FAQs
What does Good Shepherd Homes actually provide for the children?
GSH provides for the children in every aspect of life, including education, housing, care, clothing and entertainment. Three nutritious meals are cooked and provided daily by the charities’ own kitchen staff.
How does the hostel operate on a daily basis?
The children in GSH are housed in small units of twelve children each. Every apartment has three bedrooms and ample communal space, both inside and outside. Two house parents are responsible for a group of twelve boys or girls. The house parents are handpicked by the GSH trustees and are appointed after a process of interviews and in-house training.
What kind of education does GSH provide?
The GSIA opened in June 2019 with junior and senior KG classes. As the school progresses, it will operate as an English medium school with a CBSE curriculum and accreditation. Good Shepherd Homes has been facilitating and sponsoring both primary, secondary and higher education for over 200 children since 1996.
Does GSH provide opportunities for volunteering?
Our community has been greatly enriched by voluntary initiatives and visiting teams over the years. These have ranged from teaching, tree-planting and construction efforts to targeted workshops and specialized consultancies. If you are interested to visit, please do contact us through our contact page.
How does GSH choose which children to admit?
We meet and admit children through 3 avenues:
1. Representatives go on regular field visits to troubled areas in Maharashtra. Thanks to the outreach, GSH team members have regular and direct interaction with the homeless community in various cities.
2. Networking with other charities. GSH is in constant touch with a number of child care agencies. Many children were referred to GSH through one of these charities. (See the question on networking).
3. Relatives and neighbours. If relatives or friends refer a child to Good Shepherd Homes, a representative from GSH will investigate the case before admitting.
Good Shepherd Homes has 3 basic criteria when it comes to admitting children.
GSH will only consider admitting a child if the child:
a) is not attending school.
b) does not have adequate accommodation.
c) does not have one parent able/willing to provide basic care.
Exceptions are made if the child’s well being or safety is at risk due to other factors such as addiction or domestic violence.
Does Good Shepherd Homes network with other organisations?
Good Shepherd Homes has partnered with several charities both in India and abroad, such as Deep Graha, World Vision and others.