By Anita George | India project manager
It's been an exciting summer holidays so far on the project! Though school is currently closed, work for the GVI Charitable Trust is never stopped. Donations have been well spent on providing the orphans with great things to do this summer, including summer camp and sports items:
Summer Camp: Both the Fishing & Camping trip was an outlet to the boys who are mostly orphans, some with a single parent, some abandoned while parents live somewhere else. All are under the control of Salestian fathers at two homes (Sneha Bhavan and Don Bosco School). During the summer vacation from regular schools, the children need some entertainment with games and sightseeing filled with fun and joy. Hence GVI played a vital part in sponsoring them the trips and staying overnight outside the homes which was much appreciated by the Saletian fathers and enjoyed by the children. The children made improvised hooks and lines for fishing, but eventually the fishing trip became a swimming trip with meagre catch of fishes. The boys were back with full energy and excitement after the trips and thanked GVI for arranging such a wonderful one for them.
Old Age Home Visit: Boys of Don Bosco school requested GVI team to visit the Old Age home at Thevara, Ernakulam along with buying some basic things for the residents of the home. GVI arranged some toothpaste, brushes, hair oil, cooking oil, cleaning powder etc along with snacks and drinks and visited the home and met all the 35 grandmas and 15 grandpas. Most of them can move and talk while some are are physically handicapped. The boys did some entertainment programs like dance and songs while the grandmas and grandpas also involved in the dance and songs. It was a happy time for the boys , oldies and the GVI team.
This visit not only gives a soothing effect to the residents but also to the boys and GVI team to share their love and affection to those who are in need of it.
Sports items: The money donated has been spent on providing a range of sports items for 3 orphanages in Fort Kochi. The Sneha bhavan (boys home), Don Bosco boys school and Pratyasha Bhavan (girls home). While working with them during the summer camp, it was apparent that the sports item available with them are in such a poor condition that in most cases it would be deemed unusable and thrown away. As anyone with a love of sports, this was particularly shocking, especially as the younger boys have so much energy, the teenage boys with a love of sport and there are some highly talented sports children among them. One boy, Babu, is a national level sprinter with many trophies and gold medals to his name. Other boys are very good at Judo and football too. It is a common problem in these homes that the children can often feel stressed and be frustrated without enough and good sports items. Sports and exercise are proven to help with frustration and stress and so it is very beneficial for these schools to have good sports equipment and proper sports sessions.
With the money donated we have been able to purchase a wide range of sports equipment that can be used to set up really productive and fun sports sessions at the homes. Rounders game was introduced to the boys home (Sneha Bhavan and Don Bosco) as an alternative twist on their beloved Cricket. Rounders is a faster game and can be played with large group with everyone getting involved in the game; it is perfect for the set up of these homes and proved to be very popular with the boys as the games became very competitive. Football and basketball was also taught and played as the boys have seen them on TV and played by the boys but do not know how to play or tried them.
With these new sports items, the children now have access to learning various sports and trying new games along with regular exercise. We have also provided Carom, Chess and darts boards for indoor games when it is too hot or rainy outside, or when the children don’t want to run around so much. All the sports items were greatly received and is being put to good use at the homes.
THANKS TO GVI CT!
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