Help us equip and sustain the children's home

In these difficult times it is lovely to have something to celebrate and so we are glad to report some good news on construction progress at the Children’s Home. As in many other countries there have been restrictions on movement in and around Darjeeling, which has meant that many of the workers who were employed in the building works at the Home couldn’t travel to the town to carry on with their jobs. Luckily, after some searching, it proved possible to find local workers who were qualified to do the job and they have made great progress in the last six months.

Last November when the latest phase of the girls’ accommodation was opened, both male and female carers had to share dormitories with the young people. Whilst this was unsatisfactory for the adults the arrangement also put pressure on the dormitory space available for the young people.

It’s wonderful to be able to report that thanks to your donations two new shared bedrooms and bathrooms have been completed for the staff members. They are ready for occupation once winter is over and the Covid situation allows the schools to reopen and the children and young people to return to the Home from their villages.

Each dormitory will house four members of staff and both have a similar layout. Newly painted, they both have large windows overlooking the valley which will be brilliant for light and sunshine and for ventilation when the air becomes damp during the monsoon. The door in the far corner leads out to a small balcony overlooking the valley below where staff can relax and enjoy some privacy and quiet time. Both rooms have their own dedicated bathroom. 

Thanks to your donations it has also been possible to start the next part of the project: completion of the third and final dormitory and associated bathroom for the girls, and an activities room for indoor projects and quiet study.

The structural elements are already in place so work is in progress to build walls, put in plumbing and electrics and finally to plaster and paint. This is somewhere the girls’ sewing machines can be kept as they continue to enjoy their weekly sewing lessons; where a library can be built up; health education and choir sessions can take place, and where it is hoped a supply of laptops will eventually be acquired and kept to allow the children and young people to access information for school projects or about the world around them.