The Mercy Home Project—Fighting female infanticide

HopeReach volunteers are active in the management of the The Mercy Home In the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, South India. This area is part of what is known as the 'infanticide belt,' a region where female infanticide is still extensively practiced. The Home receives unwanted babies, mostly girls, saving them from death. It also receives a few boys, usually either handicapped or born to unwed mothers. The babies the Home receives are either voluntarily surrendered by the parents, to the Home or to a local hospitals which transfer them to the Mercy Home, or they are found abandoned. The Home arranges medical treatment and operations for the babies when necessary, through contacts with local hospitals and is licensed to place babies in Indian adoptive families.

Read more about female infanticide in India »

The Mercy Home also cares for several elderly folk who were rescued from the streets, thereby providing a refuge and place of dignity for their last days.

Our Involvement

In 2007, we were approached by the Mercy Home for help with some of their needs. During our visits, we also noticed and were quite moved with the pressing need to renovate and improve the whole nursery operation. Many of the babies arrive in a very frail state, coming from poorly nourished mothers, often born prematurely and many abandoned in life-threatening circumstances, so unfortunately several die. Together with the Mercy Home overseers, we have devised a strategy to try to reduce the death rate and give these frail infants the best possible chance at life. Since then, we have also launched new projects in conjunction with the Claretian Educational and Social Services Society.

Progress so Far

• Generator bought and installed (May 07)
• Construction of 9 new rooms for better accomodations for staff.
• Delivered 300 diapers and waterproof diaper covers
• Delivered many new clothes,sheets and waterproof pads
• Bought new cupboards and shelves for organising and storing supplies
• Supplied baby bouncing chairs and changing pads
• Bought new washing machine
• Bought photo-therapy light to treat jaundice
• Applied much training in sanitary and hygiene standards
• Set up pediatric ICU with incubators and related equipment
• Bought an ambulance for transporting sick babies on the 45 minute drive to the nearest hospital. This ambulance will also be used for a maternal health care program in nearby villages.

Special thanks to our many friends and supporters for supplying the above items.

Future Goals

• Set up a separate toddler room. (Completed)
• Set up a covered laundry area on the roof for drying clothes during monsoon season. This will free a room for the toddlers. (Completed)
• Upgrade baby changing stations. (Completed)
• Continue training in hygiene standards.
• Make a proper bedroom for the toddlers.
• In addition, there is a need to arrange separate quarters for the dying and near-death elderly residents.