ORPHANAGES

Nikita Chellani 1D 10.1 Tutor: Dominik Raskin

ABSTRACT There are millions of children out in the streets of India, seeking for a fortune and a good life for themselves. The question is - Do they have a good home to go to? A place which will give them a bright future, a place which will keep them secure. A great amount of research from the internet was conducted to study the topic of orphanages in India and gain a better understanding of the current state. An article written by Sally Howard describes how an established all girls orphanage in central Mumbai helps these intellectual girls get a better future. This paper summarizes the article written by the journalist in addition with a short analysis and a personal crtique.

TABLE OF CONTENT Title The Article Summary Analysis Personal Critique Page Number 1-6 1 7-10 7 111 12 1

THE ARTICLE Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/india/9314589/India-the-orphanage-givinggirls-a-future.html Title: India: the orphanage giving girls a future Date: 11 JUN 2012 Journalist: Sally Howard

One wants to be a singer, one an astronaut, one a maths teacher. For girls at this pioneering orphanage in Mumbai anything seems possible
The girls voice rings out, as high and clear as the song of Mumbais native parakeets. Sitting in front of her in pigtails and school uniforms, her audience is rapt. 'Its a Maharashtran folk song, says 14-year-old Pooja beside me, with a tear welling in her eye. 'Padmamalini wants to be a professional singer when shes older and she sings to us every night here in the dorm once weve changed into our pyjamas. Were all rooting for her; we want her to make it in Bollywood. A sense of family is everything at Shraddhanand Mahilashram, a progressive orphanage for girls based in the city thats home to a glitzy film industry, but also to an estimated two million of the subcontinents 35 million orphans. Few of Shraddhanands 140 residents, from the newborns left on the orphanage doorstep to girls whove arrived here in their late teens, have contact with their biological families. Most were abandoned on the street by parents who couldnt afford to keep them in a country where boys can be the only insurance against a destitute old age. According to a 2009 Unicef report, India has the largest and fastest-growing population of street children in the world. 'There are many issues to contend with, Aniruddha Kulkarni of Unicef South Asia tells me a few days before my visit to Shraddhanand.

'There are shell orphanages set up by politicians for political advancement and to siphon government funds; there are unregulated institutions where maltreatment scandals are rife. Above all there are 25 million children living rough on the streets, with no access to parental or formal care. Theres a lot of work to be done. Girls are particularly vulnerable to abandonment. In addition to financially supporting their parents in old age, sons hold the promise of recruiting a wife into the family home to help with domestic labour. Girls, meanwhile, require their parents to save for an often exorbitant dowry and wedding, before relinquishing them, and their labour, to another family home. Its an unsavoury reality that plays out in Indian labour wards, where, according to The Times

of India, nurses have been known to accept bribes to exchange baby girls for baby boys.
Activists talk of eight million 'missing girls, the number of female foetuses estimated to have been aborted over the past decade due to their sex. In 2007, in response to the crisis, the government announced a plan to build girls-only orphanages across India. Renuka Chowdhury, then minister of state for women and child development, said: 'Have your children, dont kill them. And if you dont want a girl, leave her to us. Sadly, the initiative has yet to be realised, hobbled by Indias engrained corruption and bureaucracy. In the meantime, the private sector is left to pick up the slack, which it does patchily, with two exceptions: the states of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Maharashtra, in particular, provides a blueprint for institutional care in India, with many longrunning orphanages for girls. Shraddhanand is a leading light among these leading lights: an establishment so respected that the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, was scheduled to visit the day after our arrival. The institution started life in the 1930s as a refuge for Hindu women and children in the years of upheaval that preceded Indian independence. 'Back then the only choice for destitute girls and women was to convert to Christianity in order to receive charity from a Catholic institution,

says the orphanage's president, Achala Joshi, a glamorous sixtysomething who inherited the post from her mother. 'Shraddhanand was a response to this, but also a new model of ashram. The Sanskrit term then denoted a centre for spiritual instruction, but now refers to any place of teaching. 'The idea was to create a family atmosphere in which all are equal, Joshi continues. 'So we sit together for meals and we celebrate big Hindu festivals, such as Diwali, as any family would. We also encourage the teenagers to become big sisters to younger girls. The centre administrator, Sumitra Paradkar, a studious woman in her late thirties, works a daily volunteer shift here before rushing across the city to her paid job as a lecturer in economics. 'Theres an almost magical sense of togetherness at Shraddhanand, she says, when I wonder at her commitment. 'The girls plait each others hair in the morning; they help each other with their homework; a couple of the teenagers have even adopted as younger siblings the children in our centre for the disabled, and use their free time to care for them. The orphanage also stands out for its efforts to prepare its wards for a changing India. 'Girls weaving sari borders make great pictures for brochures aimed at foreign donors, says Unicefs Aniruddha Kulkarni of the current vogue in Indian residential institutions for teaching traditional handicraft skills as their core curriculum. 'What use are such skills to young women in the cities of a booming 21st-century nation? Institutions have to be relevant. They have to give children the skills they need to be part of Indias success story. Shraddhanand makes the most of its location in the heart of Mumbais educational hub of Matunga by networking with local institutions such as the Institute of Chemical Technology and other leading colleges of science and engineering. 'We have an on-site nursery school that teaches until the age of six. But beyond this the girls leave the ashram for schooling, says Paradkar. 'We send them to the best school we can with their ambitions in mind; and well bring in after-school tutors around exam time for any of the

