In 2006, Abode for Children was incorporated as a public charity. Its original project was St. Joseph Orphanage and School in Nigeria, which has since achieved independence under the auspices of the Diocese of Ogoja. The next project was the establishment of St. Thomas Orphanage and Mary Rose Buds School in the Diocese of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, India.

After several years of operation, a need was recognized to provide another orphanage for destitute girls. Mother Theresa Orphanage was dedicated in 2014. Ten girls were admitted as boarders, with a view of adding ten more per year, up to the building capacity of sixty.

In April 2021, three of these original girls successfully graduated from the 10th Level of Education.

Recent Improvements to the Campus

Thanks to our sponsors and other donors, the campus in Cherukupalli, Andhra Pradesh has developed into a high-quality facility. From having the boys’ orphanage, the school and the rectory, the campus has grown to include a parish church, Varala Matha (Our Lady of Graces), a convent, a shrine to Our Lady at the entrance, the girls’ orphanage, and various outbuildings.

Recently, under the direction of Fr. Allam Showreddy, reliable clean water has been made available through a new water pump; the grounds have been raised and leveled to correct a flooding problem; buildings have been repaired; the wall near the girls’ orphanage has been raised and grilles added to the balcony to increase security against intruders; and a track and volleyball courts were added.

Necessity of a Junior College for Girls

As previously mentioned, three of the original girl boarders completed their education at Mary Rose Buds School through the 10th grade. We are expecting seven more from Mother Theresa Orphanage this coming school year. These young women have dreams of furthering their education but are prevented by the lack of funds and the rural culture climate. Their families are too poor to scrape the money together to send a girl to secondary education; that money would go to a boy.

Girls tend to return to the family to help earn money in some low-level job or else to be married off. This is heart-breaking for talented teens who would love the chance to become a nurse or business major or some other career. Boys are seen as having more potential for raising the family’s circumstances. Girls are a liability. We would like to help girls assist their families, too.

Just two more years of education, the 11th and 12th levels, can do so much to improve a young woman’s chances of lifting her family out of dire poverty. Instead of menial labor, working in the local farm fields or a sweat shop, she can actually be employed in an office or other business that pays more than a subsistence wage.

Why a New Building is Necessary

To this end, we propose adding 11th and 12th level curriculums. This would be available to young women who otherwise would be unable to continue their schooling after their 10th grade graduation. We would also make it available to families who are able to pay tuition, on a sliding scale according to their means.

This new building will consist of three floors and contain classrooms, labs, a library, an auditorium, two offices and girls-only living accommodations. The auditorium will be open to both boys and girls as the need arises.

We first had hoped to simply add another floor to the original school. However, the foundation could not support a three-story building. Consequently, a separate edifice will be necessary.

Impact on Community and Families

As mentioned above, the girls’ personal situations will improve, as well as their families’. The community will also benefit in the provision of a more highly-trained workforce and subsequent higher wages.

More businesses can flourish, either those started by our graduates or by others who move into the area. This will produce more jobs and more prospective students who will be able to afford tuition. In turn, this will help free up more of our donated funds to care for our financially-distressed boarders and their needs.

Building Plans & Cost of Materials & Labor

As of September 20, 2022, the exchange rate from rupees to dollars makes the grand total $356,662.08 USD. It is based on the rupee equaling $0.013 to $1.00 USD. The cost is greater than the previous school because the foundation is being laid deeper to accommodate the three floors.

The ground floor will contain an office for the principal, a staff room, the library, a computer lab, botany lab and zoology lab. The first floor will have four classrooms and two labs, one for physics and the other for chemistry. The second floor will have the girls’ dormitory and the auditorium.

Since the plans were drawn, it has been determined that the girls’ dormitory, which is to be on the top left side of the building as seen from the front, will have three toilets and three showers, strictly for use by the boarders. The hall directly to the right of the dormitory will not have restrooms. Anyone in the auditorium who needs to use a toilet will have to go down to the next floor. The dormitory will have private access for the girls only.

Projected Budget for Administration & Maintenance of Junior College

An on-going expense for this project will be the teaching, caregiving and maintenance staff costs.

The principal of Mary Rose Buds High School, currently Sr. Fatima, will also be the principal of the Junior College. The Order of St. Charles Borromeo has agreed to supply more sisters as teachers, with one who will also be the caregiver who looks after the girls’ needs and lives in the dormitory with them. Five teachers will be required altogether, with a combined salary of 70,000 rupees per month, or roughly $910 USD. The yearly total will be approximately $10,920 USD per year.

One additional maintenance person will be required. This worker will be paid 7,000 rupees per month, equivalent to $91 USD.