Our 1st Born (age unknown, mother died early, absent father)
He is an example of the hard life the children left behind. Simon's House gives them hope to break the cycle of poverty. He has a long way ahead of him.

Child Labor: working in a rice field in summer 2012

With the founder of Reach Dalit in winter 2012

First day at Simon's House (2013). Our 1st born (left) gained a new family, a mother, a brother. Regular meals are now guaranteed. But it is difficult. He was so used of roaming the streets and having unending freedom. Now he has to learn social skills, proper local language, wearing clean clothing, using a bathroom, living with a "family", sitting (!) in school.

A lot happier now

Dreaming big with his "brother"

Now a school boy - 2013

The result of jumping off a roof

The smile on the face has vanished.

​Setback: he still has a father, albeit absent. Hadn't been in the picture for a few years.
Through the great vine the father learned the boy receives financial support.
He saw an opportunity for himself: selling the boy (for a monthly fee).
​ When that didn't work he took the boy back. The Indian leadership went to visit the boy a couple of weeks later: he was unsupervised, playing in the dirt, his cloths were too big and his hands were infected. 
The smile on his face was vanished.
The father was shown pictures of his son playing with his brothers, eating well, simple: being cared for.

It took a while until the father realized that the boy is better off in the orphanage. once he understood he brought the boy back - and then came and visited on a monthly bases.

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Toys: normally children in India grow up without toys. Now he has 2 buddies.

Playing (!) with your brothers has to be learned.

New sneakers for everybody!