Mother India: Life Through the Eyes of the Orphan

David Trotter and Shawn Scheinoha traveled to India hoping to learn a little about how the country’s 31 million orphans lived. They happened upon a “family” of 25 (mostly) teens living by a railway, and joined them, sleeping in the streets. It’s a heart-wrenching peek into the struggle to obtain food, and then tobacco or cheap drugs to chase away the pain. Two out of three children are physically abused in India, almost all from within their own home, and many wind up homeless because the AIDS epidemic killed their parents. Then, of course, the children succumb to AIDS as well, through passing needles and sex trafficking.

A caste system in India leaves many children “untouchable,” so there is little hope for many of these orphans. They band together and learn from each other how to beg, how to brush their teeth with fingers and brick dust, how to avoid the police.

I hesitate to rate the documentary because it’s a call for action. If you would like to get involved, you may visit Mother India at www.31million.org.