Sphoorti – A Journey Towards Making Young Lives Joyful

 What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore–

And then run?

These famous lines from the eminent poet Langston Hughes, aptly sums up the existence of underprivileged children in India. The misfortune of being born in poverty or a life ravaged by calamity, these young lives can only fantasize about achieving something in life, with no means to get started on the journey towards fulfilment. Looking around, there’s no dearth of such misery around us. Their pitiful presence as beggars, child labourers and pavement dwellers constantly remind us to be grateful for all that we have.

Providing a ray of hope in this dismal state of affairs are several NGOs who have devoted their time towards the betterment of such children. One among them is the Hyderabad-based NGO Sphoorti. True to their name, they are committed to bringing joy to the lives of those who have seen nothing but despair. Founded in 2006, the relatively young organisation has already taken rapid strides towards their motto of transforming the lives of disadvantaged children through comprehensive care.

Sphoorti started off with just three children back in August 2006. Within a span of eight years, it has grown to house 140 children in three premises (two for girls and one for boys). Additionally, the NGO has been allotted three acres of land by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to expand their facilities. Generous donors have provided the organisation with computers, water purifiers, study material, food and clothing for the children. Sphoorti also boasts of a trustee board featuring the alumni of acclaimed institutions as Swinburne Institute of Technology and University of Lucknow.

Sphoorti predominantly admits:

1) Children who have lost at least one parent

2) Children from poverty-stricken families

3) Children of physically/mentally challenged parents

4) Children of families ravaged by HIV/AIDS

5) Children of sex workers

Apart from basic necessities, to such children, they extend educational opportunities (involving scholarships for higher studies), ample scope for recreation, healthcare, career guidance, exposure to job opportunities and training in music, sport, yoga etc. In addition to regular schooling, Sphoorti provides its children with special tutoring in their premises, helping them excel in their areas of interest. As for specialized healthcare, regular camps are arranged and special diets designed for those with specific requirements. Children are encouraged to develop creative pursuits such as painting, music and dancing. Those with a penchant for any of these are put under the tutelage of experts so they can realize the potential demonstrated.

Recreational activities include regular outings, celebration of all major festivals, cultural programmes and movie screenings. Children are encouraged to make friends with others of their age overseas, enabling them to broaden their horizon of knowledge and think big.

Suffice to say that with such organisations around us, we can look forward to a lot of dreams getting a helping hand instead of being deferred and eventually left to fester. If you would like to support Sphoorti in their noble cause, reach out to them here and do your part in making a child’s life bright and colourful.

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