Gerard Vandervegt — The Rescue Charity Providing Hope & a Home for India's Street Children
Justice Matters with Tim Buxton
English - March 30, 2021 06:12 - 59 minutes - 55.2 MBNon-Profit Business justice nonprofit video podcast leaders belonging freedom compassion charity activism global Homepage Download Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Gerard Vandervegt is the founder of Good Shepherd Homes, a charity that rescues children from the streets of India and places them in a home. For 22 years, Good Shepherd Homes has provided secure and safe home environments, quality education, and career opportunities for street children. GSH not only takes children off the street, but the charity helps children to start working towards their own future.
Today, the GSH operation starts a brand new chapter with the opening of the Parandwadi Children's Village. The centre will not only provide housing and care for hundreds of children but will also function as a full-time school, vocational training, and educational hub.
I had the privilege of meeting Gerard in the early 2000s here in Australia and have since traveled and visited the work several times. Located a few hours outside of Mumbai, India, I've had the privilege of seeing firsthand the incredible impact they are having in bringing children off of the streets and literally transforming their lives.
Gerard shares some incredible stories of how it all began and the inspiring young kids that have gone on to lead remarkable lives and achieve the career of their dreams. I'm so thankful for Gerard's incredible perseverance over the years leading this work — it is certainly no easy task and as we delve in and talk about some of the real challenges in this whole area of homeless street children in places like India and around the world. I think your eyes will be opened to the inner workings of how this terrible injustice exists in our world, but you will also discover the hope and path forward bringing systemic change and hope to these children's lives.
To support this incredible work our to learn how you can get involved with Good Shepherd Homes visit their website GoodShepherdHomes.org. You can also follow them on Instagram & Facebook.
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