Andhra youngsters give back to orphanage

Raised by Satya Sai Bhajana Mandali, 23 youths help the trust as token of gratitude
Chirala Satya Sai Bhajana Mandali provides evening snacks to students of KGM Girls High School and  Govt ZP High School at Kothapeta in Chirala | Express
Chirala Satya Sai Bhajana Mandali provides evening snacks to students of KGM Girls High School and Govt ZP High School at Kothapeta in Chirala | Express

ONGOLE: With the motto ‘service to mankind is service to god’, 23 youngsters who grew up in a home in Prakasam’s Chirala and are now well-settled, are giving back to the place that helped them do well in their lives. They were either orphans or had parents and relatives who were too poor to raise them.

Satya Sai Bhajana Mandali at Kotla Bazar of Chirala, a part of the Satya Sai Service Trust, took the now young men and women under its care. Religion, caste and creed were no barrier for the trust when it came to helping the people in need. The spiritual organisation started working towards the well-being of orphan kids, poor students and destitute in 2004. Under the banner of Deena Janodharana, the Chirala branch of the Bhajana Mandali looked after 23 orphan students for years until they completed their higher studies.

“Now employed, some are even working abroad. They, however, did not forget their roots. They help us financially and in other aspects as well,’’ the mandali organisers said. Vatti Srinivas, a Hyderabad-based software employee and one of the 23 persons, “I am very fortunate to have lived at the children’s home, where not just education but also values are imparted. This made me a disciplined person and now I am a respectable employee. I am very happy to serve the organisation in all aspects as I think it is my duty.”

Similarly, Mani Kumar, also an IT employee, is now settled in Germany, Venkateswalu in Dubai while the others work in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. At present, the home has 20 kids and the organisation takes care of them in every aspect, from providing good food to education. Also, the organisation provides food, water and clothes to homeless senior citizens. Under the banner of ‘Amrita Kalasaalu’, it distributes essentials to the poor families on a monthly basis.

“We also offer career counselling to students, and organise monthly medical and blood donation camps, among other things,” M Rambabu, convener of the mandali, told TNIE. The organisation is pooling donations from its members and other donors, Rambabu added.

“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, we provided evening snacks (Svalpaahaara Seva) to Class 10 students of government schools. Recently, we restarted it and now serve food to an average 150 students every day. We follow a menu on all seven days and distribute vegetable biryani, tomato rice, coconut rice, lemon rice and upma to the students so that they can concentrate better on their studies and fare well,” Surendra Chunduri, State coordinator of Sri Satya Sai Seva Samithi, said.

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