Beyond blood ties: A Gen Z-built home offering the bonds of a family

A unique home in Thenhipalam, Malappuram, serves as a family for eight children and three caregivers, who live together as one large household. The children, aged from seven to fifteen, do not share blood ties but have formed a close-knit family under the care of their "Amma," Santhakumari, and three elder sisters/caregivers, known as "chechis."

They attend school, participate in extracurricular activities, and live together, sharing the same meals and routines. The home, called Rise Up Home (RUH), was established by a group of young people from the Gen Z-led Rise Up Forum (RUF) in 2023 as a response to the need for stable living arrangements for children and the elderly.

According to A. Mammu Master, chairperson of the Malappuram Child Welfare Committee (CWC), RUH at Thenhipalam is the first group foster-care home in the state, providing children with a more family-based environment than conventional children's homes. The caregivers, who volunteer their time, help the children with education, healthcare, and nutrition, contributing to their personal growth and development.

The NGO has since expanded to open a second RUH in Kozhikode, accommodating six more children, and relies on donations to sustain its operations.