Name: Sujatha*
Status: Orphaned after her parents and siblings died in an accident at Ramanthapoor, India
Hometown: Karnataka, India
Update: When 12-year-old Sujatha (*name changed to protect identity) lays her head down each night, she doesn’t have to curl up to the cold concrete of the streets. And she no longer has to protect herself against abuse in the night. Sujatha suffered incredible loss when her parents and siblings died in a car accident, leaving her alone and vulnerable. Her life on the streets was marked by hunger, illness, and sexual abuse.
Sujatha is one of countless vulnerable children who have been forced to live on the streets of India, alone and unprotected. But today she lives in the safety and security of Rakshana Deepam, an orphanage aided by Operation Blessing, where she receives food, clothes, medical care and safe housing. She is getting an education at Marica English School and she often takes on the role of older sister to many of the younger orphans living at Rakshana Deepam.
Making Change: Three years ago, Operation Blessing helped Father Raj, a Catholic priest in Hyderabad, open a center that would serve as a refuge for abandoned children—Rakshana Deepam.
Under the loving care of Father Raj and his staff, the children spend time playing together, singing, and attending a local school near the center. In additional to financial support, OBI supplies medicine to the center each month, so if the children get sick, treatment is readily available to keep their immune systems healthy and strong.
“My desire is to see these children have a fulfilled life,” Father Raj said. “And this center is [a place] for them to know God, a place where love is shown.”
Did you know: Every single day, more than 5,000 children will be orphaned worldwide. With no one to look after them, these children are at risk of malnutrition, disease, decreased school attendance, abuse, and even death.