Haven Home: A heaven in Kanpur

As I entered the gates two smiling faces greeted me. I felt as if I have just returned from school and my mother was opening the gate for me. The home from nowhere looked like an orphanage. I have been to many orphanages before, but this one was entirely different. In this small home lives a family, and the love present all around and the nature of caretakers even made me feel as if I was a part of this family. The three caretakers Ms Promila, Ms Manjuli and Ms Deepali take care of thirteen children living there, twelve of them are girls. Most of the kids were abandoned by their unmarried mothers right after birth. But in this home they never get a feel that they don’t have a mother. Children call Ms Promila as “badi maa” and Ms Manjuli as “chhoti maa”. The kids are smart, intelligent, well-mannered and study in good schools. They are known across the society for their singing talent. This home celebrates all the festivals. The birthdays of kids are celebrated very specially. Promila and Manjuli didn’t get marry for the sake of these children and even left their precious jobs. The home runs on charity. Sometimes they do face financial problems because of not having an earning source. Also there are only three rooms so a bit of space problem too.

How the journey started?

Ms Promila, a graduate from Delhi University was working for a private firm in New Delhi, earning a handsome salary. One day when she returned from work, she found a crowd standing in front of her house. When she went there, she saw a new born child lying in garbage being bitten by dogs and pigs. She was shocked by the cruelty of the world. This scene changed her life completely. A month later she was in Bangalore for official work. She was waiting for someone outside a bakery on the glamorous MG road. Few rag picker children were picking trash there. A luxury car stopped by and all the children went to the person coming out of the car, asking for some food. But that person kicked them away. She was watching from a distance and couldn’t resist. She held the hand of one child and took him inside the bakery and bought some food. The child after going back, called all his friends and shared the sweets with them. In her own words-“From a distance I saw them smiling and laughing. I thought that if a hundred rupee note can bring so many smiles, then certainly I can do a lot better to this world.” On returning back she shared her thoughts of bringing up abandoned children with her sister Manjuli. She came along with her to Kanpur. Promila left her job. Initially her family was against this move but later they started supporting. One of the family members gave them a small house to live. In 2002 they brought home first girl from a hospital in Kidwai Nagar. Slowly number of children increased. Manjuli used to work as a Head Constable in Unnao and Promila took care of children. But when children increased, management became difficult so even Manjuli left her job to devote her full time to the children. They had to pass through many tough phases where they didn’t have sufficient money to take care all children. But with God’s grace everything went well. Bursting in tears, she said “We are hurt the most when we are not able to save life of new born children. Many of the children have died while taking them to the hospital after rescuing from pathetic conditions.” She blames Government hospitals for ill management and says that now she takes the newly rescued to private hospitals no matter how much money is spent.

For them these kids are their life and they will never let them go. Last year they married their eldest daughter. “Mai jaldi hi naani ban ne wali hu”, with a smiling face Ms Promila says. Her dream is to bring up at least hundred such children. With hopes in her eyes she says, “Even if 20 of those hundred will do for the society what I did, I will think my life has been successful”.

I would request you to support her in whatever way you can. You can take my word, it will be an out of the world experience.

Address of Haven Home- 4/10, New Azad Nagar, PAC By Pass, Opp Shyam Nagar, Satbari Road, Near First Christian Church, Kanpur, UP.

Mobile: 9335247165/ 9335841065

Please do take prior permission from Ms Promila Ingle, if you want to visit the Home.