The most awaited day of Daan Utsav is finally here! The determination and hearty efforts from all our council members, school management, and finally, our very own students, who contributed generously, have borne fruits. After a final round of collections, the crew packed all the provisions collected over the course of 4 days, and we set off to our first destination, Infant Jesus Children’s Home.
Our eye-opening experience began with the opportunity to meet little children who were initially hesitant but soon grew fond of their newfound friends. The squeals that escaped them upon the sight of those lovely toys! It warmed our hearts to see how teddy bears and toy cars could bring someone immense joy.
We also got to interact with the women and teenagers living in the Home. Over the course of our meeting, we discussed our favorite movies, hobbies, and songs, amidst chuckles and ice breakers. It was really wonderful getting to know them. As our interactions continued we were left in awe to see their determination to thrive and succeed.
The head nun, Sister Georgia gave us an insight into the backgrounds of the children the Home harbors. They are mostly kids who are orphans, left by their parents solely due to the fact that they are HIV positive. These kids are left by their parents at the Child Welfare Centre (CWC), after which the Sisters go to the CWC and take them to the hospital for a round of treatments. They go through the kid’s background and see if they have any relatives left. If so, they contact them and ask if they want the child, if they don’t, then they are asked to sign a contract wherein it states that they don’t want the child anymore. At times the child’s parents are HIV positive and have a high chance of having a shortened life span.
The children go to St. Mary’s and other government schools across Bangalore. When asked about their dreams and aspirations, they told us about their big plans and made evident that they were no less determined than us. In one of our interactions with the girls of the Home, we learned that all of them loved listening to Hindi music, so we all sang a melodious Hindi song for them!
We thoroughly enjoyed their our interactions, and we could tell that even the women and children of the Home were overjoyed by the company. All the toys and clothes that the Home received from our students will greatly benefit all their residents. While expressing her gratitude, Sister Georgia left us with a powerful thought- “All of poverty and suffering cannot be eliminated. But a soft spot for the underprivileged can be developed in everyone’s heart.” Upholding this very value, the compassion and generosity of our students will now have benefited so many individuals who can make use of the resources and thereby lead a better life.
By: Priyasha Sinha, Grade 12 and Tarushi Thankur, Grade 11
