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A few years ago, someone left a baby in a temple. She was wrapped in a piece of cloth, barely alive. When I picked her up, she weighed less than 1.5 kg. She was so fragile—I was scared she might break in my hands. That day, I made a promise: I will raise her like a mother. People say only women can be mothers, but for 25 years, I’ve chosen to become a mother to every child who was abandoned and unwanted. Not by birth, but by choice, I have been their mother. ~ Deepak Nagargoje, founder of Shantiwan, a shelter for abandoned children.
Many of the children I care for were left behind by unwed mothers—at railway stations, on temple steps, and sometimes even in plastic carry bags.
Outside our shelter, we’ve placed a cradle, hoping desperate mothers will choose a safer way. But even now, babies are left in the dark, in the cold, without hope. I feed them milk, I bathe them, I stay awake when they’re sick—just like any mother would.
Over 60% of the babies we rescue are girls. Their only fault is that they were born female.
Today, 350 children live with us at Shantiwan—from one-day-old newborns to 25-year-olds. We’ve saved thousands of children over the years. And yes, I’ve had to cremate the ones we couldn’t save. That grief never leaves me. But each time I hold a rescued child in my arms, I feel like life has won again.
Running this home has taken everything I had. I’ve sold my house, my land—everything—to make sure these children don’t sleep hungry.
There have been times we had ration left for just two days. With 350 mouths to feed, I cry in silence and borrow what I can. Still, I never stop—because these children call me Baba, and they are my world.
Your support can give these children food, medicine, shelter, and a future.
But the truth is, we’re still forced to turn children away. Not because we don’t care—but because we don’t have the resources. That’s why I have just one heartfelt appeal: Please help us. If you come forward, you can help us give these abandoned children a life full of love, dignity, and hope.
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EIN 20-5139364
