A visit to a village of KIDS

Waiting for Lokesh outside the university gate, I was thinking about how children could get love from a person who is not actually their mother? As I heard that SOS Childrens’ Village has ten children in a group with its caretaker called ‘mother’. As I was lost in thought, he arrived and I waved at him. We both started to SOS situated at 16 KMs from GITAM University where we are pursuing our B.Tech education. On the way I took my cam outside my bag carefully holding the tag and started to take photographs. We didn’t talk much about anything except how beautiful the route and its surroundings were. I asked about Ronak who met with an accident and Lokesh was narrating the incident and accident. Meanwhile, I saw us crossing the board on our right side pointing to a muddy road to left for SOS. I told him immediately as we just passed it when Lokesh took a turn and went in that direction.

SOS House

                       SOS faces east and has a big gate. As we were nearing it, a watchman saw us and opened the gate. We parked the bike. This place looked like a gurukul, an Indian school which is residential and shishyas (students) gain knowledge under guru. This place looked like a residential community. As we entered the SOS, to the right were staff rooms and office rooms. And to the left side were the houses where children reside with their mother. As we still move further passing all the 14 houses we were in a ground with a basketball court and swings across. Children were playing in the ground. At some places there were benches to sit. I saw two women, probably mothers, sitting and discussing something to the left of the ground. We were talking about SOS when Lokesh got a call from the director to meet Mr.Murthy and that he’ll assist us in distributing sweets and chocolates. I saw a kid gardening and a woman was helping him. I thought the kid was learning gardening and I don’t even know how to plant a tree. We were told to wait in the office, and I was taking pictures while he was waiting. A woman was approaching him. She looked slim and probably in her late 20s. We went to office. She introduced herself as Padmini. She was asking our whereabouts. I, hating the silence between us, started the conversation by asking if all the children went to same school. She nodded no. I wanted to ask the reason but the situation changed when Lokesh told that it was a beautiful environment, to which I agreed. She was telling how a newly born baby was found in an auto. She asked us to go to each house and distribute sweet box and chocolates. The watchman brought the packets from the office room where we left them the day before.

You all Must study well.

Happy With Your Visit

Thank You all of You

                   We went to the first house, Lokesh was removing his sandals and I thought, ‘oh no! I’ve to remove my shoes everywhere 14 times?’ Then I decide to have them on. As we went into house we saw children watching a movie on television. Each house had a refrigerator, television and minimum furniture. Miss Padmini was telling all the children and to mother in each house about Lokesh and me. All the children were wishing Happy Birthday to him and saying hi - byes to both of us calling Lokesh annaya and Shyam annaya (that’s my name). Annaya means elder brother. Lokesh was saying, “Thank youuuuu !!!”. I guess you got the expression he gave the kids. In the other house all the kids were sitting on floor and mother was serving them milk. Meanwhile a watchman Rama swami joined us holding a packet. In another house all kids gathered outside in a corridor and started singing birthday song. In some other houses children were sitting in the corridor and studying as it was already time for study. When coming back through the house where we already had been to, kids were shouting, “Lokesh annaya, Shyam annaya BYEEE!!!” We shouted them back, “BYEEE !!!”. I took some photographs of kids. I talked to some kids. In the eleventh house, Miss Padmini asked the mother to get us some water meanwhile we took some photographs with children. As we sat down to drink she also served us some sweets. Miss Padmini said she is the best mother awardee. She was saying about her that she is the mother of 20 children. Among them, ten are grown up and are pursuing higher education in residential institute outside of SOS. Remaining kids are studying here. She showed us the house. All the houses are in the same format. Later she said that she saw us passing the house that evening but thought that we’re some visitors. Then I realized the exact position of house because it was already dark and I couldn’t figure out how Miss Padmini was taking us to each house. we passed by the house as we entered that evening to check out the village to left most. Then going back to office we gave the sweets to watchman and staff.

Happy Birthday BRO

This is for you !!!

Lokesh with Children

Me with Kids

Birthday Greetings

what's your name???

Thank you!!!

                     Seeing the children over there, I did not feel that they were unhappy. They looked cheerful. They looked satisfied and content. I saw a board with a quote “Bringing up children is an art which doesn’t come with mere learning but by experience”. Maybe those ‘mother’s are doing well in their job. Whatever it is, the cheerful wishing of children made us feel happy. Coming back to my question about how someone could take care of children as their own, I still have no answer. But the happy faces on the children told me that they sure did a good job. I was happy that our trip added a little smile on their faces. Who in the world would not like new friends? I am sure that I cannot give them all the happiness in the world, but was contended with the smile I could put on then at least that evening. I felt satisfied by just looking at them. I couldn’t figure out what type of satisfaction I got, but somewhere deep in my heart I felt satisfied in ways that I cannot express


Later :)