Gangtok, Aug. 26: Keepu T. Lepcha, a retired government servant, has come a long way since 1989 — caring for her relatives’ children. Today, she is the Nekung, (grandma in Lepcha) of 69 orphans. The run down cottage, at Chanmari, that the waifs first walked into has spread, with a school at Chongey that also boasts of hostel accommodation and professionals to help the project.
Lepcha no longer finds herself a lone crusader, fighting to provide “the children of a lesser god” with a home, love, values and quality education. With her, is The Sikkim Human Development Foundation (SHDF), one of Sikkim’s best and biggest- non government organisations and a dedicated team of seven members, mostly teenage girls, who want to do their bit for society.
The sailing, however, has not always been so easy, says the soft-spoken Lepcha. “There have been times when I had nothing with me to help the poor waifs with,” she says, “but my faith in god helped me tide over the crisis.”
Other residents who knew her and the trouble she had to go through to keep her extended familiy’s head above water, were touched.
“All my neighbours and others who knew them came to my rescue,” she says smiling. “And help, however meagre, flowed in from many quarters.” As word of her service spread, sponsors and donations followed and she soon was able to put together enough to build a home for the destitute at Chandmari, Gangtok
Looking back at the rugged road she has travelled, Lepcha finds her chance-meeting with Wendy and Loday Chungyalpa, a Sikkimese couple who had spent most of their days in Australia, the “best gift” to her and her children’s home, equalled only by another “tryst with destiny.”
Max Melliger, a tourist from Switzerland, moved as much by her dedication as he was by the plight of the children, formed a “Children of Sikkim Foundation.”
“The response was overwhelming, and soon we found ourselves flooded with sponsors. With the means to turn our vision to reality, we (Wellinger, the Chungyalpas and Lepcha) formed the Sikkim Human Development Foundation in 1997 to work for the poor children and the destitute of Sikkim,” Lepcha said.
Having grown from strength to strength, the SHDF has built a sprawling school complex with over 240 children who are given free education with stress on traditional and religious values, and art and culture of Sikkim. They also sponsor the education of the children in four different schools. One in Soreong, Miss Keepu’s children’s home and the other at PNG girls schools.
“Times have changed but priorities have remained the same,” Lepcha says. “We still are striving to provide safe and caring homes where children will be looked after with food clothing, medical help, tutorial assistance and be showered with love.”
