India, Asia

IND04 - New Ark Mission of India

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Key Partnership Information:

• Partnership Ref.: IND04

• Partner: T Raja

• Commenced: 25/12/2003

• Funding Status: Partially Funded

• Partnership Type: Humanitarian

• Funding Size: $15,000 - $99,999

• Annual Budget: US$ 19,800

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Current Partnership Impact:

• 800 families are being assisted

• 40 children are being supported into schooling

• 800 elderly, disabled or chronically ill people are being supported

• 20 people are being employed in businesses established by our partners

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Other Partnership Information:

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• Watch a video about this partnership

• Email us about supporting this partnership

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Partnership Overview 

On the road lies a hungry man with festering sores, a long beard and matted hair teeming with lice. Emanating from him is a stench so foul that passers-by cross the road to avoid it. But for T Raja, founder of New Ark Mission of India (NAMI), spotting this harmless, destitute man marks the beginning of another bond.

An outstanding example of Christ's compassion, NAMI is a mission rescuing abandoned and often terminally ill people off the streets and transforming the lives of these street dwellers. Of the thousands of people who T Raja rescues from the streets, a lot have died with dignity at the Home of Hope, but others have been restored in great health to their families and past lives. The founder, T Raja, is a converted tuk tuk driver motivated by the story of the Good Samaritan. 

History Of Partnership

T Raja started off as an auto rickshaw driver and the history lingers as his close friends still call him ‘Auto Raja’ long after he gave up his job to pursue charitable causes. As a driver on the streets of Bangalore he came upon many sights that tore his heart - homeless, wounded and helpless people, most of them living in dangerously unhygienic conditions. He brought them home and with the little means he had tried giving them a better life. Many of them could not be helped for long but they died knowing someone cared for them.

None of his efforts have gone to waste. Raja has been lauded for his efforts. He is a recipient of the Induvala H Honnaiah Samaja Seva Prashasti, an award that recognised committed social work in 2001 and the following year he received an award from Her Excellency, Governor Rama Devi, on Republic Day. Many further awards and recognition have followed including the CNN/IBN Real Hero 2010 award.

Since then the work has grown. T Raja has been gifted some land and a house in which to accommodate those who are being rescued. He commenced with a small, four bedroomed house but this has been added to and developed. There are now separate homes for men, women and children, accommodating around 800 people. There are approximately 60 children in one home, 300 women in another and 450 men at a separate site. Every day more people turn up or are delivered on to the premises to be cared for, and almost every day people die and are taken away from the homes. 

Beneficiaries

The poor and abandoned street people of Bangalore, India are the primary beneficiaries. This includes terminally ill street dwellers, abused women, children and sex workers.

What We Like About The Partnership

Bright Hope World is continually impressed by the total commitment of the leaders of this ministry to the poor. None of them have to be there, and this is clearly a labour of love and compassion.

 

Key People 

Leadership Profile

T Raja and his wife Devi are the key people in the Home. They live on the site with their three children and many other workers and extended family.

T Raja was born into a Hindu family but from a young age mocked the gods that his parents worshipped. He was defiant and rebellious. After three years of primary school he dropped out and became a ruffian. His parents despaired of him as he grew and at one point even wished he was dead.

It was only after he and his family became Christians that things began to change for him. He heard about the work of Mother Teresa in Calcutta. He saw many destitute people on the streets as he drove his taxi and felt he should do his part to help them. He struggled to live out his faith in the same old organisation and challenged God that if he could get a job in a Christian organisation then he would dedicate his life to helping the poor. Within a couple of weeks he had the job.

In 1998 he started taking street dwellers into his home. He feed and bathed them, cut their hair and clothed them. This went on for two years until an organisation offered him some land and a building. The rest, they say, is history.

 

Vision And Annual Strategy

The vision of the Home of Hope is to rescue and provide shelter for destitute and/or sick and abused men, women and children found on the streets of Bangalore and to love them through compassionate action as long as they live. They also seek to rehabilitate as many as possible into the mainstream of life and to ensure dignity in death for those that succumb to lives of neglect.