|
NEWS UPDATE - online No 12 Winter 2002
Download this as a PDF(240KB)
____________________________________________________________
Sri Devi meets her
sponsor
____________________________________________________
|
HELPING
MANY MORE CHILDREN
Dear
Friend
In
the past six months there has been a tremendous growth in Enable’s
work in India, with many more disabled children being cared for.
Since
our last Update, written in May, the number of children being cared
for at our two centers at Kanigiri and Ongole in Andhra Pradesh has
risen from 134 to over 200. I cannot give
an exact number just now as we are in the process of admitting a
number of blind children, for whom care is being given for the first
time. 17 former center residents are now being supported as college
students And the “Outreach Programme” mentioned in the last
Update, is now caring for a further 100 children in their home villages. We
have received
news,
on almost a weekly basis, of exciting developments in the work being
done in India. The fact that so many disabled children are now being
given a chance in life gives us much joy. We are, however, aware of
the increased responsibility that comes with trying to care for so
many children. I’ll speak about this later on. But first, the good
news! |
|
The
project for blind children
I
will
start with the most recent good news, which is the current development
of caring for up to 30 blind children. When Fr Gali Arulraj (the director of the
Centers in India) wrote, in the
letter printed in the last Update, that he hoped to be able to begin
caring for blind children in the coming months, we feared that we would
not have sufficient funds to start the project. Thanks, however, to the
generosity of Enable’s individual
supporters and some trusts we have been able to set up temporary
accommodation, attached to the Ongole Center, where the blind children
will living. In the next few years we
hope, if our finances allow it, to be able to construct a purpose-built center
for the many blind children who need our help. We anticipate that
some may be able to regain their sight partially or fully by surgery.
Others, however, will remain blind, and their needs are particularly
great
|
The Clarins Award
At
the end of May the skin care specialists, Clarins, named Alison Davis, Enable’s
Founder and Chair, as the winner of its “Woman of the Year”
award. Nicky Lyon-Mans from Clarins announced Alison as the winner
saying: “We were incredibly moved by your experiences and humbled by
all that you have achieved at the Kanigiri Center, with the new Ongole Center, your Scholarship Fund for former residents of the
Centers and
your plans for the Outreach Programme. Yours is truly an amazing
personal feat.”
Clarins
gave Alison a cheque of £30,000 for Enable.
Some
of it was allocated to fund the immediate admittance of 30 new children to
the centers. The award also bought a new minibus for the Ongole Center and
helped to pay off the outstanding debt on the centre. Publicity in the
Mail on Sunday’s “You” magazine led to more support and sponsors, enabling
us to care for many more children.
Alison with Sureka (left) and
Roja at Ongole
The
children in India are benefiting so much from the award that it is no
wonder Clarins is now Alison’s favorite company! Anyone familiar with
all Alison has done will know she is a most deserving award winner, though
she sees it as an award for Enable itself
—
which
functions thanks to the many supporters like Eileen Brydon, whose impact
on the children’s lives we are happy to report in this Update.
__________________________________________________________
Visiting
my extended family in India
By
Eileen Brydon
Earlier
this year I visited India —
and
had what I can only describe as the most rewarding experience of my
life. My reason for visiting was to meet two important members of my
“extended family”, 14 year old Sri Devi and 8 year old Nagaraju who
are both disabled as a result of polio.
Meeting
Sri Devi and Nagaraju
Sri
Devi became part of my life about 6 years ago when I started sponsoring
her through Enable. It meant a
lot to me to know that by sponsoring Sri Devi I was enabling her to be
cared for, first at the Kanigiri Center and now at Ongole, where she
would get medical care and a school education —
things
she would not otherwise have received. During her time at the centers
she has had a series of operations that enable her to walk with the aid
of a calliper. Encouraged by letters from Sri Devi herself and regular
updates on her progress, my family decided to help another child too and
last year we began to sponsor little Nagaraju.
I had never traveled outside Europe and a trip to India seemed
unimaginable. However, I very much longed to visit my sponsored children
and give them a big hug from their family in England. At last the
opportunity arose. When I met Sri Devi and Nagaraju face to face I just
melted and felt I had an instant rapport with them.
Learning
to live life to the full
Sri
Devi (whose name means ‘Resplendent God’) is a beautiful girl. She
is a responsible 14 year old, and studies well. She hopes to pass her
exams so she can go to college and train to be a teacher. She is a
little shy and has to be coaxed to sing, revealing a lovely voice.
Nagaraju has been at the center for only a year but I could see a vast
difference between his appearance now and the earlier photos I had been
sent. He is very small for his age and very shy but with an endearing
smile that would melt anyone’s heart. In his village he spent most of
the days left alone while his parents went out to work. Now he is making
friends. It is as if he only existed before, whereas now he is learning
to live life to the full.
