CAS Group Helps Orphanage Move Forward
Bethania Association, the vision of Dayavu Dhanapal, was founded as an orphanage in 1988 and opened with 10 children in a small borrowed building on land next to its present site. Farm structures to house poultry for the eggs and cattle for milk were also built. The children help out with animal care chores and some harvesting of fruits and vegetables on weekends. Produce from the farm augments the children’s diets, and extra is sold to add to the income of the orphanage.
Some of the older children are sent to nearby vocational training schools and, with financial support from donations, two of the “Bethania graduates” are now on the staff: Selvam, a community health worker, is the housemother and offers the monthly health visits to AIDS widows; Uma, with a business degree, assists in the office and with child care in the evenings (see photo to right).
Last June, the issue of adequate housing for the boys was a great concern. Immediate funds were required to complete a building that had been started a year earlier. Thanks to Bethania supporters within the AIS community, the Grade 12 Advisory Bethania CAS group raised $3,000. This vital contribution has helped to complete the boy’s dormitory, and the building was officially opened on March 25, 2006. James Brindley, who graduated from AIS in 2005, was our first AIS volunteer to visit Bethania as a member of the construction crew.
The Bethania dinner and fundraiser goal on Sunday, April 30 was to raise enough money to support six more Bethania children in residential schools and job training courses.
Though fundraising is an integral part of our Grade 12 CAS group, creating awareness is equally important. Zoe Meroney will be starting a Bethania (Indo-American Orphan Alliance) chapter at UGA, and Alex Akhavan plans to do the same at Tufts. Through leadership, compassion, dedication, and service, this CAS group has all the qualities to make this world a better place. To save a child is to save the future.
Heartfelt gratitude to Zoe Meroney, Alex Akhavan, KeXu Wan, Patrick Camacho, Sabrina Besenfelder, Abena Donkor, Aron Eidelman, Matthew Kearney, Rachel Ramsay, Bora Kayali, Thomas Rudderow, Whitney Lykins, and James Brindley: you are all amazing young people!