Udayagiri is a small village in the Kandhamal district of Orissa, 180 miles South-East from Bhubaneshwar and 100 miles away from Berhampur, the nearest railway station. Here there is no telephone and the bus is 3 hours away. It is situated in the mountain ranges and is inhabited by Kondhs and Dalit tribes who are economically very poor, social outcasts and educationally deficient. The small villages in the area are scattered in the forest away from any form of development due to the lack of a road system.

With the Sisters of Charity we have started a home for young physically disabled girls, with aims to rehabilitate them by corrective surgery, physiotherapy and formal education. The Sisters belong to the Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar diocese which donated the land where the building has been constructed.

At present there are 18 girls living there and more are planned to come in a short period. This home for handicapped girls is a very new venture, and is still in need of many things, like beds, tables, chairs and other furnishings, kitchen utensils, etc. A physiotherapy room has to be set up with various appliances and aids with the help of professional experts. These children have to be taken regularly to either Bhubaneshwar or Berhampur hospitals for examinations and consultations by doctors and for surgeries when needed.

Each child will need some walking aid such as calipers, wheel chairs, crutches and special shoes. The diocese is providing a vehicle for the center to transport the children to school daily, but more expenses have to be covered for the gas and the driver. Also a physiotherapist is needed for all the girls, as well as a cook and a teacher. More expenses have to be covered for the daily food, clothing and the hygiene system.

If you would like to help these poor, physically challenged girls and give more girls the same opportunity to overcome their handicaps, please contact us.