Rising Star Outreach is temporarily running two facilities just outside of Chennai while the permanent school is completed. There are now 68 children in these two schools. These children will stay with us as we move to our new, permanent facility on a beautiful piece of land outside of Chengleput.

In October of 2006, Rising Star Outreach began construction on a permanent Childrens Campus. It will house a school for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. A series of small family homes will also be constructed on the property. Each home will each house 12 students and a house mother. Eventually, the campus will hold 720 students. 460 of these children will come from the Leprosy colonies and live on campus while the remainder will come as day students from the surrounding villages. This integration of Leprosy-affected and non-affected children in schools has proven successful as a means to combat the stigma of the disease.

The Rising Star Childrens Home Mission Statement was developed over a long process by the staff and house mothers themselves. The guardians of these children are proud of the mission they set for themselves and are each individually committed to this cause:

"On a foundation of Love and Trust, Rising Star Outreach teaches needy children to become principled, successful, responsible citizens of India. To do so, Rising Star teaches habits of cleanliness, tolerance, discipline, self-worth, and academic excellence."

Each morning, the children rise early, have a healthy breakfast and bath, spend the morning learning in small classes and the afternoons playing in centers. Sometimes , the children are taken to the local swimming pool for lessons and to the beach for playtime, along with field trips to the zoo, planetarium, and other fun places. In the evenings after dinner, they have free time, devotionals, and story time before laying down to sleep.

Wonderful volunteers constantly help ensure that the children are being properly cared for while assisting in their teaching and care. The volunteers also help the children learn English, computers, and other useful skills.

The children of Rising Star Outreach are indeed special, unique individuals who are capable of doing great things to help change the generational cycle of Leprosy in India. Those committed to the cause of Rising Star Outreach feel that the children are the life and soul of the organization, and each day we are blessed by the association of these little ones.