ALAPPUZHA: John Veitch was a British coir business man with a golden heart. Therefore, when he made a business trip to Alappuzha over two decades ago, he was struck by the suffering of the coir workers and the children. That was the beginning of a noble venture he started in Alappuzha for their welfare — The Hope Community Village.
John Veitch, who celebrates his 79th birthday on Sunday, has brought hope to over 100 children and their families. After his visit here in 1979, he went back to Halifax near Manchester, but was haunted by the plight of the children.
In 1994, he organised a marathon in the UK and collected about Rs 8.8 lakh - the first step to realising his dream of the Hope Community Village, which he set up on the outskirts of the town called 'Vanaswargam' in April 1994.
Now this village has brought solace to the local people also who are getting free computer classes and career advice from the organisation. Mr Veitch told DC that he had given up charge of his nine- million pound company 'JV Limited' and was fully dedicated to the affairs of Hope. Every year he visits Alappuzha to see and live with the children.
Sprawled over 2.5 acres of well-designed land with eight houses, the Hope village houses 84 kids and six caretakers. "I wanted to create a family for kids who lost parental care. I shared my desire with Jagan Philipose who was an influential coir exporter in Alappuzha at that time. Jagan (who is now no more) found this land and made it a base for the village," he said.
In 1996, Mr Veitch conducted an eight-day expedition from the Hope Village to Panaji, Goa, in a motorised bicycle imported from the UK. "By that mission, I raised Rs 4.5 lakh for building up the village," he recounted.
And later, associating his friends back home in the UK, he founded the Hope Community Village UK to organize goodwill and resources to support the programme in Kerala.
The members in the village include mothers, who offer care to the children, three maids, three counsellors, including a youth careworker, and office staffer.
A new building for retired mothers was under construction. "I enjoy my life with the support I can lend to others and showing a way to their betterment," he said.
