We've always prided ourselves on our close relationships with
the charities we support and over the years we have developed a
very special relationship with the Hope Foundation in India;
supporting their community development projects and developing a
volunteer tour with the school and fishing community of
Pudupattinam. Fran Hughes, Explore's Responsible Tourism Manager,
recently went to India to see the good work with her own
eyes.
BRINGING HOPE IN INDIA
The classroom, Dehli
It was a sheer delight to see with my own eyes what a difference
Hope's presence had made to the community of Pudupattinam and how
well our money had been spent. Since establishing this 'Centre of
Hope' post tsunami, projects have blossomed, thanks to the work of
Santosh and Nalini Kagoo; Hope's project staff who live within the
community itself. this poor community now enjoys a health centre,
vocational training, sanitation, a community centre and in November
2007 the new school building was finally completed; all down to the
sheer hard work of the local Hope team and your support.. For the
full report on the school
click here
Hope's new orphanage, Dehli
Up in Delhi, Hope are just as active.
The flagship project is the Asharan Orphanage, established in 1998
as a short term home for vulnerable children. Not all are orphaned;
some have run away or for others their parents simply cannot look
after them. The great news is that of the 400 children who have
passed through its doors, half were restored to their parents once
care put in place and a quarter permanently adopted; the other
being moved to foster care or larger institutions. Also on my visit
I saw Hope's leprosy rehabilitation project which has literally
taken hundreds of sufferers off the streets, given them homes,
healthcare and vocational training. Whereas a few years ago 98% of
this community relied on begging to support them, now this is more
like 5%. With slum sanitation projects starting up too, Hope's
projects are not glamorous - they work with some of the poorest and
most vulnerable communities in India - but they certainly are
effective.
Jolly and Saji from Hope with the Children,
Dehli
So how can you help? Financial donations are always the best way
to help and you can donate tax but if you are travelling out to
Delhi you may want to take some children's clothes, books, toys
(good condition, newborn to 9 years) or nappies with you to donate
to the Orphanage. Or to really get involved, why not join our
volunteer tour to South India and work with
the school and the villagers of Pudupattinam.
http://www.hopefoundation.org.in/
For an update on the progress at the Asharan Orphanage you can
download the latest report here.