ST CATHERINE OF SIENA ORPHANAGE---WHAT A SHELTER CAN OFFER...

Having proper care in a homely environment can create healthy personal space for children to grow. There is nothing better than a homely environment below a roof since this roof is protection and homely environment is the space to grow.  Homeless children on the street often are deprived of their personal places leaving them to live in the open spaces.  While malnutrition, sickness and death await children, they beg on the street for their survival and to support their parents who often turn out to be addicts.  Rehabilitating children from the street and orphans are taken care in the orphanage sections at St Catherine of Siena.

While proper medical support and monitoring, help the children to get well through the medical programs, life skills sessions provide relearning for children as per the social standards in hygiene, behaviour and communication in the initial years at St Catherine. Concepts related to these life skills are introduced, re-introduced, practiced and encouraged to maintain the progress since children had learned the street concepts of hygiene, hehaviour and communications.  The care givers help the child to complete their daily tasks forming a well trained habit in these areas. From the age of 8, children receive the sessions on study skills and time management. 

Students from the age of 8 are encouraged to participate in faith formation and spiritual learning as per their respective belief and religion.  Teachers from various faiths interact with children to imbibe the value system and to give a good foundation for their future life.  Values like unconditional love, sacrifice, forgiveness, being hopeful, having trust etc., form a mini-curriculum.  Through these activities, children are able to understand their own identities, beliefs, identify the positive communities to which they belong, away from the negative community and street life. The principles of inter religious understanding on which the institution is founded; help to see everyone as children of one God irrespective of caste, creed and religion. 

The vicious cycle of poverty leaves irreparable damage to children which needs an effective intervention.  Only an effective intervention can bring better physical development, cognitive development and performance in academics to create a better life and for better jobs. 

Many Children who are under our care need physical healing.  It can be anything from heart blocks, polio legs, spine tuberculosis, cancer, HIV Aids, serious skin diseases or dealing with simple sicknesses.  Since our projects focus the subtle level healing, it starts with physical healing among children.  Removing pain and distress from the delicate physique brings relief and trust.  A big smile is what we see on their pain-clouded face.

For some the orphanage becomes a home, when they lose their parents.  Though the loss is heavy, they are comforted with the emotional support and care, which makes them to move on with their studies.  Most of the programs in the Trust are designed to support the child who is an orphan or those who became orphans after the admission.  Projects like Age 22 and JO 20+ support them on a long term basis, providing them time and financial support to achieve their goals with shelter facilities.

The Orphanage thus takes the responsibilities of parent, helping them to celebrate each moment of their achievements such as passing the exams, celebrating their career success and guiding them through their marriage etc.,