The photo that started it all. Dick Smith snapped this picture of a homeless family living under a bridge in India and was determined to help them. Picture: Dick Smith

Travelling India by train, our friend and Aussie icon Dick Smith, had passed a homeless family living under a bridge, including a young girl wearing nothing but a pink bracelet.

He wanted my wife Jess Bray and I to head to India and achieve the seemingly-impossible: With nothing more than an iPhone photo and GPS location, our task was to find the family and do whatever we could to help them, in just three days.

Dick Smith showing Chris Bray the photos he snapped on his iPhone of the homeless family. He really wanted to see if there was any way he could help the family into some accommodation, and perhaps see if he could fund the girl’s education. Picture: Jess BraySource:Supplied

The story of our success, captured in a series of photographs, has gone viral, with tens of thousands of people sharing its Christmas spirit online.

Using the law of six-degrees of separation, we somehow managed to connect with a bank manager and a university professor in the city of Vadodara, India, who was the friend of a friend of a friend of the father of a friend of mine.

With some lucky contacts — a local bank Manager and university professor — to act as translators, we all headed down to the railway bridge to try and find the family. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

The locals didn’t speak English at all — only Hindi — but with the help of our contacts, we returned to the bridge, passed around the photo that Dick took and asked if anyone recognised anyone.

We started asking around if anyone recognised anyone in Dick’s photos. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

The group was evasive, but eventually one woman came forward claiming to be the mother. She went off and soon returned with this adorably-shy girl in tow, still wearing the same pink wristband.

We explained that our friends had passed by in a train a few weeks ago, and had taken these photographs for them, and wanted to know how they could assist the family.

Finally one woman recognised the girl with the pink bracelet and pointed to a woman she said was the girl’s mum. The mum agreed it was her daughter in the photo, and she left to find her, returning soon after with an adorably-shy girl in tow. She still had the pink bracelets on too. Her name is Divya, meaning ‘divine light’, and she’s eight years old. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

The girl’s parents had been living under the bridge for 12 years, and Divya had been born there just under the bridge without any medical assistance. As the father was away at work (as a plasterer, earning $4-6/day, not enough to afford even a slum house while also caring for three kids) we decided it was best to wait until the dad came home to discuss with the whole family to see if there was a way we could help.

The professor, Dr Chellani told them to meet us at the Bank that afternoon. We even had to pre-warn the security guard to actually let them in.

Divya’s dad seemed like a genuine, hard working man, who loves his family, and who is just struggling to get ahead. They seem like the perfect family not only in need of some assistance, but able and willing to be helped. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

We opened up a bank account for the young girl, Divya (meaning ‘divine light’), despite her mother (the guardian of the account) being completely illiterate and having no ID.

She had to ink-stamp her thumbprint on the signature line instead, which together with a passport photo was witnessed and authenticated by the bank manager Mr Rajwania.

First things first, opening a bank account. As the mother (and Divya) are illiterate, an ink-pad and fingerprint were used. They didn’t have an address or birth certificates, so it was quite the process just to get an account opened.Source:Supplied

We then deposited enough funds to cover a few months rent, after which Dick and Pip Smith will continue with regular deposits for their accommodation and the girl’s education. Dr Chellani also agreed to oversee the account to ensure the money was spent appropriately.

It was a pretty special privilege to be sitting in the bank with them being the messengers of such a generous, life-changing gift, and watch as the realisation dawned on the family that we wanted to pay their rent so they could move into decent accommodation, help their daughter get an education and help their father earn a better wage.

Next, we took the whole family shopping to buy essentials like clothes, shoes, school supplies and tools for the father to help him earn a better wage.

We took the whole family shopping to buy essentials like clothes, shoes, school supplies and tools for the father to help him earn a better wage. And Divya just had to have this beautiful dress. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

Divya will now regularly attend her local school, and the family is being assisted into decent accommodation, not far from the bridge so the girl can walk to school, and the family can remain part of their existing community and friends.

“It’s so wonderful that the girl’s family now have a chance of some definite income, and instead of having to remain under the railway bridge, to be able to get into some reasonable accommodation.” Dick Smith later wrote to me by email.

“Christmas is the time of giving and helping people …” he said, “and it’s so wonderful that we’ve been able to help this young family at Christmas time.”

Still quite shy, Divya was starting to warm to us by the time we left. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

What a wonderful Christmas story! Divya, all dressed up in her new clothes, holding up a photo of Dick and Pip Smith. Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

And here’s Chris and Jess Bray in a rickshaw speeding crazily through the traffic chaos one last time to the airport! What an amazing story to be a part of! Picture: Chris BraySource:Supplied

The full slide show of pictures can be viewed here. For updates, follow Chris Bray on Instagram

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