HYDERABAD: Sphoorti may be a home for the orphans and abandoned kids, but the home is at the forefront of raising funds not just for children in their home, but for government school kids too.
“We recently distributed 12,500 dictionaries. Every year, we also distribute 1,000 pairs of shoes, 1,000 sweaters and blankets,” says Founder-Trustee Srivyal Vuyyuri.
This Ohio graduate who came back to India to pursue his love for serving the society started a small home at Cheralapally with three children in July 2006. Today, the non-for-profit organisation supports 240 children in the age group of five to 20 years in their three-acre campus with a built-up area of 40,000 sq.ft home in Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad in Srivyal has a long term vision for Sphoorti and that is evident in the fact that Hyderabad’s first Miyawaki Urban Forest is in their premises. “About 1,500 plants will grow into a dense forest in two years”, he says.
They have also invested in a 24 kva solar power system and have 10 solar street lights. They also sponsor education of 60 children who are studying in intermediate and degree in residential colleges. “We also sponsor school fees of 20 children who live in the vicinity and whose parents cannot afford schooling for their children.
We make the fee payment directly to schools these children attend. We currently employ 18 people to take care of cooking, grooming and security of our premises. In addition, we support Government schools in Cherlapally (Keesara Mandal), Gowdavally and Srirangavaram (Medchal Mandal). We provide shoes, belt and tie sets, notebooks and other support to children of these schools,” he adds.
“The initial days were those of lack of resources, insecurity and instability. We had little money to fund our vision and dreams. We took solace from the fact that most organisations have a humble beginning and our case will be no different, we would get there someday. We started sending our children to an English Medium Private School in the vicinity. In 2007, we started getting support from local businessmen, employees of various companies and students.
There was a steady flow of volunteers from colleges and financial support from various corporates in Hyderabad. We started receiving support from Indian citizens from the US, the UK etc. Through this support, we are providing them nutritious food, library and computer lab and ample recreation facilities,” he recalls. Sphoorti is currently constructing hostel blocks for 200 and has been chosen as a ‘Top Rated Non-profit’ by US-based Greatnonprofits.org for 2018.