Our licence from the Child Welfare Committee in West Bengal has changed this year to allow us keep the children until they are eighteen years of age. Prior to this, on reaching their 12th birthday, the boys would "shift" to Ashirbad Boys’ Home, also run by Hope Kolkata Foundation for older boys. 

The children are taking all their school classes online as schools have still not reopened. We have added an additional laptop to the existing four to help cater for their educational needs.

Since March of this year, the children in the Bekind Boys' Home have been forbidden from going outside, so they must exercise within the confines of the building, not easy physically or mentally.

2021 should have been a year when a group of enthusiastic Irish student volunteers travelled to Kolkata, that City of Joy, to immerse themselves in Indian culture and give of themselves as young people reaching out to those less fortunate. It’s the first time since 2007, when Bekind was founded, that volunteers have been unable to travel due to Covid-19 restrictions.

I’ve always seen those volunteer trips as a "win win" experience for those involved - fundraising efforts for months in advance and then witnessing, with their own eyes, how the money is used to educate, nourish and care for the children in the Bekind Boys’ Home. 

As is the case for many other charities, Bekind has seen a reduction in income but we are so grateful to everyone who has supported our online events: Bekind Valentine Quiz; Bekind Virtual Cycle; and Unwind with Bekind Yoga,  and for continuing their standing orders or making donations.

Next January 2022 will mark ten years since our home opened. To date, we have been able to help forty-seven vulnerable boys with twenty-three currently living in the Bekind Boys' Home. Some have been successfully reunited with their families or relatives. One boy has entered an adoption process which has just been initiated by local government for pure orphans.

 As vaccinations continue around the globe and countries begin to open up again, that sense of normality is returning to our lives. As I write, 23% of India’s adult population, which is just under one billion have received their second vaccination so there’s more work to be done, even as they averaged administering 7,400,000 jabs per day during September. In order to vaccinate all adults by the end of this year, they need to up the rate to a staggering ten million vaccinations per day!

With the country now almost fully open a third wave is feared by Indian doctors. Let’s hope not, as the thought of further restrictions for our boys would be unbearable.

In the meantime, every donation supporting Bekind gives the children a real “bunk up.”

Thank you all so much.

Brian Flanagan

Founder Director

Bekind Ireland