Author Archives: CHI

GUEST POST – Salaam Alaikum from Chittagong

Robin Cappuccino is currently traveling to all of the Child Haven homes – here are some thoughts from road.

Salaam Alaikum from our Child Haven Home in Chittagong, Bangladesh, with 69 children, and 20 staff (including teachers and part-time tutors). An additional 27 children from the surrounding community come during the day to attend our Montessori preschool and elementary school which runs through Grade 4. Continue reading

GUEST POST – Namaskaar from Savarsai

Robin Cappuccino is currently traveling to all of the Child Haven homes – here are some thoughts from road.

Namaskaar from our Child Haven Home in Savarsai, Maharashtra, India. Our 48 children and eight staff people live in a bucolic rural setting over-looking a lush valley with a rambling river, roaming water buffalo and rolling hills. Our visits often begin with a Welcoming Program of songs, dances, recitations and often short skits, gymnastics and the like. Continue reading

GUEST POST – Hello from Hyderabad

Robin Cappuccino is currently traveling to all of the Child Haven homes – here are some thoughts from road.

Namaskaram from our Child Haven Home in Hyderabad, with 229 children and 26 staff (including several part-time tutors). What has moved me the most here has been witnessing once again, the resilience and responsiveness to loving care and a secure home that little children so often demonstrate. Continue reading

GUEST POST – Vannakum from Kaliyampoondi

Robin Cappuccino is currently traveling to all of the Child Haven homes – here are some thoughts from road.

Greetings from Kaliyampoondi, Child Haven’s largest Home, with 257 children and a dedicated staff of 40. If only I had half the memory for names our father has. The first thing the kids ask me is “what’s my name Uncle?”, and of course I remember relatively few, (there being 1,300 kid’s names to remember in all our homes). Continue reading

Helping a girl become a woman.

Child Haven International is mainly known for its homes for destitute children, but thanks to the support of our generous donors and volunteers we are able to help many people in many different circumstances. In our latest newsletter we brought you the story of a young girl in Nepal, the struggle she endured due to a rare medical condition, and how CHI was able to help her and her family. Here is her story from the Summer 2013 CHI Newsletter – Bonnie Lore section. Continue reading

Peace and Quiet

The following is a brief glimpse of what life is like at CHI Kaliyampoondi. Taken from her personal blog, it tells the story of one morning on Rene Cappuccino’s recent overseas visit to the CHI homes with Bonniema. 

You could not imagine a more peaceful or serene environment as this. The perfect temperature, a slight breeze, the crickets serenading in the distance… The catch? You have to get up before dawn to experience it.

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I once again find myself awake at 4:30 in the morning and instead of laying in my sweat soaked sheets within my stifling hot room, I venture outside. Lo and behold – perfection. Had I known it was so wonderful out at this hour, I would have gotten up even earlier. This tranquil atmosphere quickly dissipates once the sun begins to make her daily entrance and the world awakes from her nightly slumber. But, that is when the fun really begins.

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As the sky just starts to lighten, the first of the staff emerge to begin the daily tasks required to keep such a large and well managed home functioning; sweeping the grounds, washing the floors, and lighting the fires that will eventually cook the mornings meal. The night watchman makes the last of his rounds, and the birds begin to greet the day.

The youngest children are the first to rise and sleepily make their way to the bathroom, toothbrush in hand. My grandmother is not far behind. She is surprised to see me awake at such an hour and can’t resist a gentle scolding about my lack of proper sleep habits. As she hums and jingles away doing her bathing and laundry, the sky continues to lighten and the children continue to emerge. A motorcycle passes along the nearby lane, followed by an ox and cart. The world around is waking as well and beginning the activities of the day.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe temperature is already rising and the lovely cool breeze is slowly fading away. The children begin to pass by, calling out and greeting, “Good Morning Sister.”.

“Kalai Vannakum Child Haven.”

 

Until next time,

Rene for CHI

Building a Home

One of Child Haven’s goals is for each home or project that we have oversees to own their own land and building.  This has of course been a struggle, but with the help of generous contributors and incredibly kind donors, we are well on our way to making this goal a reality. Our most recent endeavor is our children’s home in Gujarat.  Continue reading

Saving lives – one stitch at a time

Recently Bonniema and group visited another project that Child Haven International supports – the women’s project Manav Vikas Parishad (MVP) in Ghaziabad, which is near New Delhi in India. It is a small NGO that helps local impoverished women with training, medical care, and child education. Continue reading

Volunteer Stories

We are fortunate to have some of the most wonderful, enthusiastic, hard working, caring, truly amazing volunteers in the world. Here are a few of their stories:

“In 1985 I was living in Fredericton, NB, attending the Unitarian Church. Fred came to speak about the new venture he and Bonnie were starting, Child Haven. In 1987, I volunteered my meagre services to work at the Home in Hyderabad. Continue reading