Udayan begins the process of taking on 40 children

The team at Udayan are on the road – visiting Leprosy Colonies across West Bengal and meeting families to select 40 new students to attend Udayan! They have visited colonies in Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia and Asansol over three days, meeting anxious parents and children whose future could take a different course by simply being selected.

Their visits to leprosy colonies across West Bengal are as much about forging relationships and understanding, as they are about identifying children to join  Udayan. Every colony is very, very different. Different energy, different housing, different livelihoods (from begging and ragpicking to daily labourers or even the flesh trade), different community infrastructure. They take the time to connect with people, understand their unique problems and the nuances of the community – its important, after all, these people are entrusting their children with the team at Udayan!

Dipak, Adrija, Swapan and Debashish check documentation (leprosy documents, aadhar cards, birth certificates) and talk to parents and children to understand their background, livelihood, income and family situation.

They then visit the children’s homes to verify information and understand poverty levels. It’s a rigorous process and the entire community turns out to welcome the Udayan team, who has been educating children from these colonies for decades.

Having served these communities for almost 50 years, there is a deep sense of trust and respect within the community, for Udayan.