India - Krushi Orphanage

I wish I had photos of the orphanage in Hyderabad called Krushi.  This home was started by the Alumni of Professore Rao's high school, known as Sainik School, Korukonda, Andhra Pradesh, after having some measure of success in their own lives.  I had many challenges with my camera and the requirement for batteries during my two weeks in India.  I am fortunate to say that I came home with over 350 photos, but sadly none of this day.  As our livery entered the compound, a swarm of SpongeBob Squarepants shirt wearing little boys met us with wide smiles.  When asked if they knew the character on their shirts, all smiled and responded negatively.   No Nickelodeon?  A smile from me (really a yellow sponge living in a pineapple under the sea?).    Seems the shirts were a donation to the school.  On this particular day roll call included 92 boys ranging in age from 5 up.  The newest boy had walked across the state and then was picked up at a local train station.  At lunch time, he could not get enough of the yellow rice and vegetables on his plate.  This boy did not speak the language of the others (or us, English).   The children enjoyed the members of our group that ran the soccer ball around the field with them.  A tour showed us how the facilities were self-sustaining with a reverse osmosis treatment facility.  We saw the bunk beds set in a military fashion inside of large rooms by age and met the residential help.  The home had hoped to expand and was in need of additional funds.  In a jaw dropping moment, Professor Rao pledged to assist with this goal and also provided the lunch meal that day.  The one thing that truly struck me was the little library of less than three shelves of books for the children to read at their leisure.  I have always been an advocate of reading with my own children, nieces and nephews and I live in the town having the first public library (benefactor Benjamin Franklin).  It is my future goal to assemble additional reading materials and send it to Krushi for these wide-eyed children that will hopefully have a brighter future thanks to Dr. Rao and his classmates.