It was while I was Chaplain at St Monica that I became involved with a charity which raised funds for children’s work in India. Matron asked me if we could some time have a Chapel collection for the Gwalior Children’s Hospital. It sounded a worthy cause, and we added it to our list of charities we supported.

A staff member was one the Trustees, and when he had a visit from Dr B K Sharma, the founder of the project, I was invited to meet him. It turned out that the staff member was retiring and going to live abroad. Dr Sharma immediately invited me to become a Trustee. I refused, because the Trustees always met on a Saturday, which was my one day off. ‘Then you must be our Patron’. I objected that a Patron should be well known and wealthy. I’m neither. ‘All we want is your blessing’, ‘You’ve got that already’ I said. ‘Then you are our Patron’. I soon discovered that I was still expected to attend the meetings of Trustees.

The hospital was duly completed, and I went to India in 1999 for the celebrations to mark its first hundred days. The hospital was impressive, though it was a little surprising to find it had no patients apart for some who came in for day treatment. It was doing valuable work in some slum areas and in villages which had no other access to medical care.

At the time of writing I have just returned from a second visit to the project, which has changed beyond recognition. Gwalior is in central north India, some 200 miles south of Delhi. The hospital is now virtually closed. Instead the charity is doing something to make a difference to the lives of more than 50 children. They were for the most part in a government run institution where they were ill treated and neglected.

They have now been transferred to a newly built orphanage where they are cared for and encouraged to achieve their potential, however limited that may be. They have a range of physical and mental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, autism, visual impairment, and epilepsy. Some are unable to speak.

They live in newly built cottages. There are eight to a cottage, and each cottage has its house parents or carers, The grounds are spacious, and lend themselves to games and sporting activities. The land around is fertile and is being developed to produce many kinds of food.

The place is called Snehalaya, which means ‘The Home with Love’. Each day begins with an assembly in the main building, where they sing the (Indian) national anthem with great gusto. During the morning there is a range of activities to suit the children’s individual needs: physiotherapy, play opportunities, and crafts. There is a multi-sensory room where children with special needs can explore the use of their five senses at their own pace. Whatever the activity there are carers present to look after and help the children. In the afternoon they can play in the extensive grounds.

There is so much more that could be said about the impressive work done at Snehalaya. The best advertisement for it is the happy and well cared for children. Many of them would not be alive today without the loving care they receive in this safe environment. However there is cause for concern. The income needs to be there to support the continuing work. That is why I am inviting you to include Snehalaya at Gwalior on your Christmas present list. As you see from what I have written the need is great and urgent. You can be sure that what you give will be well used.

You can make a one off donation as a Christmas gift. Cheques should be made out to Gwalior Children’s Hospital Charity. If you are able to Gift Aid it, place it in an envelope and write the usual declaration of intent and hand it to me or post it direct to: Gwalior Children’s Hospital Charity, 14 Magdalene Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 3TA.

Better still, if you can make a monthly direct debit to the charity you will be helping to guarantee its income. I can give you more information about this or you can find it on http://www.gwalior.hospital.care4free.net/donation.html where you can pay through secure link on line too right now if you prefer.

Best of all, if you are in a position to do so, for £20 per month you can sponsor a child, details on http://www.gwalior.hospital.care4free.net/sponsor_child.html There are 57 children at present at Snehalaya. About half are sponsored already. This is a sure way of providing income, and you will be able to keep in touch with the progress of the child. I will gladly let you have more information about this. Ring me on 0117 907 1503 or email to bradley275@blueyonder.co.uk

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

John Bradley.

Words of Director, National Trust for children with disabilities in India 

subhashsx@yahoo.com

27.04.2008

Dear Dr. Sharma,

Visit to Gwalior Hospital

I came back to Ireland on 21st April and below I am giving you my impressions about Gwalior project-

I am yet to see so well managed home for special needs children in India. In a way I was proud as an Indian to see that we too can manage such specialised and difficult ventures so skilfully. It obviously is your vision and selection of staff of that calibre. You deserve the credit of putting such humanitarian ideas into practice. The other aspect of this centre which hugely impressed me , was the work force of dedicated young boys and girls . These young persons are showing not only the will to serve the most vulnerable section of society, they are giving people of our age a hope for the future of our country.

2. Rural Hospital - It is again a great idea not only to treat the people through mobile clinics, more impressive work of this unit was the doing difficult task of health education of people in the country side. With best wishes and regards, Subhas  

