| udayan- Dominique Lapierre |
Before
writing The City of Joy, Dominique Lapierre spent a
lot of time in Calcutta doing research. In 1982, when
Udayan was going through a potentially fatal financial
crisis, Dominique Lapierre met James Stevens, the founder
of Udayan
After visiting the establishment and seeing first-hand
the miracles that James was working, Lapierre and his
wife promptly offered the financial assistance necessary
for Udayan's immediate survival. They then returned
to France and set up a fund called the Dominique Lapierre
Foundation - Action pour les enfants des lepreux de
Calcutta / Action Aid for the Children of Lepers in
Calcutta.
After the publication of the immensely successful The
City of Joy, donations poured in from all over Europe
and the United States. Dominique himself donated half
of all royalties received on the book to this fund.
To read more about Udayan and the other fortunate beneficiaries
of Dominique Lapierre's generosity, visit his website
at www.cityofjoyaid.org.
Many years have passed since the Lapierres first became
involved with Udayan and their constant support is what
keeps Udayan functioning today. In A Thousand Suns,
published in 1999, Dominique dedicates an entire chapter
to Udayan and its founder, James Stevens. The Lapierres
visit Udayan at least once every year and it is a day
that is eagerly anticipated by all the children. The
Lapierres are a part of our Udayan family and we are
extremely grateful for their continuing support. They
bring much more than just financial assistance to Udayan,
they bring the priceless gifts of genuine caring and
love. |
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