ASIA/INDIA - Education, food and protection for orphaned girls

Visakhapatnam (Agenzia Fides) - The Sisters of St. Louis began their work in the Indian diocese of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in 1986. After arriving in the isolated village of Yellamanchilli they realized after some time that it was important to open an orphanage that would give the girls the opportunity of receiving education, food and protection. Most of them are orphans, the few who have a family are absolutely not able to be to give them food or an education. The nuns also have a primary and secondary school and ensure the needs of girls up to 15 years of age.
The head of the Centre, Sister Pushpa Rani, Indian, of the order of St. Louis, graduated in Medicine and specialized in gynecology in Turin, describes the situation to Father Adolfo Porro and the difficulties experienced.
"Our job is to welcome them, feed them, protect them from the many dangers that Indian orphan girls suffer, and not only that, we give them an education - writes the religious in the letter sent to Agenzia Fides -. There are many students who have finished their studies and now they work or are continuing their studies in high schools in the region. Unfortunately resources are beginning to lack in order to feed them. Two nuns work in a school in the area, as well as in ours, and I work in hospital, but with our modest salary we no longer are able to sustain the community and guests". Sister Pushpa concludes hoping that the generosity of people can help them and, most importantly, can help those she calls "our girls". (AP) (Agenzia Fides 19/12/2014)