Heidi was born into a very poor “untouchable” family. When she was very young, both her mother and father contracted AIDS and were consequently cast out of their community. Without the ability to afford care, Heidi’s mother soon died of complications relating to her illness, and her father was no longer able to care for Heidi. Heidi was abandoned by her father and has been part of Sanctuary Home for the past 9 years. 

Heidi excelled in school and is also an exceptional dancer. She is now attending medical college and dreams of one day caring for the poor who are unable to afford medical care, like her parents.

Arun’s mother was a child bride whose husband died when she was still young. After remarrying and giving birth to Arun, Arun’s father abandoned the family. In grief, his mother committed suicide. Arun was taken by a relative, driven out of town, and abandoned on the street too far to find his way home. Arun was then forced to steal or beg for food, until eventually being picked up by the police who brought him to Sanctuary Home.

Arun has now been a part of Sanctuary Home for 6 years and dreams of being a police officer one day, like the man who found him on the street who brought him to Sanctuary. 

Priya, originally from Sri Lanka, witnessed the horror of her father being burned to death in an ethnic cleansing campaign. She and her sisters and mother fled Sri Lanka to India, surviving the harrowing journey across the Bay of Bengal by raft. After being taken into a refugee camp, her mother became critically ill and Priya was badly mistreated. Priya would have become permanent property of the refugee camp where her future would have been extremely uncertain except that she was taken into Sanctuary Home. 

Priya has been part of Sanctuary Home for 9 years. Her two sisters have already graduated high school, and now Priya has also completed her high school education and is attending university. 

Scott was born as the son of quarry slaves, himself also the property of the quarry, and destined to become a slave as soon as he was old enough to work. Ten years ago, Scott and his brothers were secretly delivered by his parents from the quarry to Sanctuary Home. Since he arrived at Sanctuary Home, his mother has died by electrocution, and his father is now bedridden due to hard labor.  

Today, Scott is a high school graduate operating his own business in partnership with his younger brother, who also grew and completed his education at Sanctuary Home. He cares for his other two brothers and his sister, who are all safe and in school. He dreams of one day traveling the world and seeing his brothers and sister succeed in life as well. 

Stacy was born into a very poor family. At a young age, her father died in a tragic accident. Now widowed and with no one to turn to for help, Stacy’s mother became a prostitute in a bid to survive. Stacy and her sister, still small children, would have also been forced into prostitution had they not had a refuge to go to.  

This year, Stacy graduated college with a degree in engineering after living 14 years at Sanctuary Home. She dreams of being a business owner like her sister who grew up with her at Sanctuary Home. 

Devi was born into an untouchable caste. When Devi was only an infant, her father contracted leprosy. Because of her father’s disgnosis, Devi’s family was outcast from their community and ended up homeless. Due to desperate poverty, Devi’s mother abandoned her family and the children ended up helpless. Now homeless and separated from her family, Devi would likely have been trafficked or starved to death had she not found refuge.  

Now Devi has been a part of Sanctuary Home for 8 years and is doing well in school. She is lively and confident and dreams of one day being a doctor.