Editor,

RE: "A sad love story from Karongi” (The New Times, September 6, 2015).

It was indeed very depressing to read in your newspaper about the sad love story. Such happenings, are unfortunately a reality today.

During one of my many visits to this beautiful land of a thousand hills, I had the great pleasure of visiting l’Espérance Children’s Village close to Lake Kivu.

A "model village” in many respects, it is where I have eaten among the sweetest of pineapples.

Not only that, it is a village where a pilot from the United States of America was going to offer his voluntary services and that truly amazed me. It was also a village which radiated much happiness to all those who lived there under the loving care of their director, Victor Monroy.

While love is blind, L’Espérance Children’s Village has provided, in the past, solutions to many a sad love story, where the innocent victims are the babies born out of wedlock.

This "orphanage” had provided much support and succor to unwed mothers and, more importantly, to the little babies born out of passionate love and unplanned pregnancies.

It was very sad, therefore, to learn that this place of solace for so many was closed down some months ago.

While love will continue to be blind, it would be a good idea if such places of refuge are maintained and we do not turn a blind eye to those in need.

Clarence Fernandes, Mumbai, India