An orphanage is an institution dedicated to caring for children who have lost their parents, or for children believed to be abused, abandoned, or generally neglected. Largely seen as an inferior alternative to foster care and adoption, orphanages may be privately or publicly funded, or may be run by religious organizations. An orphan is a person, typically a child, who has lost both parents. Historically, certain birth parents were often pressured or forced to give up their children to orphanages, such as children born out of wedlock or into poor families. An obligation of support is often imposed upon parents or grandparents under nearly every system of law; however natural sympathy and a willingness to support the common good often allow for the care of orphans to become a public duty.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century more than 200 million orphans were reported throughout the world; this number includes all children internally displaced, refugees of conflicts and natural disasters, mandated child soldiers, those enrolled in orphanage institutions, and those estimated to be homeless, living on the streets. While efforts to improve the conditions in orphanages are important, the greater effort has moved to finding stable homes for children in such situations, where they may have the chance to experience the love of family despite their tragic past.
In the heart of every child is a hunger for home. Not just for food and a place to sleep, but for safety and community. Most importantly: for love.
We are a family, where God’s love guides us all as we grow and expand year after year. Not just an Indian orphanage, we are a nearly self-sustaining organization; a working farm, a vibrant school, receiving no government assistance of any kind.
We have rescued girls from the horrors of the street. In our Foundation they are loved, fed nutritious food, they go to school. They are able to regain their childhood as well as prepare themselves for the future. Girls who once came to us in ragged clothes and sadness in their souls are now nurses and office workers, fashion designers and computer programmers. They have broken the cycle of poverty.
