Santhwanam is a home for homeless and abused women and children located just outside of Kottayam, Kerala. The women and children seek refuge from the perils of life on the streets or from abusive households. The orphanage/women’s center is run out of a beautiful two story white house, surrounded by jackfruit, mango and coconut trees. It is almost hard to believe that this building is an orphanage.
When asked, the head of Santhwanam told us that the house was a gift from God. Annie Babu is a Christian woman whose faith led her to open the center. The stories she told us about the woman and children were heartbreaking, but the story of how the shelter came to be was inspiring.
The story begins when Annie opened her home to a young girl that she found crying on a train. The girl had been abandoned; she was the youngest of three kids and was left on the train by her mother and siblings. Annie and her husband loved the girl like their own child; they even signed their names as parents of the girl so that she could go to school.
This first experience led the couple to expand their efforts to take in more children and even women whose husbands were abusive or had left them. Annie explained that as they began to expand they grew too large for their space. The government was going to be forced to shut them down if they could not find a suitable home.
Annie turned to the Bible for help. Opening to a random page she came across Psalms: 121:
Today the house is home to over 50 residents, some as young as two months and others as old as 75 years. Santhwanam provides a temporary home, counseling for alcoholic husbands, legal help for the woman, even employment opportunities to get the women back on their feet. The kids there were so playful and full of energy, thier initial shyness was overcome when they saw the lollipops and began getting superman rides. One particularly mischievous girl would have everyone take pictures of her. She had a beautiful smile, but as soon as the picture was about to be taken she would make the most gruesome face she could muster. The home is run completely on donations. Annie refuses to take government funding. To receive government funding the mothers would have to be separated from their children. Annie explained that to do that would be against the mission of the organization. For more information about Santhwanam or to make a donation you can visit their website at: www.santhwanamkottayam.com
When asked, the head of Santhwanam told us that the house was a gift from God. Annie Babu is a Christian woman whose faith led her to open the center. The stories she told us about the woman and children were heartbreaking, but the story of how the shelter came to be was inspiring.
The story begins when Annie opened her home to a young girl that she found crying on a train. The girl had been abandoned; she was the youngest of three kids and was left on the train by her mother and siblings. Annie and her husband loved the girl like their own child; they even signed their names as parents of the girl so that she could go to school.
This first experience led the couple to expand their efforts to take in more children and even women whose husbands were abusive or had left them. Annie explained that as they began to expand they grew too large for their space. The government was going to be forced to shut them down if they could not find a suitable home.
Annie turned to the Bible for help. Opening to a random page she came across Psalms: 121:
To Annie this was a sign from God; she encouraged all the kids to pray for God’s help. Annie believes that God answered their prayers with a story that ran in the local newspaper about the center as well as advertisements and a new website that helped Santhwanam to raise the money to buy a new home. In a matter of two days, over 50,000 Rupees were raised and Annie stumbled across a large and affordable house. It was the perfect size with the exact number of rooms and bathrooms required to keep Santhwanam running.I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber . Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep . The LORD is thy keeper : the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Today the house is home to over 50 residents, some as young as two months and others as old as 75 years. Santhwanam provides a temporary home, counseling for alcoholic husbands, legal help for the woman, even employment opportunities to get the women back on their feet. The kids there were so playful and full of energy, thier initial shyness was overcome when they saw the lollipops and began getting superman rides. One particularly mischievous girl would have everyone take pictures of her. She had a beautiful smile, but as soon as the picture was about to be taken she would make the most gruesome face she could muster. The home is run completely on donations. Annie refuses to take government funding. To receive government funding the mothers would have to be separated from their children. Annie explained that to do that would be against the mission of the organization. For more information about Santhwanam or to make a donation you can visit their website at: www.santhwanamkottayam.com
Good work! But, the correct url for Santhwanam is http://www.santhwanamkottayam.org/
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