Call her a one-man army or an angel in disguise; Joanna Buthello could aptly fit in the roles of either. If you ask an outsider, they'd tag her the former title but for the orphans at the Joanna Buthello Educational Foundation, she's nothing short of a Fairy Godmother.
 |
Currently, housing 65 children under a single roof, Joanna Buthello has been single-handedly running the orphanage for the past 14 years. With no considerable funding for the same, the former school teacher makes ends meet with her retirement pension. The only help she receives is from well-wishers, who get in touch with her and donate as per the requirements of the children.
But these hardships have been anything but a hindrance for this determined woman. She educates the children living there on her own, believing that she can do justice to their future with her past teaching experience. "They could go to the Bombay Municipal Corporation school close by, but I think they'd do better under my tutelage. I follow the Open Board system where we conduct our own exams each year and when the students get to the tenth grade, we have a supervisor coming in to conduct the exams," she says. If results are anything to go by, three of the students are now in their first year of junior college in the city.
The local police and some good Samaritans usually bring in these kids and till date, Buthello has never said no to a child who wants to make the orphanage a home. Housing 65 children under a single roof and looking after the basic needs like food, footwear and clothing can also be difficult at times. The needs are plenty and resources few, but Buthello somehow manages to pull it off. "I wish I could do a little more for these children. It can get really trying at times but things work out with God's grace," she adds.
Dheeraj Kathuria frequently drops in at the orphanage with his family. This Diwali was no different as he watched the kids enjoy the crackers that he brought with him. "To see the joy on their faces is the most rewarding feeling and it doesn't take much to contribute to their well being. Even with the lack of facilities, I have never seen anyone squabble over a certain item. Such is their upbringing. Their needs are basic and I'm sure more people can come forward to support them," he says.
Mail this Article
Print this Article
No comments:
Post a Comment