Our regular activities at the Bantay Bata (the City Refuge for abandoned kids) now include brightening the place up. Despite the fact that the kids are locked behind the high-walled grounds, I love our visits. It’s always such a happy time with the kids... they are so excited and happy when they have visitors and activities to do.
Shiela and I lead a small team that visits the kids to help enrich their lives. Recently, our trips have included planting shrubs and flowers – and fruit trees, as in the picture – to help cheer up the place and hide the concrete walls.
The centre is part of the social services and is where any street kids, orphans or children removed from neglected/abusive families end up until other family can be found – or until they can go to a charity like us here at KNA.
Working with kids from difficult backgrounds, it always amazes me how they can still find such enjoyment in even simple games and activities even though they have been through terrible things.