Jeevani Milk - Kamalapuram

  

There is a village Kamalapuram. Deep inside the forests of Kothapeta. There is a school there.

The teacher there, Dhananayaka Sir has been in touch. Requesting for his children. The gift of health. 'Jeevani Milk'. Milk and Ashwagandhadhi. "They are all very poor children Madam. All ST children. Please help."

He sent me a letter to forward to Dr. Girija. Under whose overall guidance the initiative goes on.

It's very far, and importantly there is no bus connection. But his request was so persistent and sincere that today we went. Eashwaramma, Turiya and I. In Munusamy s auto.

Down winding road and around winding hills. To this pretty village. Where in a one roomed school 50 children are taught by Dhananayaka Sir.

All poor, malnourished children. Small for for their age.

Devi. Class 5. Looks like class 2. When she presses her arm on the table or the floor, her arm bones bend. And pain. They eyes teared up when I asked her.

The Sir asked again. " Please somehow organize it. You can see their need." I could see the need. The dire need.

Government school teachers in my experience are most sensitive. They see children in need. Daily. The heart opens up.

... three weeks later ...

Eashwaramma and Dhananayaka Saar called up seperately. To share their happiness. At how much better the children were.

Sometimes when energy or inspiration runs low, there are great souls. Who guide. And restore faith and energy.

The teacher of Kamalapuram MPPS, Dhananayaka Saar. Is one such..

Through last month he had kept calling, asking for milk for his children. He said he would come and take me over. He said the children were so weak that they needed this milk and Ashwagandhadhi. He made sure Eashwaramma and I went to see the place.

Eashwaramma. One look at the children. She had decided that they needed this. And she would go any distance to reach that place and make sure they got it.

Dhananayaka Saar comes on his scooter to Eashwaramma's house in our village. From his village. He takes her to the remote school, where she goes with Ashwagandhadhi and makes sure the children are having their glass of milk properly.

Its 3 weeks since we started it in this school, as a friend started helping with money.

This falls as rain on parched soil on the malnourished bodies of the children.

And the magic of health happens.

There is no greater happiness.

Than to see children who need health and nourishment, get it.

This child, Dhananayaka Saar told me this morning, used to keep getting bleeding abscesses on her body. All over.

And with this nourishment, that has stopped. He called up to tell me that now there were just scars. In the lower picture.