Family Homes

We live like a big family having thousands of children who were taken care by foster parents in each and every different part of the house. The children in these homes are the one who have undergone tremendous physical and mental trauma being separated from their families, who risked their lives to escape to India, battled against all odds and have reached under the umbrella of Tibetan Homes Foundation. More than anything else these children yearn for love and a sense of belonging that comes naturally from the foster parents who treat them like their parents who love, care and also correct their child.

The working of the homes is unique in itself, the day to day work of cooking, washing and cleaning is done by the children themselves helped by the foster parents that forms an integral part of their everyday life. Duty charts are made involving all senior children in the household chores and for the younger children a matchup of an elder child is made. In this way, the younger children are looked after by their respective elder brother or sister: washing of clothes, bathing, school needs, assisting with home work are few of the things the senior children have to do for the young ones. This generates a sense of belonging to the family and more important is a process of a complete upbringing. The values of love, care, responsibility, honesty, hard work and compassion are all a part of the growing up process in these family homes.

In Tibetan Homes Foundation, we have two different types of family homes where the children live: the "Larger family homes" and the "Smaller family homes”. In the larger family homes, we have a couple of foster parents who look after the children and the number of children in these family homes range between "40 to 50" children. The SOS families home are smaller in size and are a part of the two SOS Tibetan children's village: one in Mussoorie and the other in Rajpur. These family homes have one mother to look after the children.

The children on completion of their grade IX level education at school have to part from their homes and live in the senior boys and senior girl’s hostel. In the hostels the children are mostly left on their own to inculcate in them a sense of self responsibility. The children stay in hostel for three years where they lead an independent life with one warden and a matron to check them with their wrong steps. Senior children are encourage to devote most of their time in studies in hostel since they have to sit for two board exam at Xth and XIIth level. Children do not have to cook at hostel.

Study time at homes	Kitchen duties preparing for dinner