PRESS NOTE
New Delhi, 24 th December 2011: Winter for children means drinking steaming hot milk and wearing extra layers of clothing – in short extra protection by parents. But for many of India’s 31 million orphans, this is only a dream. Delhi itself shows another reality with approximately 18 million children living on the streets.
Like 9 year old Karishma*, who walks barefoot on the streets of this city, wearing only a cotton cloth torn in places, simply wishing for the chill to end.
Moved by this grave reality, Udayan Care initiated
Udayan Ghars, based on the Group Foster Care model,
15 years ago. This model enables erstwhile orphaned and abandoned children to grow in a loving family environment, under the care of in-house caregivers, professional staff and neighbouring communities.
SOME FACTS:

Approximately 18 million children live or work on the streets

Over 31 million children in India are orphaned

More than 50% of India’s children are malnourished
Says Dr. Kiran Modi, Managing Trustee and Founder,
Udayan Care,” We believe that a loving family and home, quality education and good nutrition is the right of every child, irrespective of his/her circumstances. No child should be subject to exploitation, abuse and neglect.
Hence Udayan Ghars were initiated to make sure that

50% children between the age of 6 and14 years do not go to school children who are orphaned or abandoned do not remain
‘nobody’s children’, but enjoy childhood in a simulated family environment.”
Sources: UNICEF, Media Reports,
CRY
Children at all Udayan Ghars are nurtured by mentor parents, who ensure them every joy of childhood so that they develop their full potential and live a life of dignity. The mentor parents are ordinary individuals with extraordinary sensitivity, who share their very lives with the children - an outstanding testimony to
Udayan Care’s belief in collective action towards restoring Child Rights.
In keeping with the Christmas spirit, 92.7 BIG FM invited listeners to share their warmth with Udayan children by contributing vital things like stationery items, travel rucksacks and their time and skills!
Celebrating the festival with 35 Udayan children from Mehrauli, Sant Nagar, Chattarpur and Gurgaon
Ghars.
243 children (boys and girls) have been nurtured at Udayan Ghars over the last 15 years. This year itself we have 175 children across our 12 Udayan Ghars in Delhi and NCR, Ghaziabad, Jaipur and Kurukshetra.
About Udayan Care:
Udayan Care is a registered Public Charitable Trust that nurtures children who are orphaned or abandoned at Udayan Ghars. Udayan Care also supports higher education of girls and enables communities to train themselves in vocations, by engaging socially committed individuals, who provide a transformative, nurturing and mentoring environment, to help them realize their full potential. With a vision “To Regenerate the Rhythm of Life of the Disadvantaged”, in 16 years, Udayan Care initiatives have transformed the lives of over 7500 children and youth in 7 states of India. For any queries please contact: Ms. Meenakshi
Kohli at 9811600941 or email: meenakshi.kohli@udayancare.org
/ communications@udayancare.org
.
About Udayan Ghars
Each Udayan Ghar is a home that operates on a unique model called LIFE (Living in Family Environment) where lifetime volunteer mentor parents run the home with about 15 children. Ghars are located in popular neighbourhoods and children attend private, English medium schools, and participate in vocational training and mental health programmes that help integrate them into a safe and productive community. The children in the Homes are between the ages of 6 and 18 years.
Starting with 3 children in 1 Ghar in Delhi in 1996, till date Udayan Care has nurtured 243 children across
12 Udayan Ghars in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP.
Children have access to play areas where they play cricket, football and cycle. Children regularly attend educational and recreational workshops. Conscious efforts are made for children to participate in seasonal

camps that offer sports, games, songs and create a sense of belonging. The children enjoy celebrations on birthdays and holidays!
Transforming Lives Permanently
Salma came to Udayan Ghar, Mehrauli in 2007 from a shelter she refused to call home. Bordering on her teens, a vulnerable age for any girl, it was only Salma’s sheer determination that got her out of a shelter she refused to call home, to be at Udayan Ghar where she could tap the potential lying locked within her. With the love and care of a family and her many Udayan siblings, Salma Udayan grew into the confident 16 year old she is today. This confidence even got her invited to the prestigious Women’s Conference 2010-America’s – a premier forum for women at California. The Keynote Speaker for the session “Because I am a Girl”, she spoke about her difficult early years growing up in India, especially as a girl, and the importance on investing in girls to end poverty. Leaving not an eye dry, she even impressed Mercer, who invited her to speak at their corporate office in New York!
Deepak was just 9 when he came to Udayan Ghar,
Gurgaon in 2004. After the demise of his parents he could not adjust living with his uncle and just boarded a train and reached Delhi. Often he would work in hotels to help him survive. Reaching Udayan Ghar was like coming home for
Deepak.
Barely able to write, he was encouraged to study. After a year of home tutoring, he obtained admission in a good school and since then, has not looked back. Growing into with 78% in the half yearly exams. Deepak wants to pursue B.Com. from Delhi University and wants to become a CA as well as pursue an MBA through correspondence. Deepak is also interested in theatre, singing and playing cricket. a talkative, friendly and articulate young teenager, each year he has excelled in academics, securing 89% in the
Class Xth boards! Currently he is in Tagore International
School, pursuing his Std XI in Commerce, again excelling