Welcome to C hildren’s H omes in I ndia T rust

1. Welcome toChildren’s Homes in India Trust Charity registration number: 1112048 www.chitonline.co.uk email: info@chitonline.co.uk 18 Woolley Drive, Bradford on Avon BA15 1AU

2. India, with a population of 1.2 billion people, is the largest democracy in the world. Part of the British Empire for 150 years, India was granted independence in 1947, later becoming a republic, but staying in the Commonwealth. This map shows Bapatla, near the coast of Andhra Pradesh, a State formed in 1956 for the 76 million Telugu-speaking people. Tourists are rare. Missionaries from the UK were active in this area, setting up a leper colony. The Salvation Army still runs a hospital.

3. In recent years, the standard of living in the cities has risen. Universities are filled with hard-working students, but prosperity is not widespread. 250 million people in India still live on less than 70p a day, many in remote little villages. The children in our homes display an endearing yearning for learning.

4. Close-up satellite picture shows the Bapatla campus with the big sandy playground, offices, sick bays, dispensary, living quarters, courtyard and dining room/dormitory (in yellow), school (blue) and dairy (red).

5. A combination of malnutrition and dirty water can lead to dysentery, dehydration and early death.11 million children are abandoned in India every year. 90% of them girls.

6. This 6-month-old baby is the younger of twins. Such children, if born of poor mothers, seldom survive. Proper nutrition for the mother is a much better answer than bottle-feeding the baby, using milk powder mixed with dirty water! Breaking the cycle of poverty needs a long-term solution. It is education.

7. Babu and Hepsy built their first Children’s Home at Bapatla in 1983, shortly after meeting George Kent. Support from the UK started and the work rapidly grew.

8. Ten years ago Glory was a forlorn little girl in a large unhappy family – no father and not enough to eat. Seven years ago Santha Kumari lived with her grandparents after her father died of cancer when she was three.

9. A few years later at the Bapatla Home, Glory, now sixteen, is dragged into the picture by Santha Kumari, saying “she’s my big sister, photo me!”

10. Given these cheap hair clips on her birthday, Santha’s response was to go and borrow a matching dress from her friend and come rushing back asking to have her photo taken. How reassuringly normal.

11. Henna’s life expectancy was so low, Babu and Hepsy broke the rules and took her in. She was only three years old.(We take them at six) A man with four sons had bought her for £2.50 but his wife starved her and burnt her fingers.

12. Ten years later, this is Henna with ‘Aunty Hepsy’

13. Two years later it has become clear that Henna is a very promising pupil, intelligent as well as graceful. She did well at school and, like most of her friends, is at Sixth Form College. She is so much part of the family that she will probably end up on the staff of the home. What a transformation!

14. In June the temperature soars to 46 C. It is a relief when the Monsoon brings the rain. Soon thousands of mosquitoes breed in the nearby paddi fields. It is hard for the children.A sample door of wire mosquito netting was made as a trial: too easily damaged. The answer is triple-panel mosquito drapes.We need 50 at a cost of £12 each.