Story
Hope Community Village in Kerala, South India is an orphanage with a difference. It is modelled on the idea of children living in a real community and has several houses in a village setting, with children living with their “siblings” with a house-mother and auntie. They go out to school and live the normal life of other children in their neighbourhood. They also receive full support right up to a stage when they are able live independently. At present, it has over 80 children of all ages with a full complement of support staff. In addition, there is a kindergarten with up to 80 children from poor local families and an I.T. Centre for use both by the children and by local people.
It is entirely supported by a small group of trustees and supporters, all volunteers, from Halifax and the Calder Valley, their friends and families. They are ably led by founding father, John Veitch, a now-retired local businessman whose company had strong trade links with that part of India. It was during one of his many business trips to the area that John became aware of the plight of destitute children there and he determined to give something back to a neighbourhood he had come to know and love. Thus Hope was born in 1995 with a modest house and five children looked after by one housemother.
Since then, it has gone from strength to strength but now costs £6,000 a month to run. This is a big responsibility for all of us but one we gladly shoulder with the generous support of the good people of the Calder Valley and beyond.
So Thank You All For Your Support!
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