On my recent trip to India, I visited the  Jagshanti Udayan Ghar girls home in Noida just outside the capital of New Delhi.   The Director, Brig, gave us a tour and history on the home’s internet center, beauty parlor and sowing room and library. I listened to several success stories of girls now in college, in professional careers and happily married. Brig said what they most need is volunteers to come stay and volunteer for a minimum of a month.  Indian and overseas volunteers, come and stay, some even for long periods. Many even return after their memorable experiences at the home. They have four guest rooms at the home. There was a sweet German girl there, Katerina, who had come for her fourth time to volunteer!  The girls were very lively, polite and a delight to meet. Thanks to Child United, I took small school bags filled with school supplies and fun assessories for the girls.

This video instroduces you to some of the girls we met

http://youtu.be/qvRHhuJ2lHQ

Jagshanti Udayan Ghar is a red brick home, completed in 2003 and inaugurated by Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Prof. Vishnu Kant Shastri.  This foster home, equivalent to 3 Udayan Ghar units, is home to 42 girls, varying in age from 8 to 22 years- including the girls in the Aftercare Programme who are above 18. With a large basement and three storeys, it is built around a courtyard. Looking up, you are surrounded by girls scurrying above you on all four sides! That’s if they aren’t outdoors in the large basketball court and play area where they cycle, or in the basement busy with yoga, dance or art classes.
On the ground floor, is a counseling center and a library. The Ghar also houses an Udayan Care IT&VT Centre with computer classes on the ground floor and stitching, tailoring and beauty therapy classes in the basement, all of which cater to the neighbouring communities as well.

The Jagshanti Udayan Ghar also houses the hostel for women, where our girls, who are above 18, live. Most are pursuing higher education, while some, on their way to independence, are exploring job opportunities.  For more information on Udayan Care visit: http://www.udayancare.org/udayanghars.htm

Udayan Care’s Group Foster Care model

Udayan Ghars (Homes) are Homes for long-term residential care of children, who are orphaned, abandoned and abused and who do not have natural families. These homes are known as ‘LIFE Udayan Ghars‘. These Homes have relevant statutory licenses, under ‘Women & Children’s Institutions (Licensing) Act 1956’ and ‘Orphanages or Charitable Institutions (Supervision & Control) Act, 1960’ and work under ‘Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection) Act 2000.

These homes are set up with the goal of:

Creating residences for orphaned, abandoned and abused children in a ‘Family-like-environment’ to promote family bonding, physical and mental health, social integration and to enable them to experience the ‘Joy of Living’.

Enabling people of vision to join hands with us and make a difference to the lives of such children by setting up and managing Homes under its model of ‘Group Foster Care’.

Educating the children in the best tradition of learning, so that they become self-sustaining and responsible members of society.

Inculcating human values in the children, which will enable them to make a positive difference to society when they assume their place in life

Promoting social, individual and legal initiatives to set up new homes in different parts of India for the purpose of being able to cater to rehabilitation and development needs of growing number of such children.

At present, Udayan Ghars are nurturing 183 children (120 girls and 63 boys) across 12 homes in Delhi, NCR Kurukshetra and Jaipur. Source:http://www.udayancare.org