A Partnership Rooted in Connection

In 2016, at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in Columbus, Ohio, Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter was introduced to Barri Mukhim, who was serving as the Chair of the Annie Margaret Barr Children’s Village Management Committee at the time. Rev. Roger Bertschausen, then the Director of the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC), facilitated this introduction, marking the beginning of an official partnership between First Unitarian Church of Dallas and the Children’s Village.

Following this connection, Rev. Kanter and Gio Kanter traveled to the Children’s Village for its 10th-anniversary celebration. Since then, First Church has organized annual pilgrimages to visit our Unitarian siblings in UUNEI. During these visits, First Church members have actively served the Children’s Village community, hosting a now highly anticipated week of crafts, music, and fun for the children.

Support the Children’s Village: Donations & Sponsorships

First Unitarian Church of Dallas has partnered with the Annie Margaret Barr Children’s Village since 2018. The Children’s Village is located in the small village of Mawrsynjri inthe Khasi Hills of NE India and serves as a home for children who have lost their parents. It is a project of the Unitarian Union North East India supported by the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council USA and the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Church of UK. The Village was named after Annie Margaret Barr, a British Unitarian minister who dedicated her life to the Khasi people. 

The Children’s Village serves approximately 40 children and teenagers. Almost all of these children are currently sponsored by members of First Unitarian Church of Dallas.

The children live in separate boys’ and girls’ dormitories, each with its own kitchen, house mother, and cook. They follow a structured daily routine, beginning their mornings at 6:15 AM with prayer, followed by exercise or yoga. They walk about 10 minutes to attend the village school, where they rank among the top students in their classes of 500 children. Previously, First Unitarian contributed to a water catchment system for the school, ensuring ample drinking and sanitation water.

Beyond academics, tutors and teachers visit the Children’s Village to provide extra education and enrichment, including music and art programs. However, continued financial support is essential to maintaining and expanding these services.

Sponsoring a child costs $700 per year—less than $2.00 per day.

Additional financial needs for the Village include:

$400 for a TV screen for lessons
$1,000 for new clothes for the children
$2,000 for new computers and fixing the required camera system
$3,000 for fencing and repairing the front gate
$7,000 for solar water heaters and lights

Every gift, no matter the size, contributes to a brighter future for these children.

Join Us on a Life-Changing Pilgrimage

Each year, members of First Unitarian Church of Dallas embark on a pilgrimage to visit our Unitarian siblings in the Khasi Hills. With approximately 10,000 Unitarians in Meghalaya, primarily in the East Khasi Hills and centered in Shillong, this journey is an opportunity to witness and strengthen our global faith community firsthand.

This experience is more than just travel—it is a profound opportunity to deepen our faith, build relationships, and see the impact of our partnership up close. During the pilgrimage, participants engage with the children at the Village, share in cultural exchanges, and assist with community projects. One of the highlights of the trip is a week filled with crafts, music, and joyful activities with the children, reinforcing the bonds between our congregations.