Have you ever thought of the fate of the children born to the parents who are prisoners? Imagine the helplessness of an unfortunate child who has to witnesses his or her mother’s arrest leaving him/her to the care of nobody. The Parental incarceration causes chaos, social stigma, trauma and a great crisis in the life of a child. The effects on children can be devastating. Having a parent in prison poses different challenges for the child at each stage of development, including poverty, homelessness and most often is struggling to stay substance free. They often face teasing and rejection from other children and their families. Perhaps parent's arrest often may be part of a larger picture of pre-existing family difficulty and dysfunction characterized by poverty, violence, instability, abuse, alcoholism, Drug abuse/addiction, victimization or marital distress. When someone goes to prison, their family members become invisible victims. While each family’s experience is unique, Children and families of prisoners often share common characteristics and life circumstances, mostly of poverty and destitution. In addition, Children with parents in prison suffer a wide range of negative emotions and experiences, which may place them at a higher risk for becoming the victim of neglect and abuse, truancy, prostitutes, early pregnancy and delinquency etc., etc.

Anup was a two-year unfortunate child who could never get the affection of his mother. He was plunged into destitution by none of his fault. Born to a mother condemned to imprisonment, Anup could never enjoy the warmth of his mother and he got abandoned to the mercy of the destiny.

Alice, was an unfortunate housewife who came across many tragedies in her life. She lost her husband in a serious car accident leaving with her the two children Neethi and Akash as her only wealth on this earth. She reacted positively to this tragedy. At a time when she was feeling so desperate in her life with out any way ahead, Alice got a job as a vocational teacher at Central Jail, Trivandrum. Her compassionate heart was deeply moved when the female prisoner in her desperation handed over her two year old son, Anup into the caring hands of Alice and her two children whom the offender found as an angelic incarnation in front of her. This was the beginning of the Divine Children's Home. Now this loving mother Alice is the mother of 24 destitute children of Trivandrum.

Divine Children's Home is a warm caring for the destitute and neglected children of Thiruvanathapuram city and around. The youngest one in the Children's home is three months old infant and the oldest a thirteen year old teenager. The mother's of some of these children are serving long term in the Central Jail of Thiruvanathapuram. The Devine Children's Home was registered as a charitable trust on July 26th 2002.

This Home is intended to nurture, protect and care the destitute children who are left in the streets and also children from poor and broken families. Its purpose is to promote the total development of children through loving care in the homely atmosphere with adequate nutrition and healthy social interaction. All children are nurtured and educated till they are enough to venture out independently.

Alice’s caring work expanded in scope and now Divine Children's Home is a sanctuary for twenty-four destitute children who are either orphans or whose parents are mentally or physically incompetent to work after their children. Most of these children attend school. The Home is currently located in a rented three-room flat in Edapazhanji, Thiruvanathapuram. The main source of income for Alice is the allowance that she gets from sewing work and donations from well-wishers. The biggest challenge in front of Alice now is that the boys and girls are to be segregated and lodged in two separate dormitories, as the children are growing. She had submitted this urgent need, in addition to the huge cost of daily maintenance of these children, to other agencies and well-wishers.

Many families find that, at a time when help is most needed, people seem to withdraw from them. There is often a sense of shame and a fear of being labeled. Many in our society view prisoner’s families as guilty by association.

Your compassion and small help can save them from their hallowed halls.

How you can get involved:

Please send your Donations and correspondence to:

DIVINE CHILDREN'S HOME
Kesavadev Road (KRRA) - 189,
Poojappura, Trivandrum, Kerala 695 012
INDIA

Ph: (0471) 3955273/2343890
Mob: 91 98474 37769
Email: dchtvm@rediffmail.com