Ian and Anji Russell, our Joint Sponsorship Secretaries, recently flew out to India to spend two weeks with our sponsored children and students. We caught up with them to find out more about the trip.

How did it feel to be back at the Homes?

We last visited the campus in the spring, earlier this year, but it was really great to be back and to catch up with the children again. It’s always a joy to see how happy the children are at the Homes, so we were excited to be back.

Did you spend the whole fortnight at the school?

No, this time we spent a week in Kalimpong followed by a few days in Kolkata. During our trip to the Homes, we were aiming to get under the skin, so to speak, of life at the school. We wanted to look at the children’s education and welfare, their safety and wellbeing, and the condition of their environment. We were able to meet and interview all of our 110 sponsored children - either in groups or individually, and a number of senior staff members on both the teaching and administrative sides.

And what were you doing in Kolkata?

We were blessed to be able to meet with all the students who have just started their 1st year at college. These are young people that DGHUK was sponsoring at the Homes and who are now being supported through higher education. While in Kolkata, we also interviewed prospective needy families who had applied to enrol their children in the Homes next year under the DGHUK sponsorship scheme.

What was that experience like?

It was challenging in many ways having to select a few from many, but it went very well. In the end, 12 new children were selected for the DGHUK scheme. All these children meet the selection criteria set by the interview panel, the chief of which is that they come from genuine poverty. Several of the children whom we weren’t able to select this year will have the opportunity to apply again in future years.

Overall, what did you take away from your visit?

We were left with the knowledge that our sponsored children are well cared for by the staff, that they are learning and achieving well, and that – above all – they are very happy to be there. Of course there are challenges, for example in terms of the buildings and infrastructure at the Homes, which the Board of Management and the school admin team are working on. But the children are happy there, and they all recognise and appreciate the opportunity provided for them through their sponsorship by DGHUK, by their individual sponsors, and by our many supporters.

All our DGHUK sponsored children after the Sunday chapel service

Some of our sponsored children enjoying success in the Kindergarten Sports

Pupils from Woodburn Cottage

Our 1st Year students together in Kolkata