In 2003, due to New Dawn’s progress an orphanage was opened in South India for abandoned children. So great was the demand for this type of care-work that a new premises needed to be found.

An appropriate building was found not far from the original and is bigger with plenty of facilities for all the children. Adjoining the property is a large piece of land where the children spend their leisure hours playing. The children attend the local government school and mix with their friends from the surrounding villages.

As they vary in age they are attending different classes in school and often at different times. Amongst the activities enjoyed by the children, New Dawn has commissioned a local dance teacher to teach the children classical and modern Indian dancing.

The cooks employed by New Dawn from amongst the local people, teach the girls and any of the boys, who wish to learn, cooking and sewing. It is not unusual in India to see men having their own sewing businesses in towns and villages. Another activity is husbandry, where the children keep a vegetable plot, learning when to sow the different crops. Painting, singing and dancing are also a fun activity and those showing an aptitude in any of these areas are developed with training.

Two computers have recently been added and instruction in their use is an ongoing project to develop their skills in this area considering the hi-tech world we live in. These programmes Enthy feels are a good preparation for their journey through adult life. The continued cost of funding this project is €1,000 a month.

During their recent visit to the hostel in October 08, Enthy and the rest of the New Dawn staff spent many hours with the children. They were entertained with a number of traditional dances, some Bollywood style dances performed by the children. Yvonne Payne and Janine amused the children no end by doing a sessions of face painting, a first at the hostel and in the village. Click here to see some pictures from our recent visit.