WORK is well under way on the first phase of construction of HEAL’s eco-friendly
children’s village, named ‘Paradise’, which will provide a home for 1,000 orphaned
and underprivileged children from Andhra Pradesh and other parts of India.
The village, which is located in a beautiful rural setting at Thotophalli in the
Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh, will be a safe haven where children can be
nurtured in a self-sustaining and mutually beneficial community.
Using recyclable materials and ‘green’ technologies, Paradise will be made up not
only of a school and accommodation, but a health centre, a care home for the
elderly, an institute for the blind and facilities for sports and art.
But the village is not just about bricks and mortar. Those fortunate enough to
have visited the site nestled between the stunning expanse of Lake Brahmalingam, a
haven for wildlife, and canals providing irrigation for the local farming
communities, quickly realise where Paradise found its name.
Entirely self-contained and secluded from the busy highway that connects the
village to the city of Vijayawada, the site provides a perfect setting for the
harmonious growth and development of the children who will come to call it home.
An array of sustainable techniques and systems like solar and wind power,
Hydroponic vegetables gardens and solar cooking are incorporated within the site’s
design proposals, including the recycling of waste materials to create energy.
The village will have extensive green cover and planting of fruit bearing and
shady trees has already been started, increasing the scope for self-sustainability.
During a recent visit to the site, HEAL volunteers Becky Curbishley and Charlotte
Boardman were delighted to be asked to assist with the planting operation.
Volunteers Becky and Charlotte plant coconut trees during their visit to HEAL Paradise Village
“We were among the first volunteers to visit the developing Heal Paradise site –
and what a paradise it is, a perfect location in which to expand the Heal family,”
said UK medical student Charlotte.
“We felt extremely privileged to be asked to plant some of the first trees on the
site. Of course, we will now have to return in the future to see our flourishing
coconut trees!”
HEAL will build fruit and vegetable gardens on the Paradise grounds. This produce
will be used to sustain not only the village, but any surplus can be taken to a
daily market and sold to the locals as both fair and organic.
Keen to encourage local wildlife and offer shade from the hot sun, HEAL will also
be planting hundreds of trees around the site and this gives an opportunity for
donors to come forward and help cover the cost of this operation.
Anyone wishing to donate £100 towards the cost of planting and maintaining a tree
will have a plaque with their name on it placed alongside the tree.
The vision for Paradise Village is that it will be fully self-sustaining,
embracing green technology wherever possible. Therefore, HEAL is also looking for
donors to help purchase 40 solar street lights at a cost of £350, or $600, each.
Every street light will have a plaque mounted on it thanking the donor.
If you are interested in further information, please click on the ‘Donate Online’
button at the top of the website www.healparadise.org and one of the trustees of
HEAL UK will contact you to discuss your donation to the HEAL Paradise Village.