Angels of Hope

Dear Friends, EETEP Aid needs your help. We have teamed up with Philip and Gladis Manickam, a husband and wife team who run an orphanage called ‘Angels of Hope’ in Chennai, India. We currently home 13 orphaned and homeless children.

Our appeal is in two parts: initially we need sponsors to help us fund the home and as EETEP Aid have now sponsored Angels of Hope £300 per month this amount ensures that each child is taken care of to a high standard. Of course, we can't do this without you and we need your help with this monthly obligation … please consider helping us by making a small donation or setting up a regular standing order. Secondly, our appeal is for the home itself; this small rented building in Chennai is completely unsuitable for a children's home due to it's small size and poor location (it really is in the worst possible location). EETEP Aid proposes the building of a new orphanage 600 km from the busy roads of Chennai-a place called Coimbatore.

Coimbatore is a rural location ideal for children, there is a hospital and school in the town and the cost of living is much less. The day we can watch the children run around and play outside can not come soon enough. We estimate the land will cost us £8,000 and the build itself will be around £15,000 so we are appealing for £25,000 in total-this is a lot of money but the reward of seeing these children given the best possible start in life will be priceless. EETEP Aid is channelling all its efforts into this project and, although it may take up to two years to raise funds, all we ask is that you do not forget our vision.

Monthly sponsorship for the home and donations of any amount towards this new orphanage will be gratefully received. Throughout the duration of the project we will keep you updated with news and photographs. Please, we really do need your help with this one. For more information on our visit to India don't forget to read our latest newsletter.

Chennai, India

Chennai is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest metropolitan city. Popularly known as 'Gateway to South India', it is well connected internationally and to other parts of India. Chennai (or the part I saw at least) was dirty, polluted, and chaotic. My instant opinion was that living there must be hell, and to be fair in the time I spent there my opinion didn't change; bad roads lack of hygiene, piles of rubbish and traffic that can only be described as complete chaos only went to prove this is no place to live.

Update

With a great deal of generous financial aid and voluntary work, a new orphanage has finally been built in Pollachi, Coimbatore. Everyhing went very well indeed and these beautiful children have a wonderful new home to call their own. To learn more please see our newsletters for November, 2008 and June, 2009 - these will explain the process and make for a very interesting 'rags to riches' story, metaphorically speaking.