Orphanage Home Diwali
Children at Families for Children, Podanur, celebrating Deepavali with sparklers sponsored by Youth Helping Hands in Coimbatore on Monday. Three hundred and fifty children at Families for Children, an orphanage at Podanur, were given a brand new set of clothing each, bed sheets, inner garments, toothbrushes and toothpastes, this Deepavali. Donated by the volunteers of Youth Helping Hands (YHH), a network of young people working for the welfare of children living in orphanages, the gifts were something the children cherished. “The children at orphanages never get proper clothing, especially undergarments. New toothbrushes and fresh bed sheets too are a rarity,” says R. Arun, President, of YHH. “The children particularly look forward to Deepavali when someone would be kind enough to donate clothes and other goodies. That is why we wanted to make it special by giving them something useful,” he adds.
Diya 2008, a Deepavali special programme organised by YHH along with Rotaract Club of PSG College of Arts and Science for the children at the orphanage, had much more to it than the gifts. It gave the children an opportunity to enjoy the festival with lamps, crackers and lots of sparklers. Sweets and snacks were distributed to all the children. “The best part of Diya 2008 was the participation by college students. They chose to spend their Deepavali with children in the orphanage rather than with their own families,” Arun says. More than 50 college students took part in the festivities.
The network raised Rs.40,000 for the event. Most of the amount was sponsored by the PSG Medical College students and doctors. “Though we had people offering to sponsor, the overall rise in prices was a dampener. Crackers alone cost 35 per cent more this year,” says S. G. Suryah, Public Relations Officer with YHH. “Diya 2009, the Deepavali celebrations next year hopes to include all the children in all the orphanages in Coimbatore,” he adds.
YHH is planning to organise a mega-youth rally on December 3 to mark World Disability Day and World Orphans’ Day. More than 1,500 college students are expected to participate in the rally aimed at creating awareness on the plight of children, especially those with disabilities, living in orphanages. Those who wish to contribute to the network can contact S. G. Suryah at 9789219412 or Arun at 9345559815.
