Ruth, USA
I have seen DAYA Orphanage from its early humble beginnings when the youngsters
were housed in simple huts in the remote tribal area of Phulbani in Orissa. This
is the area where most of the children are originally from. There they had no
access to medical care and there were no schools nearby. DAYA organization
sheltered them, clothed them, fed them and educated them on a pre-school level
as most of the children were quite young at that time.
A year later the children were moved into housing in Bhubaneswar, the capital
city of Orissa. They were enrolled in public school, received their
immunizations and any other medical attention they needed. Things began to move
forward at this point.
In my four visits to the orphanage I stayed about two weeks each time. During
that time I had ample opportunity to observe the care that the children were
receiving. I also had ample opportunity to interact with the children, whom I
found to be very friendly, loveable and wholesome. Whenever I came to visit I
was welcomed joyfully with flowers, dances and songs of greeting in the
children's native language. I am known to all the youngsters as "Aunty Ruth".
Shantipriya Basiston, founder of DAYA Orphanage, and her family as well as the
cooks and helpers have all been very dedicated to the children's wellbeing and
always have their best interests at heart. The young ones receive wonderful care
and parental love from the adults there. Shantipriya’s wish is that they should
never feel as orphans but rather as members of a family who are loved and
cherished. This is evident in the way the children are treated at all
times--with patience, gentleness and kindness. Each child is valued and treated
as unique and special.
The children are happy. They love singing, dancing, art projects and sports.
They like to write little skits and act them out. They are like contented
children the world over.
DAYA has a vision and a goal. It is to raise the children to be good, decent
human beings who will be an asset to society. DAYA wishes them to learn how to
become self-sustaining and productive when they are ready to leave the orphanage
and go out into the world on their own. To do this DAYA hopes to become able to
train the children in various skills for the future. They are also being taught
the English language as this will give them a definite advantage. Almost all
educated persons in India understand English.
The girls are learning to sew, using a sewing machine purchased with funds given
by a kind donor. Both boys and girls are also learning how to do other
handiwork. Skill in carpentry is another thing that DAYA would like the children
to have the opportunity to learn.
Some of DAYA’s dreams have already been realized. One of them is the two
permanent structures that now house the children, one for the girls and one for
the boys. At first they were housed in rented facilities. Another is land and
space for a vegetable and flower garden. There is also ample space for the
children to play, whereas they had little room for that before. The orphanage
now has a bore well and so water is available and shortages are no longer
feared. In short, the orphanage has come a long way since its beginnings. Still
here is a long way yet to go.
I have seen and been aware of the struggles that DAYA has gone through to
accomplish all this. I see the ongoing struggles to provide for the youngsters.
Yet Shantipriya and her family never give up. They trust that the orphanage’s
needs will be met even when funding is lean.
Kim, USA
In the weeks leading up to my trip to India, I have to admit that I was incredibly busy at work and with community involvements, preoccupied with completing last - minute reports, court filings and fund raising. Although I was excited about to coming to India, I don't know think that I had really wrapped my head around what to expect from my experience at DAYA. So when I arrived in Bhubaneswar, tired and jet-lagged from my travels, I don't think I was prepared for how different India was from my life at home. Such a contrast between my comfortable existence in Los Angeles and the hardship experienced by so many in this country. And I know now how incredibly blessed I am (and really the vast majority of us are) in America.
My first morning at the orphanage, I met the majority of the girls - all dressed up in what I later learned are their " special occasion" uniforms. The girls were so small, with bright eyes and glowing smiles and I couldn't help but think how beautiful they all were. I was speechless! I met the boys later that day and they were all equally personable and handsome. It was so remarkable how respectful and well-trained the children are. Shantipriya's vision of creating a safe and nurturing environment for the children has taken shape and I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to participate in the remarkable work that DAYA has managed to accomplish in the lives of the children in just a few short years.