Field report from Delhi (Greenfields), India

Shonamati and Charan are orphans who live alone in their two-room house. The poverty-stricken children would work on farms to get by. The "Family Strengthening Programme" of SOS Children's Village Greenfields has enabled them to attend school again and make ambitious plans for the future.

Tough situation

Shonamati (15) and her brother Charan (13) live in the Atohan village in the district Palwal (located 55 km from Delhi on Delhi-Agra highway). The death of their mother in 1999 had left them alone in their two-room house. For some time their grandmother had looked after them but within months she had also died. Since then the children are on their own with nobody to take care.

"We faced hard times after we lost our parents. Me and my brother worked on the farms and in return got some food and money. Our neighbours are good people; at times they gave us something to eat and during sickness would take us to the doctor. Going to a school and getting educated was far beyond our reach", Shonamati remembers.

Years went by and the children had lost hope of receiving any kind of support from anyone till co-workers from SOS Children's Village Greenfields visited them...

Supporting children and communities at Delhi, India

The project

As part of its "Family Strengthening Programme", SOS Children's Village Greenfields has started an educational project in the Palwal district. Around 65% of the district's population is living in villages and depends on agriculture. The project aims at reaching poor and needy children and supporting them for education.

This is done by providing books, stationery and school uniforms for free. School fees are also paid and orphaned children receive a part of household expense.

A miracle
"Two months ago a co-worker from SOS Children's Village Greenfields visited our village and met the Sarpanch (village head). He narrated our story and the co-worker met me and said that we would be given free books and school uniforms and our school fees would be paid. Further we would get Rupees 500 (US$ 12) as part of household expense per month," Shonamati explains.

Now both children attend regular school and are working hard in studies. For household expense they don't have to work anymore. "It was unbelievable, I could go to school and would not work on the farms", Charan adds in a cheerful mood. The young boy is full of enthusiasm. He wants to do a degree in organic farming and improve the quality of crops.

With a smile on her face Shonamati says, "I had heard that miracles happen but am seeing it for the first time. I am really thankful to SOS Children for helping us and changing our lives."

SOS Children has been working in India since 1963 and has supported more than 55,000 children. There are over 35 children's villages in India and the children's village at Delhi (Greenfields) gives a family for life to over 200 children while also supporting a further 800 children and their families in the community.

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