Welcome!

Welcome to Bhola's Children!

Ali, staff and children on first anniversary of the registration of the charity Bhola's Children, March 2008

We have decided to keep our friends and supporters regularly updated with news from Bhola Island, where Bhola's Children supports a home and a school for orphaned and disabled children.

Life at Bhola Garden is very full and packed with events, including Independence Day parades, outings and picnics, construction of new buildings.....there is always news to tell.

Howlader M A Ali runs Bhola Garden, and has spent his life working with disabled children. He had a dream of a home and a school where all the different disabilities live and work together. That dream has now been realised at Bhola Garden.

Due to genetics and bad diet, there are many disabled children born on Bhola Island, including children born with cleft lips and palates. As soon as a baby is born with this disability, the parents contact Ali who in due course arranges for the necessary operations in Dhaka. We have recently funded operations for 10 children with cleft lips.

Before (above) and after (below) the cleft lip operations, July 2008

Other recent achievements include a new glass eye for Surma, who had acid thrown into her face when she was ten years old, and refused the advances of a boy. Surma is now married to Bachu, has a son called Babu (see photographs below); they have bought their own piece of land on which they will be building a house.

Surma, Bachu and Babu with Ali (above) and Babu (below)

We are also currently fundraising for the construction of a new building, which will provide accommodation for 50 children instead of the present dozen who live at Bhola Garden.

First floor construction (above) and the second floor goes up (below), August 2008

We look forward to Ali's monthly updates, and hope you enjoy reading about our progress and achievements.