India is a country with a population just past 1.3 billion. It is quickly closing the population gap with its neighbor to the north, China. However, with a geographical land mass equal to 1/3 of that of the USA, India is, for the most part, densely populated. Unemployment is common, and 25% of Indians live below the poverty line. Many people are jobless and homeless. In the city of Kolkata, for example, there are 2,000,000 homeless people. However, there is economic growth in the business sector. Many Western companies are moving some of their operations to India in order to take advantage of the inexpensive labor. Due part to the tropical climate in much of India, diseases such as bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis have taken their toll on the population. India is a tribal country and over 1,600 languages are spoken within its borders. The national languages are Hindi and English.
This nation is rich in culture and diversity. A major area of industry is farming. The country is full of plantations and farms that serve the locals, as well as the foreign market. Other areas of growth and development are seen in computer science and Bollywood. India is also full of a variety of architecture, and every village has unique structures. But for all its beauty and individuality, India struggles with giving essential care to the vast amount of people that fill the country.
There are nearly 26 million orphans in India. The chief causes for child abandonment are poverty and disease. This affords a great opportunity for Christians, and those who desire to serve the lost to start orphanages in which they can provide a safe place of refuge for disadvantaged children and to care for their physical needs, as well as developing their emotional and spiritual health. Due to the caste system commonly used in India, children without parents are deemed to have little to no value. According to certain beliefs, the situation of someone’s life is directly connected to their previous life. Kidstown is passionate about reaching out to these orphans who are rejected and instilling the value back into their life.