India, Feb. 21 -- On the slopes of the Deolo Hills in east Kalimpong, India, lies a cluster of colonial buildings built over 100 years ago. These modest yellow cottages with rust-red zinc roofs form a small compound atop an open space among lush forests. One of the buildings is a hospital, another a bakery. A distance away sits a small farm with cows, pigs, and chickens roaming freely. A single church spire sticks out visibly from the cluster of buildings and sports fields.

At first glance, the entire compound looks like a small European settlement-but, in fact, it is a boarding school, and the site of some of my fondest memories.

Spanning 500 acres, Dr Graham's Homes is a safe haven for destitute children, most of whom are orphans. Thi...