Mumbai girl credits orphanage for journey that ended in Poland

Bhavana Jais, 28, got engaged to her Swiss fiance in Dombivli on Thursday, with sisters from Ma Niketan blessing the couple

Life-changing! That's how Bhavana Jais's describes her time at Thane's Ma Niketan orphanage. Admitted there by her mother at the age of seven post her father's death, Jais went on to pursue an MBA, join a multi-national company, travel to Poland for work, and find the love of her life there. All this, thanks to the care and education she received at Ma Niketan, the 28-year-old says.

"My sisters at Ma Niketan are the most important people in my life. They are the ones who never gave up on me and so many other girls. I owe my existence to them. It is because of Sister Kishori's upbringing that I am the person you see today. To my heritage, my world, and Sister Kishori, my words might fall short in expressing gratitude," said Jais.

From Thane to Europe
After her schooling at St John's, a confident Jais went to her mother's house as an 18-year-old. She then pursued her graduation in commerce from Mumbai University while working as a receptionist in a company. She saved all that money and completed her MBA in Finance at the Symbiosis Institute. She later pursued a course in Finance Reporting and got an opportunity to join Clariant in Poland.

Jais met her fiance in Poland where she was working with an MNC

"Throughout my journey, my sister was always strong support for me. I was a very weak child but Ma Niketan's sisters always took care of my visits to the doctor, the medicines, and my studies. They were right beside me all the time. I still share all my worries and glories with them. They are my parents whom I owe all my success to," she said.

Love in Poland
While on a business trip, Jais met chef Andreas Schaufelberger, a Swiss national, a few years ago, and the two got engaged in a small ceremony in Dombivli on Thursday.
Despite moving to a new country, the bride-to-be regularly visits children at Ma Niketan and helps them in every possible way, also inspiring them to live, learn, and love.

'Jais among lucky ones'
Jais, however, is among the very few lucky ones, believes Dr Aman Borkar, a TISS professor studying the issues faced by orphans. "Most orphans do not have an identity. Beginning with the 'religion' column in our government forms, these children face many issues. Providing documents and securing jobs also becomes difficult for them. Also, most orphan homes are in a bad condition, while the number of orphans is going up steadily. There are very poor facilities for these children in most places. The support that Jais got is often not available for such children. If women who understand this can come and spend some time with them, it can give them a sense of belongingness. We must all think about this."

7
The age at which Jais was admitted into the orphanage

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