Beds at a children's home in Kolkata

The following is a report from Peter about how a visit to a children's home in Kolkata highlighted the extreme discomfort being suffered by the resident girls and staff alike due to the ongoing infestation of their wooden beds.

The bites from bed bugs and ticks were disrupting sleep with all the attendant disadvantages to both learning and teaching (as well as life in general).  Additionally, the chemicals being used in pest control were poisoning the girls, while having an ever decreasing effect on the bugs.

The arrival of metal beds with new mattresses solved all the issues at a stroke. A simple solution to a long standing problem with benefits to be enjoyed for years to come.

On my first visit to ABWU with Ken Ivatt in 2014 we met with Mita Roy, then one of the Committee members responsible for the Children’s Welfare Home. We talked for a while about the girls’ educational needs and some ideas for projects. Then as we were leaving we gave a small ad hoc donation of £50 in rupees. I’ll never forget what Mita said as she thanked us – “I know exactly what to do with this – I can have the girls’ beds fumigated!”

It turned out that for years the old wooden dormitory beds – both for the girls and the staff – had become breeding grounds for various types of bugs requiring regular disinfestation – or whenever funds became available. When we began an email correspondence, soon after that visit, to look at ABWU’s priorities for project funding, it was no surprise to see that replacing the beds was near the top of the list.

New Beds FROM INCH REPLACE THE old INFESTED ONES

“Location - Charulata Bhavan, Primary block and Manek Bhavan (D block)

“Present status - there are approx 200 wooden beds in use by the residents including staff members housed in the above three building dormitories. These are old and have been repaired many times over the years.
The deep crevices and cracks are a breeding ground for bed bugs which have now become immune to the various pest control treatments undertaken. Reliable pest control companies have recommended removal of these old beds after repeated applications have not got rid of the bugs.

Continuous spraying of toxic material is harmful for the children. Bug bites lead to rashes, allergies and skin infections which need medical treatment.

Disturbed sleep at night is also a major health concern.

Natural remedies of using neem leaves and camphor too have failed to have the desired results.

“Project Goal - To systematically replace the existing wooden beds and lockers with iron beds and iron trunks for storage. Change the old mattresses and pillows to synthetic foam and bedding material which prevents the growth of the bed bug.

“Project cost - Estimates taken from manufacturing units for the following-

3x6 bed size - Rs 5000 per pc VAT extra

Trunk for storage - Rs 800 per pc

Mattress - Rs 2000 per pc

“Time Frame- Beds have to be ordered with an advance payment and will take a total of 4-5 months for delivery of total number of beds. Mattresses and pillows and trunks will be ordered once the date of delivery of the beds is finalised.

“Project resource-We plan to appeal to our donors to sponsor any of the above items in lieu of food donations on special occasions. The initial advance for the beds will be met by the funds from the Children’s Home budget under “bedding” expenses for this financial year.

“Project Impact- Every resident in the Children’s Home dormitory including resident staff will benefit hugely from these measures taken to get rid of the bed bug menace ensuring better health.”

Eventually the project took shape – commissioning 200 painted iron frame beds each with a waterproof mattress and a metal lockable trunk for the girls’ possessions.  

The first instalment of funding – for 109 bed ‘sets’ – was sent at the end of February 2015, and the balance at the end of July 2015. By the end of the year all the beds had been replaced.

By the end of the project there were sufficient funds left over to equip the Infants’ Home with a full set of brand new metal cots. These were delivered early in 2016.