NGOs and Orphanages in Nagapattinam (Part 2)

Later in the week, I stopped by Seva Bharati, it's is an Indian (Hindu) NGO. It runs thousands of service projects across India in the field of education, health-care, rural development and rehabilitation and special needs of children.


I went to a tiny cramped house that housed 32 young girls from the ages of 6 to 16. Two out of 32 girls are complete orphans losing their parents to the tsunami and the rest of the girls have some family members in Nagai District but not being able to support the girls. The girls grow under the care of two caregivers who works with the girls around the clock getting them ready for school and prepares their meal.

These girls were unlike any of the children I had met. These girls had such determination and unshakable strength to make it big when they finish school. Most of the girls were in top 10 percentile and each telling me that they wanted to be somebody. It really touched me as I know how hard it is to get a "seat" acceptance in Indian universities as the system is very similar to American universities. Many Indian universities ask for bribes just to take a student so it will be very hard for these girls to go to universities and become a professional. End of the evening the girls sang songs as two girls had angelic voices as they all excelled not only in academics but also in sports and arts. These children are not eligible for adoption, you can provide financial support (donation) directly to Seva Bharathi, check out the link for details and pictures..


http://www.sevabharathitn.org/WebPortal/default.asp?pid=34

My last stop visiting a couple by the beach side of Nagai who had lost all their children (2 girls and 1 boy) to the fateful day of the tsunami when they went to play in the beach with their father and the waves came and they got separated. Parameswaran (father) was able to survive clinging to a tree but all three children were lost in the sea and eventually found dead around the beach.

Parameswaran and his wife Choodamani are now running a orphanage to take care of children who were in direct result of tsunami. When Nagai orphanage was overflowing with children right after the tsunami the couple decide to adopt children themselves and started to raise them as their own. They believe with their unshakable faith to the church they were blessed with having two children of their own and now they have 24 children in total (including their 2 kids) and they take care of all the children.

They've built a huge building behind their own home and housing the 22 children where they are treated as their own. During the day the children attend school and come back to the house in the evening and play and do their homework. There are 4 caregivers around clock to take care of the children and the house. They have started a registered NGO/Foundation called Nambikkai (Hands of Hope) that brings financial support for the children. When President Clinton paid a visit to Nagai after the tsunami and he met the couple and was amazed at their strength, courage and unshakable human spirit and said he will never forget them for they are doing and wished people around world could learn from this wonderful story.
 

When the met Parameswaran and Choodamani they invited me into their home with open arms and were in amazing spirits and were able to give me hope, strength and positive feelings when I found myself lost with bureaucracy and hopelessness of Indian agencies with no children. These children are not eligible for adoption, you can provide financial support (donation) directly to Nambikkai, check out the link for details and pictures.

http://www.nambikkai.org.in/