“Why is it we do not come to see such fine presentations by the children of the govt welfare hostels with thousands of poor children being educated all at state expense”. Sri Anil Kumar Kutty, a senior IAS Officer watching young boys of Vatsalya Sindhu. Vatsalya Sindhu is an Affection home for destitute children run by Seva Bharathi at Malkajgiri (now at Moula-Ali) and the occasion the annual day celebrations of the home. The 29 children of the home were reciting shlokas from Geeta, singing melodious songs and bhajans also performed many group exercises including pyramids and jumping through fire rings. He was not the only one to have had that experience, many senior officers, persons connected with Industry and Trade, Banks and several other walks of life have expressed similar sentiments when they have seen the development in the children brought up in the Awasams run under the aegis of Seva Bharathi.

Pujya Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji was so impressed by the good standard of education, behaviors training and discipline of the tribal children of Sevabharathi Single teacher Schools brought up in interior rural schools of Adilabad Dist. The Occasion was his visit to adilabad for a yagna. He wanted to visit those tiny hamlets and spent a whole day trekking to those hamlets mingling with the Gond Villagers blessing them all for a higher welfare for their community.

These Affection homes are spread over 6 districts of A.P. Children are selected from interior villages hamlets and slums. The only criterion is needy and genuinely needy. Children below 8 years are selected, spotted from the society around by socially conscious dedicated volunteers. They include orphan, tribal, rural poor from backward groups and abandoned girls.

Vaidehi Ashram an affection home for girls in Saidabad, Hyderabad is working for the last 9 years and has over 35 girls including a polio affected girl who has now completed 10th class. The Girls from varied backgrounds live as sisters, the bonds of relation can be witnessed by even strangers visiting the place. An illustration is a two day baby left abandoned by some unfortunate mother was picked up by VAIDEHI and shes now an year old member of the Ashram. Two girls have already been married finding suitable matches. It is the desire of the managing committee of Vaidehi Ashram to make these girls self supporting and good citizens without having any rancour for their past life.

Children from all these homes come out with high marks in the 10th class. An illustration is the Praveen kumar a tribal boy of Ekalavya ashram, Mancheryal has this year scored 530 in his 10th board exams. The children are given special training in useful trades during summer vacations as a prelude to equipping themselves with capacity to pursue some useful and income generating vocations for life. The trades include driving, tailoring, cycle and motorcycle repairs, electrical, sanitary, plumbing works etc. The local committee members of these Awasams and schools keep a close eye on these children as though they are their own and guide them suitably from time to time in moulding them as well informed, useful, patriotic, socially conscious individuals who can stand on their own as they grow up. The daily routine for the children starts at 5-30 am and closes at 9-30 pm. The children are taken on annual study tours to different places of national importance.

There are 13 affection homes for 655 children like Vatsalyasindhu and Vaidehi Ashram working for the last many years. Bhakta Kannappa Gurukulam at Gokavaram in Atmakur Mandal, Kurnool Dist. (formerly at Srisailam), Ekalavya Ashramam at Manchirial and Vyasa Ashram, Asifabad are for tribal children. Gokavaram has a set up with good facilities for trades training like carpentry, masonry work etc., 4 destitute homes for orphaned children and 3 for very poor children.

Seva Bharathi also runs 4 residential schools for child labourers; a total of 330 children are given the taste of alphabets in these schools supported by the district administration DPEP, CEASE-Child Labour (Confederation of Employers Associations for Elimination of Child Labour) and the local volunteers of Seva Bharathi.

All these humanitarian activities are supported by lots of philanthropists coming forward to help social causes. No government funding is involved in these Awasams and single teacher schools and primary schools in very remote areas. Many NRI’s who have concern for the development of Bharat and its ancient culture also contribute to these causes.

Besides education attention is given to mould them as good human beings and future citizens of this country by imparting samskaras through stories, songs and inculcation of good living habits. Sports in the traditional and least expensive ways also form part of the daily activity for children. Another point of special mention is 6 boys of the Valmiki Aawasam, Jagityala, were selected for games in the State Level Athletics to represent Adilabad Dist also they have represented the district in Yoga, kabaddi at the state level. Ekalavya ashram, Manchiryal has children achieving medals in the kho-kho and essay writing too at national level won medals in the All India Competitions in Sports and Games conducted by Vidyabharathi. The Children of the Vivekananda Awasam Bhainsa have been good at Painting and drawing which have fetched special prizes in and around.