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Kripasaran Children’s Home Update December 2022 

Life at the Children’s Home has been gradually getting back to normal after the difficult last two years when lives and routines have been disrupted by Covid. Whilst the Home usually provides a safe haven for up to 100 children, there have been about 70 children living there over the last six to nine months. This will increase to 100 after the winter school holidays which have just started. 

A major achievement - the underground water storage tank which is vital to the water harvesting project, was successfully completed and now contributes to the ongoing water supply at the Home.  Whilst the final phase of construction has been on hold temporarily pending the transfer of monies under the government’s new financial regulations, there have been many other activities going on which benefit the young people.  

Maths tuition has been funded so that the older students can catch up after missing so much face-to-face teaching during Covid. This is a subject with which many feel they have the most difficulty and the classes, which take place at weekends, are always well attended. Other workshops have been held on on-line safety, fire safety and child trafficking. 

Maintaining and enhancing the mental and physical well-being of the students continues to be a major concern. After the stresses of Covid the benefits of yoga have been introduced and with a great local teacher, the classes have been enthusiastically received. On-going health monitoring continues to be an important issue and there are regular visits by a doctor and nurses, who identify any problems so the children are rapidly treated. Specialist input has also been provided and there have been weekend dental and eye camps to identify problems and ensure treatment. 

Meanwhile the vocational training continues and is enjoyed by the older girls who are learning skills that they will be able to use in their future lives’ potentially using them to create an income if necessary. 

In all, a very successful year which has hugely benefitted the children at the Home! 

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Water Harvesting Project at the Kripsaran Children’s Home, Darjeeling

Despite the heavy annual monsoon rain, water is often in short supply in Darjeeling over the dry winter months because water capture and distribution facilities are limited. It has been a great achievement to have been able to include a large new water harvesting tank into the final phase of the redevelopment of the Children’s Home. It hasn’t been an easy task. The site of the Home is steep and space for construction is limited. In addition, Darjeeling lies within an area of earthquake risk, both important factors in the design and construction processes.

The site’s steepness precludes the use of machinery for either demolition or construction works, all of which had to be done by hand. Site conditions were difficult with a mixture of loose unconsolidated soil and large boulders, and these had to be broken up manually. These waste materials, which needed to be removed from the site, and materials such as cement and bricks brought to the site, all had to be transported manually up or down a steep, stepped pathway.

The water itself tank is a significant feature, with 10" thick brick walls reinforced by thick steel. By building it into the slope its impact has been reduced and its flat concrete capping will form part of the play area available to the young people.  The water gathered in the tank will make a significant contribution to the availability of water for the young people for personal and clothes washing during those months of the year when little or no rain falls. Before this, additional water has had to be purchased which has been a major financial burden for the Home. The need for additional bought-in supplies will therefore reduce significantly over the year allowing funds to be diverted to other elements of care of the young people.

Darjeeling Children’s Trust would like to thank all our donors for their generosity in supporting this project, their generosity is greatly appreciated by Trustees and by the young people who live at the Kripasaran Children’s Home.