Child Haven

Child Haven is an international charity that assists children and women in 4 countries, who are in need of food, education, health care, shelter and clothing, emotional and moral support. Child Haven International has five homes in India, one in Nepal, one in Tibet and one in Bangladesh.

Its homes accept destitute children who are disabled, parentless, or from socially disadvantaged situations. Girls and boys are treated equally, and without regard to race, caste, colour, religion or culture. Living is simple and meals are vegetarian. It respects the heritage of each child, whether Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, secular or other.

Destitute children from birth to six years of age are referred to Child Haven by local social welfare agencies. Child Haven Homes provide full care through high school (Tenth Standard), and then provide vocational training so that each child can enter the local society as a self-sufficient adult.

Another aspect of Child Haven International's Ghandian philosophy is its commitment to improving the condition of women through direct employment, education, medical aid, legal aid, and training opportunities.

While Child Haven International is not able to do disaster relief as such for tsunami victims, their Tamil Nadu Home in Kaliyampoondi, India expanded to accept children orphaned by the tsunami.

Child Haven was set up in Canada in 1985 as a registered charity by Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino. It has an Indian Board of Directors, a Bangladesh Board of Directors, and it works with local Tibetan people and a Nepal Advisory Committee composed of distinguished nationals from the respective countries.

Sean Egan had visited the Child Haven International home in Kathmandu Nepal many times and on the recent Kanatek-sponsored expedition to Everest he led a group that delivered much needed school supplies to the children. You can read about the visit at
http://www.kanatek.com/everest/diary_03_28_1.