The Philanthropic Society of the Orthodox Church In Kolkata

The summer before I moved to India, I bumped into Mrs. Kasamias at church in Ohio. She was very excited for my move and encouraged me to visit Calcutta and meet her friend, Nectaria, who ran a children's orphanage. They had been classmates in school in Greece, and Mrs. Kasamias couldn't say enough good things about her friend.  In adjusting to my new life and job in Mumbai, traveling to Calcutta to meet a friend of a friend gradually fell down on my list of things to do…but it was always there, in the back of my mind, the willingness to bring greetings from one friend to another.  This year I finally made it to Calcutta..and what a lovely city it is. (see previous post) Although no one at the fancy hotel where I stayed knew of the Greek Orthodox Church in their city, the taxi drivers did, and were able to help me find it. They were only open for vespers when I arrived, but aside from having the doors open, nothing much was happening.  I decided to come back the next day for liturgy assuming my chances of meeting Nectaria would be better.  

Signage is prominent and accurate throughout Kolkata.

There were only a handful of people in attendance on Sunday, even though I arrived late, but there were three young ladies singing the familiar hymns of the cantor - in Greek, English, and Bengali. I spoke with them afterwards and they unfortunately informed me that Sister Nectaria was back in Greece for the summer. (just my luck!) They invited me to tea, though, to meet the priest, Father Raphael, who was quite affable, spoke highly of Sister Nectaria, and coincidentally had also baptized the Indian husband of a Greek friend of mine. The girls who had sung in church were all from the orphanage, so the priest invited me to come visit and meet the other children. As I had no real plans that afternoon, I agreed. 

The quality of charities and NGO's in India varies greatly. Even those with the best of intentions, the best funding, and the highest qualified personnel, can often seem dismal by international standards, so as we drove out of the city and into the countryside, my expectations were not very high. But as we turned a corner and crossed through a field, the orphanage came into site and I was truly amazed. Officially called The Philanthropic Society of the Orthodox Church, they not only have the church in Calcutta, but a boys and girls orphanage outside the city, as well as offering medical services, feeding programs, and development projects. 

The 'orphanage' they spoke of is actually so much more. On a large, lush green compound, with at least 10 clean and modern buildings, sits not only housing for the 97 girls who live there, but also a co-ed K-12 school, a church, cafeteria, administrative offices, guest houses for visitors, a playground, and a garden. At least, that's all I saw from my young tour guides and it was beautiful. Not just beautiful for India, but truly, beautifully laid out and cared for. It reminded me very much of Camp Nazareth. 

Most of their funding has traditionally come from Greece, but since the economic crisis their funding has also diminished. A few years ago a group from the U.S. made a promotional video about the orphanage called, The Lucky Girls, to raise awareness and support. You can see their Facebook page here and a promo video below.

Father Raphael shared with me the different expenses the society faces and the strategies they're using to make ends meet. With the economic situation in Greece still struggling  they have started to reach out to the diaspora Greek communicates in the U.S., Australia, and the UK, with some favorable responses. He requested that I also share their story and encourage others who have the means to help support them and the work they do. 

The girls were thrilled to have a visitor and very proud of their school and home. They gave me the grand tour all over again, pointing out every building, every fruit tree, and every little area with meaning. They had varying levels of English, but could happily belt out a tune in English or Greek. They were eager for me to sing them a song, or tell them a story, or teach them a new game.  Father Raphael has bills to pay in order to fed, clothe, and educate the girls…but like all children, they also simply want someone's undivided attention, and I was happy to share mine while I could.

Every a person of my word, I encourage you make a donation, if you can, and to share their story in the hopes that others may do the same.