Encountering various challenges in their lives, most of the children of the Prabhu Sharan Orphange at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara are trying their best to put their past behind and have started to show improvements in their academic performances.
The children attend the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN), mostly through sponsorship from kindhearted people while others benefit from scholarship funds from the school.
Administrator of the home, Indira Dowlat said there are a lot of advantages for the children attending the SVN. They would get the opportunity to engage in activities that are not available in public schools, such as Shaka, an exercise programme and dancing.
She said too that at SVN, academics is the main focus and that even though the children scored low marks at the Grade Six exams, it did not stop them from excelling. According to her: “The least subject they would come out with is eight. One boy had passed 15 subjects with 13 distinctions. A female student who got a job at a bank, secured 13 subjects with eight distinctions. She is now married and living in NY with her family. And another girl became a medex and is living in the Islands.”
Another girl who is a teacher, got married two years ago at the orphanage.
Many of the other girls who have moved on, have joined other families and have gotten jobs.
Different social backgrounds
The children, she pointed out, are from different social backgrounds and had gone through different hardship. At times, it is difficult for them to stay focused.
“But they go to Swami school and do so well because the environment change for them,” she said.
During the August vacation the students would be engaged in craft making. This year they developed a skill in making paper flowers and other decorations.
Dowlat said that even though they are involved in a lot of activities and try to move on, memories from their past would still haunt them.
“In every point in time… in something they do, it comes back to them. The damage has been done by people who they think would protect them. It is unbelievable
but you just have to hope and pray that time would heal them,” she said hopefully. Based on their situation, she said, “It is difficult for them to change (move on) and difficult for them to even believe in themselves that they can do something and be somebody.”
She is happy that “most of them who went to school and start to believe in themselves and got good jobs, try to make their lives normal like everybody else.”
“No matter how much love and care we show to them they don’t feel that security that anybody would ever care for them,” Dowlat told this newspaper.
“Sometimes you ask yourself ‘what else to do for them…?’ Sometimes when they get married they would have problems because it is not easy to just put it behind and move on. Their spouses would have to be very understanding. Because emotionally, they get hurt so quickly.”
Due to their situation, Dowlat said, she screens people who go to the home to volunteer because she has to know whether they understand “how to handle kids.”
Dowlat has been volunteering at the orphanage for the past eight years.
She also owns and has operated a pre-nursery and day care service for over 25 years. But she said “being at the home is like a test to know if you can love other people children…”
The Child Care & Protection Agency would refer the children to the home and Dowlat said it is their policy not to discriminate against race or religion.
She would “just inquire about their situation… and would request counseling to ensure that they can cope.”
Joys of Christmas
Many of the children had never experienced the joys of Christmas but now they feel special with all of the presents and attention they have been showered with.
The children also look forward to the parties and outings they are invited to during the Christmas season.
Dowlat said that some people would “book them for parties,” and host them at the orphanage while others would invite them out.
They attended parties at the Ministry of the Presidency and the Rotary Club in Georgetown. Santa and his helpers also entertained them at a party at the National Park that the Save Abee Foundation hosted.
She said the children consider themselves lucky with all the presents they receive. Aware that some children in depressed communities may not receive any at all, they have decided to go around and distribute the excess presents to them.
Dowlat said she has instilled in them the value of sharing through their “extended programme.”
The children would embark on the distribution after completing their Christmas celebration.
They would feel a sense of pride that they can in turn put smiles on the faces of the other children.
While the public is free to provide food at any time, Christmas Day is always set aside for the orphanage to host a special party for the children.
They would enjoy music and have lots of delicious food and other goodies.
Apart from that, they would be taken to New Thriving and other restaurants for dinner, as well as to the Botanical Gardens for picnics at Easter time and outings at other places.
Despite being a “Hindu orphanage we are open to any group that wants to visit… We don’t discriminate against race or religion.”
At Christmastime, she said, the children would enjoy when the Christian groups would visit and have concerts.
She also welcomes the social work students from the University of Guyana “who would come in when they have to conduct certain projects.”
Dream
Dowlat said the orphanage was established over 12 years ago on a plot of land belonging to the mandir.
It all started from a dream that Pandit Gangadin had to help children in difficult circumstances. It was not until after he migrated to Canada that he was able to make the dream a reality.
Pandit Gangadin, who was the head of the mandir, informed other Guyanese about his intentions and they were all excited.
They then started raising the funds to towards the project.
When the home was completed, about eight children were ready to move in. Currently there are 30 children, from ages one to 18-years-old.
There are two separate dorms for the boys and for the girls. But another dorm was being prepared “so that we can separate the smaller girls.”
Dowlat said she tries to make the place like a normal home.
“I don’t believe in making it like an institution where they march like soldiers and be on these rules… The age in these children’s lives, you can never get it back… You want them to be happy and feel comfortable… But they have certain discipline to adhere to.”
