Old Dhaka again

On the streets in Old Dhaka

One of the most memorable things I did while in Banga was to visit an orphanage in Old Dhaka that cares for abandoned and disabled children. I don't think I can really do the experience justice on this blog but it was pretty amazing. I went twice with mum and Lucy and both times we spent all our time in the babies' room. It was incredible. There were about 20 babies, some were disabled with club foot or blind and there was even a set of siamese twins joined at the head. Most of the babies though were just ordinary kids whose parents couldn't afford another child. It was so sad - while we were there, there were two new babies - a two day old and a 9 day old. They were so tiny and hairy. I think one of the saddest things I've ever seen was when the mum of the two-day old baby finally said goodbye to her daughter and left the orphanage. It was heartbreaking. Most of the children do get adopted out to new families though.

Another thing about the orphanage was the lack of resources they had and their totally different understandings of hygiene to us western people. Bottles would be sared between babies and as a consequence, many of them were sick with diarrhoea. One little girl even died from diarrhoea in between our visits. It was so sad. So many babies were like skinny little monkeys and they cried these little tiny raspy cries. On our second visit there was a time when both Lucy and i were holding two babies each because they were all crying so much and we didn't want to put any back in their basinets.

At the orphanage there were also lots of older kids. Some of Lucy's AYAD friends have started visiting them to do activities like singing and painting - it seems that the orphanage can't afford to have enough things for them to play with. I really fell in love with some of the babies though - a gorgeous little boy called Jerome, a one-eyed baby called Bushbo (both so happy and smiley) and a couple of the tiny little sick ones. I wanted to take them all home!

On our visits into Old Dhaka we also did some other interesting things. We visited an Armenian church and also the famous star mosque where we met whole bunch of roudy kids who wanted us to play cricket with them!

The Armenian church

A grave in the church yard

Washing hanging on a building in Old Dhaka

The Star Mosque

Some local boys who wanted us to play cricket

All the guide books say that when you look back on your trip, the place you will remember most in Dhaka is Old Dhaka and I think they are right. It was smelly and dirty and crowded and sometimes scary but it was also so full of life and excitement - it was an amazing place and looking back, I loved every minute of it!