It is Ireland for India and specifically, for Andheri. Irishman Jonathan Burke is walking 545 kms, the distance between Pune and Hyderabad, to raise funds for the Bombay YMCA Boys Home, in Andheri West. The Boys Home started in 1964, currently houses 55 orphan children in the age group of 4 to 18 years. Paul George, chief executive officer and general secretary of the Bombay YMCA said, “Burke has already started his effort. It is a mix of walking at the place he stays, on the treadmill and the road. Every kilometre will not be on the road. Corporates, friends and well-wishers will donate an amount for every km walked or for the distance and, in this way, Burke hopes to raise a substantial amount for the Boys Home.”

The Home

The Boys Home comes under the YMCA umbrella, a global youth-centric organisation. Speaking about the Home in Andheri, the go-getting CEO said, “Our children are sent to good English medium schools. We have been getting good results academically. So, we have to spend a sizeable chunk on fees and tuitions for some. We started with four boys, grew to eight and now we have 55 and we have a waiting list of boys, who want to get into the institution.”