for homework, and love to draw. Sometimes, they would also draw cards for Mrs Sudershana whom they call “Mummy”. Each of them have their own talents, and they loved to perform in front of the camera. Each of them is unique, and getting to know them exposed me to a world of endearing treasures harbored within each child. The potential within them is large, and I hope they be given the chances and support to make up for what they had lost, and to develop the talents they have been blessed with.
Written by Felicity Yeo, 2007.