Since 2001, Vijayawada has had no orphanage. In a place
where poverty is so widespread and so many parents cannot
take care of their own children, this is a grave lacuna.
Scores of babies are abandoned every year. Many of them
simply die alone in the streets, most often hidden beneath
a heap of garbage. Those who are found are sent to the
Sishu Vihar government home in Hyderabad, where living
conditions are horrible.
In
2005, the local government asked us to care for the
abandoned babies. In just weeks, we rescued more babies
than our facilities could handle. We thus quickly built
a Nursery in Daddy’s Home, but even that soon
proved insufficient to care for their growing numbers.
In 2008, we completed and inaugurated a large home for newborns
on our Daddy's Home campus. Over the years, we have cared for over 100 babies, 65 of whom were subsequently given out for adoption to local couples by the state government.
The
babies obviously need great attention and care. We have
hired new staff – 20 nannies and 3 nurses –
who looks after them 24/7 with great affection and enthusiasm.
Their care, however, has proven very expensive, as we
constantly need to purchase powdered milk, clothing,
sheets, towels, diapers, and bottles. And only part
of those costs are covered by the sponsorship fees.
Here are just some ways you can help:
Nannies’
salaries..........................................$100×20×month
Nurses’ salaries...............................................€125×3×month
Diapers/clothes/sheets/towels..............$150×baby×month
Powdered milk ...........................................$35×baby×month
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