No hope? ‘Nun’ of that at Swanthana

Bangalore: There are many testimonies of human goodness, but every now and then, you find a story that truly leaves a mark. The story of Swanthana, on Sarjapur Road, is one of these. It is a home for those children who could barely have dreamed even of survival.

At most orphanages, children smile and wave and spout nursery rhymes as if on command. At Swanthana, however, all the children are afflicted by ailments like Cerebral Palsy, Hydrocephalus, Microcephalus, Down’s syndrome, Hemiplegia with mental retardation and quadriplegia. All of them are bedridden and require 24-hour care.

In a world where social work is an enterprise, covert or otherwise, little is done for those who have no capacity to give back, no chance of entering mainstream society and living with everybody else. Foun­ded in 2006, Swanthana is now home to 46 girls between the ages of 9 months and 15 years, all of whom have multiple disabilities.

Sister Regina, the director of the orphanage is exactly what you would expect a nun to be — gentle, giving and idealistic, totally sheltered from the cold, grim world that exists outside the cloister. “Chidanand, then Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Welfare, invited us to see the Remand Home and take over the care of the children,” said Sr Regina.

The children were dying due to the lack of nursing care and nutrition. “They had been gathered by the police from railway stations, bus stands, roadsides, behind the compound walls of hotels, marketplaces and even the dustbins,” she said.

Among the poorer classes, disabilities are both misunderstood and disdained. The child, if it is lucky, is left somewhere to fend for itself. Others are usually victims of the rampant infanticide that exists in our country.

“We felt the need to bring life to these victims and the Daughters of St Camillus agreed to take on the duty of caring for them,” she said. The 46 kids were transferred to them by the Child Welfare Commission.

“The government admitted that it couldn’t give these children the care they need,” said Sr Regina. That the task was an immense challenge was clear, but they took it on anyway. Seven nuns from St Camillus care for the kids, along with ten full-time attendants. “We found a six-month old baby behind the canteen in Vani Vilas hospital,” recalled Sr Regina. “She had been admitted for a month, after which doctors told her parents she would be this way for the rest of her life. So they just left her there.” This child is now a part of the family at Swanthana.

There are many things we take for granted. When we’re thirsty, we know enough to pick up a glass of water, when we’re hungry, we ask for food. All of this is a challenge to these children, most of whom are paralysed and cannot speak. The children are fed, bathed, clothed and cleaned and get hours of physiotherapy each day. “Two of our children can walk now, after four continuous years of physiotherapy,” said Sr Regina.

Even for these two children, education is out of the question. “Even special schools won’t take them, because they can’t manage their bowel movements,” said Sr Regina.

From 8 am to 1 pm each day, the kids are put on wheelchairs and taken to a recreational room, where they listen to music, which they love. After that, they are moved back to their beds.

Medical expenses are huge and although the government does provide, it is scarcely enough to tide them over. Only last month, their medical bills were over a lakh of rupees. “We used to take the kids to St John’s, which is nearby, but that was expensive, the hospital didn’t really come forward,” said Sr Regina.

“Now, we take them to Manipal Hospital and Jain Hospital, where the doctors are very willing to help us.” Dr Preethi Singh of Hosmat and Dr Vasanthi, who practices in Rajajinagar were two doctors who would make monthly trips to Swanthana, and attend to the patients free of cost. “It’s very difficult to manage,” Sr Regina says sadly.

The organisation receives no foreign funding either and has existed, over the last seven years, on local donations alone. One of the most remarkable aspects of Swanthana is the fact that, despite being run by a convent, little heed is paid to caste, creed and religion.

Sr Regina's answer is very philosophical, for she says, “God didn’t create religion, human beings did. Humanness comes from within, not which God you pray to.” Only four of the 46 children can actually speak and they have never been questioned about their past or their possible religious leanings. In fact, Christmas and Deepavali are both celebrated at Swanthana, simply because it makes the children happy.

What will they do, once the kids have grown up? “The government has asked us to start another home for adults,” said Sr Regina, which they seem to be considering. “Most of these kids will be this way for the rest of their lives, sending them out into the world would be doing them a great injustice.”

There have been instances of people asking them why they just don’t let the children die. “How can we do that?” asks Sr Regina. “I tell these people that the kids value their lives just as much as we value ours. How can we allow them to die and not try to help them in any way?”

I have been writing this column for two years now and have met many remarkable people along the way – the sort that instill your faith in human kindness. In all this time, though, I have never come across anything quite like this.

The nuns at St Camillus’ battle almost impossible odds every day and come out at the end with smiles on their faces. No matter how difficult things get, one thing is for sure. They will do everything in their power to help those who need it most.

If you would like to visit the orphanage or make any sort of donation, contact Swanthana on +91 80 2844 1153 or +91 9986951855. You can also write to them at swanthana@bsnl.in