girls who are struggling with core academic subjects. We even set up a temporary chemistry lab this year. The lab was a big hit with Pooja. Im touring Shraddhanands four floors of dorms and common rooms, and its pleasant tree-shaded courtyard, with a retinue of 20 giggling girls in my wake. 'I want to become Indias first female astronaut and discover a new planet, Pooja explains, in excellent English. 'So I study hard at sciences and maths. Poojas ambitions were kindled when she came to Shraddhanand as a seven-year-old and experienced her first taste of formal schooling. Shed arrived via a childrens welfare NGO, which found her scratching a living collecting rubbish on the streets of south Mumbai. Beside her is 14-year-old Geeta, who ran away from an abusive home, aged eight. 'I like everything about school, Geeta agrees. 'My favourite subject is maths. My dream is to become a maths teacher. From the head of the gaggle, Paradkar explains, 'If our girls want to take the academic route, we do all we can to support them. It can be an uphill struggle, as its rare the girls have experienced any formal education when they join us. Even if theyve been lucky enough to live with family members in their earlier years, its unlikely theyll have been to school; the education of girls is low on the priorities list for impoverished Indians. Shraddhanands educational success stories include Meenakshi, a 22-year-old whos currently taking a postgraduate degree in business administration having begun her formal education at the age of nine. 'Its a huge achievement, says Paradkar, 'were all very proud of her. In girls not suited to academic studies, Shraddhanand looks to foster jeevan shikshan, a term that loosely translates as 'vocational skill. 'We look for their knack and educate them in, say, hairdressing, nursing or computer science, says Paradkar. 'We have a number of girls pursuing nursing at the moment. They have a really promising future. When the girls reach the age of 18 to 20, many transfer to a residential home for working women thats twinned to Shraddhanand. Theres also the option of moving into a wing of the main ashram reserved for women. Some girls, however, will opt for a different route. 'You have

to remember that India is still a traditional country, says Paradkar, as we conclude our tour. 'So some of the girls will aspire to follow the arranged-marriage route. For these 30 per cent or so of marriage-minded girls, Shraddhanand operates as any doting Indian mother would. 'We receive hundreds of resums every year from young men who are looking for a wife, says Paradkar, explaining that orphanage girls are sought after in a country with such a shortage of young women. 'Usually theyre professional boys in their late twenties to thirties. Once a month well take out the files here in the office and look through to see if any of the young men are suitable. If we find a good boy, well carefully research his family background and income before we propose him to one of our girls. That said, Joshi dissuades her charges from marrying young. 'We dont like our girls to marry early, she tells me, registering my jolt of surprise at Shraddhanands sideline matchmaking service. 'At 20, they may think theyre grown up, but theyre still girls, and we tell them so. And whats the rush? Still, Shraddhanand sees about 20 weddings a year. The ashram takes a stand against the illegal, but still prevalent, Indian dowry tradition, which was originally a form of insurance for the bride-to-be in case of divorce, but can now see the grooms family demanding lump sums or cars. Instead, Paradkar tells me, they fit out newlyweds with gifts for setting up home: 'Mixies [food processors], blankets, pressure cookers all the essentials. And wherever a girls headed when she leaves Shraddhanand, the orphanage will always be home. Former residents regularly return for two-week holidays, or join picnic trips to the Indian hill stations. Married orphanage girls will return during the later weeks of their pregnancy and for childbirth, as many Indian girls return to their parental home. International Womens Day is another highlight. 'We play games, says Paradkar, 'and we write and perform plays and stories about how it feels to be an Indian woman. We want to make the girls feel confident about their womanhood.

Theres certainly no shortage of confidence emanating from my self-appointed guide. Pooja has changed into a neon sweater with rolled-up sleeves that owes something to a 1980s all-girl hiphop band. 'Miss, miss, come, come, Padmamalini has another song to sing for you! I return to the dormitory concert hall. Its been transformed into a squidgy amphitheatre, thanks to the padded mattresses the girls have tugged down from their overhead storage. Her eyes alight, Padmamalini launches into a plaintive number from a recent film. It features the typical Indian love-song trope of a girl pining for a forbidden love. As her voice swells to the heart-rending falsetto thats Bollywood shorthand for female heartache, I consider the 20 or so eager young faces around me. Whatever heartaches they might face in later life, these girls are the lucky ones.

