History

DKSHA’s founder, Isaac Arulappan, is a proud native of the village of Manapparai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. By the age of 10, Isaac was orphaned and was placed in the care of St. John’s Boys’ Town Orphanage, Tiruchirappalli. Despite suffering bullying and abuse at the orphanage, Isaac focused on his studies and eventually achieved a degree in physics from St Joseph’s College in Tiruchirapalli and a degree in Community Development from the Coady International Institute in Nova Scotia.

Inspired by his own upbringing and having worked in the orphanage for six years after completing his higher education, Isaac resolved that he would make things better for children like him and so in 1993, the Deva Kirubai Social Help Association (DKSHA) was officially founded. He used a generous donation to purchase a plot of land on which he would one day build classrooms, dormitories and staff quarters.

Initially, DKSHA consisted of one building and worked only to complete service projects in the surrounding areas of Manapparai. During this time, DKSHA had not yet begun to admit children under their care. In 2004, DKSHA admitted four children into the orphanage. By 2020, DKSHA had expanded to the size of a small campus with 83 orphaned, semi-orphaned, economically orphaned, child labourers and school drop-outs.

Following financial difficulties, DKSHA partnered with Miracle Foundation, who provided the means necessary not only to support the children but also to help facilitate rehoming them back into family settings, as per the Family-Based Alternative Care (F-BAC) model. Here we can tell people what used to happen at the home and how the children were all rehomed with families).

By 2023, DKSHA had facilitated the transition of the resident children (plus a further 83 children from another nearby orphanage that closed down) into a family setting. All 166 children are now living with either birth families or are in kinship care.

It was such a success that Miracle Foundation designated DKSHA as a “Care Collecting Centre for Excellence dedicated to Family Strengthening and Family-Based Alternative Care” and Isaac and his staff team regularly provide training to colleagues all over India, so they can also incorporate F-BAC into their care models.

Although the children are all with families now, DKSHA still plays a vital part in their upbringing, by providing ongoing support to parents and relatives in the form of education, financial aid, health provision and mental health support.

DKSHA also plays an important role in supporting local communities with essential resources and sustainable opportunities through the provision of health advice, community development, and water and sanitation.

DKSHA is now a Registered Society consisting of 7 Board Members and Isaac and his family still live in their home in the grounds of the former children’s home.

Meet Isaac, The Man Who Reunited 166 Children – Miracle Foundation