SITE VISIT REPORT – SANKURATHRI FOUNDATION

KAKINADA, AP INDIA - Dec 2003

This is a site visit report for Sankurathri Foundation (Kakinada, AP INDIA) being run by Dr. Chandrasekhar and his sister. Sankurathri Foundation being in the nearest town (Kakinada) to my native place and after having heard a lot about the great social service done by this organization, I couldn’t wait to visit this place and meet Dr. Chandrasekhar, who is striving very hard to continue and improve the services the organization has been providing for last several years.

The day I visited Sankurathri Foundation was 22^nd Dec 2003. I was very well received by Dr. Chandrasekhar. He first took me to the eye clinic (Sri Kiran Institute of Ophthalmology) and he introduced me to the staff. We walked through all the patient exam rooms, testing labs and also some vision testing instruments with state of the art technology.

Here is a recap of what I have learnt:

Sri Kiran Institute of Ophthalmology:

1.      Half a Million Patients have been examined so far

2.      82,000+ surgeries have been performed successfully

3.      Same qualitative treatment for the paid and non-paid out patients

4.      State of the Art equipment

5.      Well trained and committed technicians and other staff

6.      Absolutely no tipping to any one in the campus

7.      New building is being constructed for better and faster service to the patients. It is almost ready for occupation.

8.      Twice a week free eye camps to the nearby villages – screen them, bring the needy people to the hospital, treat them, supply the necessary glasses, medicines and then take them back to their homes. I feel this part of the service by the organization is very commendable since they themselves reach the people in the villages and add light into their lives.

9.      All packages (paid and non-paid) include meals supply by the hospital mess itself.

Sarada Vidyalayam

Dr. Chandrasekhar also took me to SARADA VIDYALAYAM, a place where I saw the children from poor families of nearby villages coming together learning a great education (Std I to VII) with added moral values (which is very very important and very missing in the regular govt schools).

The institute provides free education, free books, free lunch, free transportation and free uniform. The children are being trained in such a way that they collect the old uniform each year and donate themselves to the other poor people. This way, they learn and practice how to help the other needy people in the society with whatever you got. I am sure the kids with such a good moral training will become great citizens of future INDIA.

I have interacted with the students for 20 mins at their lunch break and it was really a pleasure talking to them and responding to their innocent yet creative questions. The standards of education and the results are extraordinary (100% pass, min 75% and max 96.5%).  All students after 7^th Std, are encouraged to appear for the entrance exam for further education in AP residential school, Bhupathipalem. Each year, 90% of the students who appear for this entrance exam succeed and get admitted.

Also, the children are encouraged by the staff at the creative artwork using the wasted material like matchsticks, various seeds, matchboxes etc.

I sincerely congratulate the ASHA (www.ashanet.org) people who have been supporting this organization for last couple of years. The support is very well deserved and each penny that goes here reaches the right people for right services.

Suryaprasad Padala

Founder & Chairman

PADALA CHARITABLE TRUST

http://www.padalacharitabletrust.org

About PADALA CHARITABLE TRUST

This is a non-profit organization established in 2002 to:

1.      Sponsor poorest of the poor by offering educational scholarships each year.

2.      Plan and execute the village development activities like free medical camps, help the schools have better buildings and infrastructure etc.