One of my goals for travelling to India was to visit one of Child Haven’s homes.
I have been inspired by the Gandhian values of the founders of the organization, Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino. For decades they’ve offered shelter and education to women and children from the lower castes at homes all over India with a high success rate for high school completion.
I have fundraised through organizing dinners in Edmonton and Victoria and donated to Child Haven since the late 1990s.
Making arrangements to go to the home wasn’t easy. The Canadian contacts were helpful however the manager of the Delhi home wasn’t responsive.
We finally connected on What’s App and made arrangements for April 12. Then we got sick and had to cancel.
Since we were travelling around India and The Maldives the only other possible date for a visit was today, April 25. I reached out to make arrangements with the manager and again no response. When I finally did get a response I was told it would not be possible, he would be out of town. He said to come on our next visit!! I explained we weren’t planning to be back! Finally, yesterday I had a positive response. This type of communication challenge isn’t uncommon in India!
Today we had a wonderful visit with some of the students who have lived there since they were small children. Most spoke English well!
The home serves students from Northern India, the region we travelled in, who are Buddhist so has a resident monk. He gave Keith and I a white scarf which symbolizes peace! He did not speak any English.
We were served delicious Masala Chai and cookies by a student studying to be a chef.
One student is still in high school but the others have graduated and are studying hairdressing, government work, and pre-medicine. Other students weren’t at the home this afternoon.
We learned that the manager came to the home as a young child.
Hope and peace for the future is an important message to take away from this country.
You can check out Child Haven International out at:
Stepping off the Edge 
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