17 Udayan Ghars(Homes) spread across four states in India to provide family like care and upbringing to vulnerable children-Coping with Covid Times

The most important thing in the world is family and love –?John Wooden?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic which spread since?last March, the caretaker's team including I are?taking special care of our children at our 17 Udayan Ghars in Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan?and Uttar Pradesh at present.

?Covid-19 has restricted everyone to stay indoors for a very long time now. The second wave of pandemic affected more children who faced job losses, economic devastations, domestic violence, child marriages, and domestic abuse more this time. Many children lost their parents due to COVID-19 which gave rise to the news of trafficking and illegal adoption of these children.?

Keeping myself calm and thoughtful, I took the responsibility as part of the Senior Management team at Udayan Care of protecting about 250 children and youth without parental care living in our 17 group homes across four states of north India. We ensured their health and safety by taking immediate action on their care measures. I motivated our care staff and since the physical meeting were not possible, remotely handled, mentored, and made virtual connections with them to ensure my children’s safety throughout. I and my team ensured that our children remained happy, engaged, learning, healthy and safe indoors at Udayan Ghars. I am happy that I am part of Udayan Care. Our philosophy is strongly rooted on the firm premise that we are a heart family always available for our children during tough times. Udayan Ghars have always supported its children like a family. We all take care of them like a family and encourage our children to live like a close-knitted family.?

Pic of workshop with children at home

?Udayan Ghars are a safe place for vulnerable children where we promote family-like care and upbringing through music, studies, games, painting, skill development workshops and other recreational activities. As we aim towards an overall development for our children, I and the other mentors, social workers, and counsellors at Udayan Ghars remained in constant touch with children and hearing them patiently. Udayan Ghars ran a self-care online programme during covid to develop practical skills and tools for capacity building in health. Yoga sessions and spiritual discussions were held online every day for all the homes

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There have been challenges and uncertainties but my experience says that it is the family bonding that stays in any crisis. I believe that our reflections can help us improve services for these vulnerable children and youth. At present, I am the mentor father at Udayan Ghar (Home) for girls in Greater Noida and looking after my children as a full-time volunteer with Udayan Care.

Pic of activity at home

India has over 23 million orphaned and abandoned children, who are denied their basic right of growing up and developing in a family. Improving standards of care for such children in Alternative Care is a low priority in a country’s planning system. Gender discrimination prevents millions of girls from weaker sections of society to get an equal opportunity to continue their education, and technical, vocational and professional skills are lacking among disadvantaged communities to become economically self-reliant. Based on the belief that a loving home and family is the right of every child, Udayan Ghars are long term, group residential homes that nurture children who are orphaned, abandoned or at-risk, in a family-like environment, through a strategy called L.I.F.E – Living In Family Environment. Udayan Ghars are not a typical care institution but a home that provides family-like care, love, and protection to children to make them learn about the real world.

?Anybody among you could be next to replace me. In short, I would be really happy ???if I could have a successor who could take over from me .I am confident of some corporate executive who might be keen to take the plunge towards giving back to society by following my blissful story.

?Come, join hands with Udayan Care today.? Visit our website www.udayancare.org for more details,

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