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Dayspring Home
Dayspring Children's Home opened in 2004 on 6 acres of land located in Chittoor, a rural area outside of Virudhunagar. 30 children between the ages of 3 and 18 are in our care. Some came to live in our care because they have been affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, some came to us because they were vulnerable and living in poverty.
The aim of the home is to reintegrate the children that have been rejected back into their family by providing ongoing social and medical support through parent counselling, education and self-help groups. Blossom Trust is responsible for the management and operations of the home, which includes, but is not limited to: medical expenses, educational needs, nutritious meals, clothes and social support. We rely on private donations to cover operating expenses – roughly USD $11,500 per year.
For the Dayspring grounds upkeep and facility improvements, we rely on volunteer labor and funding.
The objectives at the Dayspring Home are:
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To provide a safe, stable and nurturing environment for children to develop.
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To ensure that all children have access to education.
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To surround the children with qualified staff and a loving community network.
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To provide a future for children through technical institutes, further education or apprenticeships.
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To provide access to healthcare.
To learn more about the establishment of Dayspring Home, take a look at the video below, courtesy of one of our volunteers.
Monthly Food Expenses for Dayspring Home
Dayspring Farm was established in 2002 to provide a sustainable source of food for the children. The farm is located next to Dayspring Home on the 3 of the 6 acres of land and is maintained by the local farmer and volunteers who tend to the livestock and crops.
The farm grows onion, eggplants (aubergines), spinach, gooseberry, guava and mango. We have livestock that consists of cows, goats and chickens. The farm is maintained by a farmer and short-term international volunteers, and also the children learn and participate in the harvest and care of the livestock.
The farm aims to be environmentally focused and organic, instead of using only pesticides and chemical fertilizer, using three different kinds of local organic mixtures called panchagavya, asola and geevamirtham.
DAYSPRING HOME
Since 2004 Dayspring home has been offering a place to live for orphaned children from the region. Here they get nutritious meals, a safe place to live and the means to receive education. For many years we have been welcoming volunteers to our home to help out.
We provide our volunteers with simple food and accommodation, in exchange for work on a project that they fund and manage. Projects may be chosen according to length of stay and individual interests. Our staff will guide project implementation, but we are looking for volunteers who can take initiative. Please see the project options below.
DAYSPRING FARM
Part of Dayspring is our organic farm. This farm is run by our Dayspring team and the children. We welcome anyone who wants to come and help out making our farm even more sustainable.
Work directly with the farmer by planting, nurturing, or harvesting (depending on the season) and assist with the livestock. There is always a need for general maintenance to be done on the farm. Read more about the farm here.
PROJECTS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN!
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Maintain grounds
General maintenance, cleaning the indoor facilities, kitchen, community areas and outside work such as gardening, maintaining the rubbish and recycling program, beautifying the grounds in whatever way is needed at the time of your visit. -
Farming
Help on the farm and with the livestock. Beautifying the farm, repairing walls, fences and roofs of the chicken coops. -
Children
Help the children with their assigned English homework and/or computer classes, teaching basic computer learning such as word, excel, internet safety and ethics. Facilitating fun activities such as reading circles, games, art projects and dance parties.