I
visited Sri Devi at the Ongole Center and Nagaragu at Kanigiri. Not only
did I have the joy of meeting my own “special” children, but I was
overwhelmed by the affection of all the children. They are beautiful,
full of life and fun. They entertained me with songs and dances, eagerly
read me stories from their English books, and welcomed me into their
lives.
Extending
the family: Ashok and Kasi
My
“extended family” does not only consist of Sri Devi and Nagaraju. I
was also particularly pleased to meet Ashok, sponsored by my mother, and
Kasim sponsored by my son David and his girlfriend Mary. These two boys
are amongst the more disabled of the children. Though their physical
mobility is restricted they are fully included in all the activities at
the Kanigiri Centre where they live. I was delighted to meet them and to
be able to tell my
mother, David and Mary all about them when I returned home.
Visiting
the children’s villages
For
six years I had
heard of the excellent work that Fr Arulraj was doing for some of the
most deprived and poor children in India, and to actually see for myself
the transformations in the children’s lives was an overwhelming
experience. Fr Arulraj took me to the villages that Sri Devi and
Nagaraju come from and I met their parents and families. They live in
grinding poverty, earning only a few rupees a day, hardly enough to
support themselves, and certainly not enough to provide their children
with the care they need.
I
felt humbled and ashamed that when the West have so much whilst others
have so little. While I was at the centers many parents with disabled
children arrived, having traveled long distances, hoping Fr Arulraj
could care for their children. I could see what motivates him to
continue caring for as many disabled children as he and his staff, with Enable’s
help, can manage. The children have such great needs, but the care
they receive at the centers meets those needs.
Being
enriched by the children
On
leaving Sri Devi, Nagaraju and the other children, I was resolved
to help Enable
to
raise additional funds and find new sponsors so that other needy
disabled children can be helped. It
is so fulfilling to be involved with a charity that is making such
a difference to the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable
children.
Sri
Devi, Nagaraju, Kasim, Ashok and all the children at the centers have a
special place in my heart. I thought my visit would be a once in a
life-time trip, but now I can’t wait to see them all again. I know Sri
Devi and Nagaraju have benefited from my family’s support. But I feel
it is we who are enriched by becoming part of their lives.
|
____________________________________________________
***CHARITY NEWS***
Thank you
to all who have ordered Christmas
cards. It is encouraging to hear that the cards are very
popular, with some people saying the quality is so good we should sell
them at a higher price! The two designs are sold separately in packs of
10 at £3 per pack, pIus 50 p & p. Cards are still available.
Details of the Christmas cards and also our notecards
can be found on the website.
All sponsors should have received recently, with the
letter about Christmas cards, a two- sided sheet “Questions
and Answers for Sponsors.” If you are
a sponsor and have not received this please let us know.
Our website www.enable-india.org.uk
contains much information
aboul Enable’s work in India. Recent Updates,
including this one, are posted on the site. If you have any opportunities
to promote the site — e.g. within local schools, community newsletters,
Churches, clubs, etc. — please do. We are happy for supporters to arrange links
from other websites to Enable’s site,
or for them to email those listed in their address books with details
about Enable.
* If you
change your email
address please let us know! It helps communications. We won’t
pass on your details to anyone else*
Finally, thank you for all you have helped us achieve during the past
year. It couldn’t be done without you!
____________________________________________________
Greater
Responsibilities
Enable’s
work
is developing considerably. Many more children are
being brought from neglect to care, from desperation to hope. We now have
many more responsibilities and,
also, some concerns. We won’t have the additional £30,000 next year,
and it is always something of a worry whether we will have the necessary
funds to continue our existing projects. We are also aware of the great
needs of so many other children we are presently unable to help. Your
ongoing support is so vital to our work for disabled children in India,
and so greatly appreciated.
With
my sincere thanks and best wishes,
Colin Harte ___________________________________________________________
|
Enable
(Working in India)
Chair:
Alison Davis
Vice-Chair: Penny
Goater General Secretary:
Colin Harte
Treasurer: David
Theobalds
site: www.enable-india.org.uk
E-mail: Mail@enable-india.org.uk
35
Stileham Bank, Milborne St Andrew, Blandford Forum, Dorset DTI I
OLE.
Tel:
(01258) 837546
Enable
(Working i’i India) is a registered charity (no. 1053560) set up in 1995.
It supports centers for disabled children in Andhra Pradesh State,
South India. All donations are sent in their entirety to India.
Administration, publicity and general expenses are funded by the
charity’s trustees or from donations made specifically for these
purposes. Please make
cheques payable to “Enable.”
|
|
