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When "Ding" was only 8 years old his father died.  For most young mothers in India, this is much more than just losing a beloved husband.  Her entire life as she knew it was gone.  Though things certainly were not easy for them before her husband's death, they could at least make ends meet and put food on the table.  There were all the challenges poverty brings but they were together and they had enough to survive.  Then, in just one single day, her husband is gone along with all the resources she needed to support her family.  She had no money, no job and food was scarce.  Ding's dream for an education was lost.   She had to make the hardest choice a mother could make, to send her child away.  But she knew it was the only way.  She could not care for him or give him the opportunities he deserved.  Imagine the moment of having to make this choice.

Fortunately, she found Angels' Place...a warm and loving refuge for children like Ding who are barely surviving in the grips of extreme poverty.  A place where he could count on regular nourishing meals, a warm bed, compassionate caregivers and most importantly to Ding, the chance to go to school so he could pursue his dream of becoming a bank officer.  In his own words... "I am thankful for my sponsors.  Without their financial support I would not be going to school.  This I know for sure."

Until culture changes and widowed women in India are provided the support and resources they need to keep their children at home, places like Angels' Place are necessary to give kids like Ding a fair chance in life.  There are so many just like him.

Would you like to know more about how you can help a child like Ding?  Check out our Ways to Help page to learn all the ways you can make a difference.

To read more stories about the children at Angels' Place, click on "Angel of the Week" under Categories to the right of this page.

This handsome young man came to Angels' Place in 2011.   What he likes most about his new home is the "family feeling".  After years of feeling like he had no family, he finally has one.

When Mung was just one year old he lost his father.  Soon after, his mother remarried and, like so many children of poverty in Indian, the new husband rejected the young boy.  He was left alone.  In his own words..."I had no one to care for me.  No father.  No mother."

Mung dreamed of being successful in life and today, thanks to Angels' Place, he feels like he has a chance.  Surrounded by people who care about him and his future, he has hope.  Hope to be more than just another beggar on the streets or a drug addict like many of his old peers.  Without an education and family support, this is where most young men like Mung end up.  Fortunately, Mung made his way to Angels' Place and a brighter future.

Mung has made many new friends at Angels' Place.  Friends who share his desire to build a successful life and make a positive difference in the world.  Mung loves to read in the library and his caregivers recognize his promising future as a football (soccer) player.  He is getting a solid education and this gives him confidence.  Confidence he can make a better life for himself than the old friends he left behind.

But what about those left behind?  Mung was one of the lucky ones.  There are so many children like him who are still trapped in the grips of poverty, alone, with no one to help them find a path to a better future.  So many like him long for something different, to be a successful member of their community, but they just don't have the resources.  They need help.  Hundreds are on the waiting list to get into Angels' Place alone.  We just need to make room for them.  We need your help.   They need your help!

Won't you open a door for a child like Mung?

There are many things you can do.  Visit our Ways to Help page to learn more.

To read more Angel of the Week stories, click on "Angel of the Week" under Categories to the right of this page.

Ningnunsang was a shy and aloof little girl when she walked through the doors of Angels' Place for the first time.  She had lost her mother to malaria at only five years old.  As if this trauma weren't enough, her father fell into a life of drinking and gambling and essentially abandoned his daughter.  In Ningnunsang's words..."I had no mother.  My father did not care for me.  My life was difficult."  Combined with the horrific challenges of extreme poverty, it is no surprise she began to lose hope and withdraw from the world.

Fortunately for Ningnunsang, she had a caring grandmother who stepped in and brought her to Angels' Place.  It was a tough transition at first but slowly she began to come out of her shell.  With proper nourishment, a warm home and the support of caring adults, she soon blossomed.  She has made many friends with whom she loves to sing and play games.  In the words of her caregivers..."She adjusted admiringly well."   Now, this once shy and withdrawn little girl who had little education is 9th in her class and thriving.  An amazing achievement for a child who came from such a traumatic home life.

Ningnunsang is one of hundreds of children in her community who are struggling to survive in the grips of extreme poverty and neglect.  It is easy to see why they would lose hope and fall into lives of crime or drug abuse, like Ningnunsang's father did.  But there is hope for them, hope for a different future...at Angels' Place.  They just need help getting there and you can be the one who makes a difference.  To learn how, visit our Ways to Help page.

To read more Angel of the Week stories, click on "Angel of the Week" under categories to the right of this page.