Balika Nilayam was started in Hyderabad, India, in 1958, with the primary objective of creating a home for the many destitute and orphaned girls in the area. The orphanage presently has the capacity to care for and educate approximately 100 girls.

Additionally, the home has recently begun a special program for hearing impaired children. An early intervention effort led by a multidisciplinary team comprised of an audiologist, speech therapist and educator works with children below the age of 5 years with a focus on teaching literacy in Hindi and Telugu.

Hopes are to train the hearing impaired children to have the communication skills that enable them to integrate into the mainstream at a later stage, without suffering from any sense of inadequacy due to their disability.

Sixteen children have been enrolled in these specialized pre-school classes the first year, and we hope to expand the program in the future to allow for more children and additional classrooms. We need additional funding to continue to provide a high level of specialized care.

As described in a story in "The Hindu", one goal of the orphanage is to provide the children with education and/or specialized training (tailoring, typing, or computers) for a stable future as a productive member of society.