Introducing Nagendram!!!

This morning I woke up to the most amazing message in my inbox. Photos- over 60 of them- of April and Molly with their new ayah. If you have been following my blog, you know that last summer I spent 6 weeks in India, most of which was spent at Sarah's Covenant Homes, an orphanage for abandoned children with special needs. These kids changed my life (and my career path- but more on that later). Since May, Sarah (not Sarah who runs the home, but Sarah who went to India with me) and I have been fundraising for an ayah for April and Molly. Full details are on the first post I wrote HERE, but basically our goal was to pay a year's salary of an ayah (caretaker) to work solely with April and Molly, so that they would get individualized attention and stimulation, rather than being one of many that their ayah was assigned to.

I am so excited that WE DID IT! We raised 50% of the needed funds, so the girls' ayah was assigned to them. Her name is Nagendram. This 50% covers her salary for the months of September, October, November, December, January, and February. That is six months that the girls will get 2:1 care. Six months that will allow them to thrive! When I look at the photos below, I am filled with so much peace and love. Just look at Molly's beautiful smile. And April; oh my gosh... her smile, her happiness, her laughter. Just the small fact that her head is lying across her ayah's knee. She isn't alone. She won't know neglect. It is beautiful.





Our next goal is to reach 60%, as that will cover March as well. Sarah and I are headed to India, to again work with these amazing kids, next summer. Ideally we would like to hit 100% so that they have an ayah up until the end of our trip. We won't have to worry about the kids all year, we will be able to see it all in action next summer, and hopefully this will provide a model (2:1 ratio) that we can fundraise to replicate for other kids at the home. If you feel compelled to help, please donate to the Chip-In below.


There is another reason why this is so important. Sarah, as of today, took in another 21 kids from the government orphanage. You can see a few photos below, and all of their photos at THIS POST. They are beautiful. I am so excited to meet them, and I see little bits of the other kids in them (Eleanor's photo reminds me of April!) 21 new kids means a whole lot of money. All of these kids need sponsors. All of these kids need vaccinations, Pediasure, medication, doctors visits... some will be capable of starting school, once they are settled. I am hoping that what we are doing with April and Molly, a 2:1 child to ayah ratio, will one day be duplicated with all the 103 kids in the home. That is a huge dream that would take lots of money and fundraising, but if we start with these two kids, maybe one day it will happen.



So, most importantly, a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to make this possible. These girls absolutely changed my life and I am filled with so many emotions looking at these pictures. Thank you for playing a role in improving their quality of life. Secondly, the need is still there. We want to hit 100% of our goal for the girls' ayah, to secure her working with them for a full year. Sarah also needs to find sponsors for all the new kids, and has many fundraisers going on, including the need to provide them all with immunizations (see below):

My time with SCH changed me. I think of these kids every day, in everything I do. I now see hope in each of their lives, in embrace of (not despite their) disabilities. Please join me by contributing, sharing this post, or even just leaving a comment on Sarah's blog with your well wishes for the kids' future. Thank you!