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Photo 1. One end of the kitchen, the door leads to another bathroom.
It's is 1 of 2 built into the kitchen.
The cooking facilities, paraffin stoves.a serious hazard not seen here.
A real worry!
Photo 2. - the children had just finished their lunch and were delighted to see us.
Photo 3 + 5 (18) - the hills of mattresses that have seen better
days and the stacks of rice in the corner will soon be used up. They
use 25 kilo of rice a day for the children. This was an emergency batch
we had a company
donate when they were down to their last few kilo!
Photo 4. Here you see a group of the children who were only too happy to share their wonderful voices with us, they can sing! The little one on my lap (in the middle) was the one found on the rubbish dump, one day old, placenta in tact!
Photo 6 This, the only room upstairs. It functions as a large dormitory,
a dining room, a storeroom. On this particular day most of the children
were not at school.
In this photo and in 5, you can also see some of the volunteers who
help so much.
There is no money to spare and one of the babies is in hospital and the expenses are paid on an on-going basis. This baby, Marcus, was found on a train track close to death. Sri did not turn him from her door and subsequently his hospitalization cost will fall on her.
Sri's husband, Pastor Mandagi, belonged to the Pentecostal Church before
he died.
When they opened their hearts and this home in 1989 for the orphans
they had 9 children. Today there are 84.
She firmly believes she would have great difficulty re-establishing
the orphanage elsewhere with so
many children. So, if she can purchase this house she can gradually
have it renovated, as funds come in.
Sri's home is well known among the poor, hence when an abandoned child is found, as so many of her orphans are, it is guarenteed shelter with Sri, regardless of religion, she fears for these children if she moves.
She has a few volunteers who help at the orphanage, for some it was once their home, this is their way of thanking Sri.
She will somehow find rice for her 'family' but she is now very worried that she may not be able to keep the roof over their heads!
The owner wants to sell as soon as he can. Sri wants to buy but must
somehow find the money.
No one wants to buy a house with 84 orphans in residence, so, she now
worries they might evict her and the children before she has a chance to
buy! She has managed a deposit and hopes the rest will come soon.
The fax number is: 021-4350638. You can also directly speak to Sri on:
021-495126 or 4353739. She has a
fairly good command of spoken English.
The orphanage doesn't have its own e-mail, however inquiries can be
made to:
(Nella) nndejongh@hotmail.com
or Marie Thomas butterfly_jungle@hotmail.com