How it all started

 

In 1998, we began to host two little orphans in our small rented house with the help of Sister Gerlinde Hauswirth from Germany.In the year 2001 Luben met Sister Anneke Bouman -Holland .Mrs.Anneke Bouman and her friends Peter,Betty,Jannes,Gerard,Helen joined together and start "St.Vrienden Van Mercy"s Orphanage in the year 2002. They supported  to constructed our own buildings.In 2004 we moved in to our own house and could provide a loving home, food and shelter for 40 children. At this moment our family has grown to over 50 children, but our vision went beyond the “Basic Needs”.

 

In 2006 we started a Tailoring School in our orphanage with support of TROS-TV company from Holland. Here can our own children be thought in tailoring and women from surrounding villages can receive a free 6 months course. After the course the participants will receive a document from the government (Degree) and will be able to get a job and earn their own money. Read more about this and how you can support the tailoring program under “Support”.  

 

Same year we also started our organic garden, on which the children can learn how to harvest own vegetables and get sensitive for the value of organic food.

 

To give children and women the possibility for further education and to qualify them for a job, we founded a computer centre in 2008 by the help of Mrs.Barbara Danieli-Per Un sorrisso Onlus-Roma Italy.Especially Elena Parents Mr.Maurizio and Mrs.Rita.

 

All this was possible with the help from friends, supporters and our trust in god.

 

“If you keep on giving bread to those in need, they will remain dependent on you. But if you teach them how to produce bread and how to sell it they will learn how to stand on their own feet”(Luben Kumar).