The status of children in India needs special attention. The children of developing countries face abject poverty. According to the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, over 39 per cent of underweight children under the age of five years across the world are from India. Many children are denied even their basic rights of food, clothing and shelter. At least eighteen million children live or work on the streets of urban India. They are tortured physically as well as emotionally. According to UNICEF 2003 estimates, there are 3.5 crore orphaned children in India. The adoption rates of children aged 6+ being extremely low, these children do not receive quality care.

It is a well known fact that early childhood lays the foundation for a healthy future. Understanding the dire need for children to be a part of a family in order to become future contributing citizens to society, we have developed a Group Foster Care Model, that works on a strategy called LIFE: Living In Family Environment. It focuses on long term residential care for orphaned and abandoned children above 6 years of age. Since the children we reach out to do not have natural families, we recreate the warmth and security of a home and family through our Udayan Ghar (Home) model.

Udayan Ghars (Homes) are, thus, Homes for long-term residential care of children, who are orphaned, abandoned and abused and who do not have natural families. These homes are known as 'LIFE Udayan Ghars'. These Homes have relevant statutory licenses, under 'Women & Children's Institutions (Licensing) Act 1956' and 'Orphanages or Charitable Institutions (Supervision & Control) Act, 1960' and work under 'Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection) Act 2000.

These homes are set up with the goal of:

Creating residences for orphaned, abandoned and abused children in a 'Family-like-environment' to promote family bonding, physical and mental health, social integration and to enable them to experience the 'Joy of Living'.

Enabling people of vision to join hands with us and make a difference to the lives of such children by setting up and managing Homes under its model of 'Group Foster Care'.

Educating the children in the best tradition of learning, so that they become self-sustaining and responsible members of society.

Inculcating human values in the children, which will enable them to make a positive difference to society when they assume their place in life

Promoting social, individual and legal initiatives to set up new homes in different parts of India for the purpose of being able to cater to rehabilitation and development needs of growing number of such children.

At present Udayan Ghar is nurturing 123 lives across six homes (65 girls and 58 boys),which is a leap from 82 children in 5 homes in the year 2005.

Udayan Ghar I in Sant Nagar, Delhi (Inception- March 1996), parents 12 girls.

Udayan Ghar II in Mayur Vihar, Delhi (Inception- February 1999), parents 16 boys.

Udayan Ghar III in Mehrauli, Delhi (Inception- September 1999), parents 13 girls.

Jagshanti Udayan Ghar IV in Greater Noida (Inception- August 2003), parents 40 girls.

Sat Krishna Udayan Ghar V in Gurgaon (Inception- September 2004), parents 21 boys.

Yaakov's Light Udayan Ghar VI for boys in Noida (Inception- March 2007), parents 10 boys.

Yaakov's Light Udayan Ghar VII for girls in Noida (to be opened in mid 2008).

Udayan Ghar VIII in Mayur Vihar (to be opened in mid 2008).

Udayan Ghar IX in Modi Nagar (still in planning status).

The Way Forward
Last few years were spent in consolidation of the Ghar Programme and strengthening of systems and processes. The year ahead will focus our efforts towards enabling and empowering willing partners to start new homes, in keeping with the ethos and vision of the Trust. We are soon opening one more home at Noida, this time for girls. Another home for boys is being made available at Mayur Vihar. Therefore, soon Udayan Care shall have 8 children homes under its wing. A new Home at Modinagar is under construction that would accommodate around 26 girl children.

We are working towards setting up 4 new homes across the country by 2010 reaching out to more such disadvantaged children and bringing them under the fold of LIFE Udayan Ghars.