IndianChildren has been working in India since 1998, and over the years we have witnessed many children’s lives transformed for the better. But it’s not just their lives—entire families have been touched by God’s power to lift people out of poverty and hardship.
Some time ago, a father came to us and said that their situation had improved so much that they could now support their daughter’s schooling on their own. He asked that the support she had been receiving from us be given to someone who needed it more. It was a great joy for us to witness the care the father showed for another child, and how grateful he was for the help his daughter had received—and that he now wanted to pass on.
Since its inception, IndianChildren has focused on providing education, food, and healthcare to the most vulnerable children, both in big cities and rural areas. Today, we primarily work in Kolkata and in Pakur, in the state of Jharkhand, where boys and girls come from the countryside to the boarding homes we sponsor so they can attend school.
Authorities in India are working to improve the quality of public schools, and while we welcome that ambition, we still see far too many children missing the opportunity to attend primary school—and we cannot just stand by and do nothing. That’s why we want to continue offering education to children in the slums whose parents still cannot afford to send them to school. Because even though education itself is free, attending school is not. Parents still need to buy school uniforms, textbooks, backpacks, pencils, erasers, rulers, school lunches, and so on. If there’s barely enough money to put food on the table, how can a family afford to send their child to school—even if they want to?
Girls are especially affected, as many families don’t see the point of educating a girl when her future is expected to be marriage, childbirth, and caring for her husband’s family. Tradition is strong, and some parents find it hard to imagine their children becoming anything other than garbage collectors—if they even have a job—just like their parents before them. That’s why we work by making home visits to vulnerable families and encouraging parents to choose a different future for their children. And many do!
If you want to help support a child’s education, you’re welcome to send a donation via Swish to 900-1835 or become a child sponsor through our website www.indianchildren.se.
Together, we make a difference for India’s children!
/ Indian Children