SUMMARY Title: India: The Orphanage Giving Girls A Future Journalist: Sally Howard Date Published: 11 JUN 2012 A seasoned travel journalist, Sally Howard, visited an established all girls orphanage in central Mumbai a little over a year ago. Her visit at the Shraddhanand Mahilashram made a rather remarkable impact on her. In an expressive article she wrote for UK based national daily, the Telegraph, she gives the reader a preview in to the lives of the girls at the orphanage and what the future holds for them. Howard begins with how Mumbai holds an estimate of around two million of the subcontinent's thirty five million orphans, out of which roughly around 140 are residents of Shraddhanand. Some newborns are left on the doorstep, and others have arrived in their late teens or have been abandoned in the streets. She brings out the shocking truth of the current situation in India where girls are mistreated, ignored and abandoned just because of their gender! Girls are perceived to be a burden on their families because of India's dowry system. In the past decade, an approximate of eight million girls have gone 'missing' rather been aborted due to their sex. Shraddhanand is a pioneering institution. It acts as a great sense of support for these girls, encourages them to come together as a family and reach out for their dreams. Howard interviews the Center's Administrator Sumitra Paradkar who describes Shraddhanand to have "an almost magical sense of togetherness". Shraddhanand equips the girls with relevant skills for a modern day India. It networks with local institutions such as the Institute of Chemical Technology and other leading colleges of science and engineering. They have an on-site nursery school that teaches until the age of six. Beyond this the girls leave the ashram for schooling. They are sent to the best schools; and after-school tutors are brought in around exam time for any of the girls who are struggling with core academic subjects.

"I want to become India's first female astronaut and discover new planet," these are the words spoken in impressive English by Pooja, one of the girls who came in when she was seven years old through a children welfare when she was found quarrying through garbage in the streets of Mumbai. Every child has their own dream with great hopes for the future at the ashram. Furthermore Paradkar explains how each girl is her own decision maker, guidance is given at every point but the final route they chose is completely their decision. It may be a struggle to help the girls achieve what they want but they as a whole support them as much as they can and have achieved brilliant results from some of them.

Pooja Standing at her Bedroom Door

Once the girls have turned into strong women at a later age they once again have a choice to transfer to a residential home or move into the wing reserved for women. Keeping in mind the traditions of India, Paradkar talks to Howard on how almost 30% of the girls decide to take the route of a married life. The ashram takes the effort to find a perfect match for these young adults insuring them with a secure future. They celebrate around 20 weddings a year giving the girl away with the message that the orphanage will always be a home for them. Towards the end of the article the writer, Sally Howard has a whole new perspective for these girls, she admires their capability to do so well with such brilliant skills be it fashion, singing, studying or even computer skills. She looks around her, a room filled with confident young girls with budding dreams and considers them as "the lucky ones".

This 18-year-old girl has lived at the orphanage for 10 years - she is now training to be a nurse

9 A recent arrival

Playing in the hallway during school holidays

Lunch time - all the food is vegetarian

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ANALYSIS Sally Howard a travel journalist wrote a human piece on the Shraddhanand Mahilashram, an all girls orphanage in central Mumbai a little over a year ago. This article was written to educate the viewer about the state of orphans in India, specifically girl orphans. Howard as a writer has conveyed this with great clarity. Her direct and straight forward tone makes the article an easy read yet leaves an impact on the reader. She begins the article with a brief explanation on the dire state of orphans in India substantiated by facts such as " India has the largest and fastest-growing population of street children in the world". This well articulated sentence, gives the reader a holistic understanding of the situation and allows him to visualize the 'big' picture of this serious human issue. Howard has concluded her article with insightful interviews with relevant stakeholders of the institution. She has quoted them directly in the article which gives the viewer a diverse viewpoint of the issue. This article is a commendable editorial piece which concentrates on a relevant issue to our modern society and adds value to a Global reader's viewpoint.

11 Girls gather up to watch a Bollywood film

PERSONAL CRITIQUE: My reading was extensive while researching the article for this project. I read many articles from international and national publications on the state of orphans in India. Most were either over crowded with stark facts and some even deviated from the issue at hand. However, Sally Howard's article published in the Telegraph was an impressive read. Her simplistic yet effective style of writing gave me a great understanding of the topic. I was hooked on to the article right from the beginning and was very interested to know what came next. The thought flow of the article was remarkable. She complemented the facts of the issue with relevant quotes from the administration and the children of the orphanage. With a focused approach towards the piece, she spoke about dreams of the aspiring children and how the academy was going to help them achieve these. The pictures that accompanied the article, were a good example of useful photojournalism. My only feedback to the author would be to provide more facts about the Shraddhanand Mahilashram itself. As a reader, I had to do additional research on the ashram while reading the article. Overall, it was a impactful article.

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