**From Cate Begbie for fellow field volunteers** 

• When you visit Snehalaya think about why you are going and what you hope to gain from the experience? What you have to offer and how you might be able to help out in some small way?
• Remember, most of all, that you are in India and don’t visit Snehalaya with western expectations. You are in India. Keep reminding yourself how much is being done with few resources, the fact that the staff are providing these children with the first home they have had in their lives, that these children finally have a family and are surrounded by people who care about them.
• Standards of care etc may not meet what you are used to in England, the US or Australia, but you are not in England, the US or Australia. You are in Gwalior, India and you are there to provide any help that you can. Some days this may just mean sitting in the lawn playing with children, other days it will be in the classroom. If you find yourself making comparisons between India and home try and stop yourself and remind yourself of places like Mercy Home and where these children would be if it were not for Snehalaya.
• Be positive! Remember that you are there for a short stay, the staff at Snehalaya are here long term and * they don’t need to hear constantly how things should be changed or should be different. Imagine if someone different walked into your office every few weeks and told you things should be done differently?
• Try and learn a bit of the language before you go. Sanjay and Mansi will always translate for you, but you will learn more the more you are able to communicate with all of the staff.
• Show initiative! The staff are very busy and you are there to help rather than be helped. Of course, the staff will provide any support and help you need but you will be far more help to the children and the staff if you just get involved. When you arrived and have spent a couple of days at Snehalaya think about how you might be able to help, think about what skills you have and how you might be able to use them. The staff are open to suggestions and will be open to your ideas. You don’t have to be a teacher and you don’t have to be there to change the world, the first time you put a smile on the face of one of these children you will realise why you are there.
• Be respectful, no just of the culture but also of the people you are working with. Just because staff members don’t have your qualifications or don’t speak English certainly doesn’t mean that they don’t have a wealth of experiences and information that you can learn from. These carers spend 24 hours a day with groups of children with high special needs and they cope amazingly well. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to remind them of the wonderful job they are doing. It might be what you would expect where you are from, but put it in context and put yourself in their shoes. For the training they have, the experience they have, you will look back after your visit and realise what amazing people these are.
• Don’t try and ‘change’ everything, try and help!

What did I get out of the experience? All I can say is that I am going back and I know that I always will. These children will change your life and you will wonder who gained more from your visit. I spent a month at Snehalaya and I am sure I gained more from the experience than the children…… I can’t wait to see them again!

Snehalaya is an extremely special place to visit and I would encourage you to see it as a privilege to meet these children. They really are the most incredible young people I have ever met.

From Linda Nevin-Drummond for prospective volunteers

Hello! My name is Linda Nevin-Drummond. I am a Senco currently working at a mainstream secondary school in London but I have also worked in primary and middle schools. I responded to a small notice in a teacher’s newsletter about six years ago and have been involved with Snehalaya ever since. I have been out to Gwalior three times to work with the project. I am sure you will find it the best experience in your life as I did.

One of my highlights was to be with the children in August 2006 as the new home opened. As the vehicle moved off to take them to Snehalya, the children’s faces lit up when they realised that finally they were leaving their life of deprivation and neglect for their new home with people who cared for them. I went back this summer and was impressed with the progress that the children are making. For example, Sibhu and Nandu, who had in the past been left lying on the floor day after day with little stimulation, are now in their wheelchairs, interacting with people and making use of the multi-sensory room and other facilities.

The teachers at Snehalaya are very dedicated and welcome any support you can give to help their training. I taught an in-service session for teachers at the Sunrise school in the city which was also attended by one of the state educational officials

The children are very friendly and eager to communicate- body language goes a long way even if you don’t speak any Hindi! Staff members often know English or there is always someone to translate.

Please go and see for yourself- you will be glad that you did.

My email address is linda@mirin-361.eclipse.co.uk so do contact me if I can help.

FROM Arvind Khamitkar , I.A.S, Director of Medical & Research Div,Chennai

A few weeks ago, in a movie theatre, a person felt something poking from her seat. when she got up to see what it was, she found a needle sticking out of the seat with a note attached saying "You have just been infected by HIV".

The Disease Control Center (in Paris ) reports many similar events in many other cities recently. All tested needles were HIV Positive. The Center also reports that needles have been found in cash dispensers at public banking machines. We ask everyone to use extreme caution when faced with this kind of situation. All public chairs/seats should be inspected with vigilance and caution before use. A careful visual inspection should be enough. In addition, they ask that each of you pass this message along to all members of your family and your friends of the potential danger.

Recently, one doctor has narrated a somewhat similar instance that happened to one of his patients at the Priya Cinema in Delhi . A young girl, engaged and about to be married in a couple of months, was pricked while the movie was going on. The tag with the needle had the message "Welcome to the World of HIV family".

Though the doctors told her family that it takes about 6 months before the virus grows strong enough to start damaging the system and a healthy victim could lead a normal life, *the girl died in 4 months, perhaps more because of the "Shock thought". We all have to be careful at public places, rest God help! Just think about saving a life by forwarding this message. Please, take a few seconds of your time to pass along. Rather than forwarding irrelevant mails, kindly pass this to every one and tell every one whomsoever you know or meet.Probably you can help some save his/her life Here is a good website for learning Hindi, Comments of Leonie duchars for her volunteering with GCHCI feel charity gives a far better insight into Indian life than all the temples and palaces could ever do.** I am busy with University applications etc. at present but wish to involve with Gwalior Childrens Hospital Charity more and soon again- Leonie Duchars from Isle of Man.

Dr.B.K.Sharma.

which will facilitate for volunteering at Gwalior,http://www.hindinj.org/resources.php

Devendra Singh, HiniNJ, USA.

I remember my time with the charity in 2006. I enjoyed working with the charity but not the travelling around afterwards.

A letter with appeal for help from Dr. Fehmida, Specialist in HIV/AIDS from U.S.A.

I have been an online consultant for the Gwalior Childrens Hospital