Kaliyampoondi
Manager Nathan, right, with a group of local Gypsies. As Gypsies move around a lot, the children have not been able to attend school.
Nathan worked with Gypsies for many years before coming to Child Haven. The parents knew him when they were teenagers. They trusted him whenever they had difficulties in the neighbourhood.
Now when they wanted education for their children they wouldn't trust anybody else, but brought the children to Nathan. Two Gypsy brothers, Waratharajan age 5, and Ilayaraja age 3, were the first to come to Child Haven. The older boy is very sensitive and clever, and cares for the younger brother as if he were his son. When the boy had chicken pox for 10 days, the older brother cared for him and requested specific food, etc.
The grandfather, named Gandhi, standing behind Nathan, said the only educator he trusted was Nathan. He said he would bring two more grandchildren. By the time Bonnie arrived, he had brought four, making a total of six, seen in the front row, the first Gypsy children to be admitted to Child Haven. They will be attending school for the first time.
It's interesting to note that each of the older siblings has an arm around the younger one.
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