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Rajyalakshmi and SMD Khasim from Andhra Pradesh run an NGO called Manalu Manam for underprivileged children, abandoned elderly and interfaith couples, after boycotting them for non-religious marriages.
About 40 years ago, P Rajyalakshmi of Ongole origin and Yerragondapalem resident SMD Khasim met for the first time in their college while graduating. They were classmates at CSR Sarma College, Andhra Pradesh, and by the end of the three-year course, they had fallen in love and decided to spend the rest of their lives together.
After another two years they chose to get married. However, their families opposed this union, citing religious differences. However, the duo was not ready to give up.
“We never cared about our religion when we fell in love but we knew there would be problems between families. However, since we had jobs, we were able to start a new life,” recalls Rajyalashmi, a retired civil servant. “It’s hard to get over losing a family all of a sudden,” she adds.
Moreover, they found it difficult to find a place to stay because some people disenfranchised the Muslim population.
“In the following years, our only son grew up without ever meeting his grandparents. All this time, we were thinking about children who are in similar situations and how everyone should be loved unconditionally by their family,” she says.
Years passed and soon the duo was just 10 years away from retirement. That’s when Rajyalakshmi felt she couldn’t handle the ‘retired and lonely life’ and thought of ways to get involved. She also wanted to contribute to society and decided to use her savings to educate the children.
Without a second thought, she came up with the idea of creating an organization for abandoned children from poor families. “I wanted to provide a home-like atmosphere and arrange quality education as well as healthcare for the children,” says Rajyalakshmi.
In 2014, she launched win anywayAn NGO with three houses. Pomarillo for boys, Jabili for girls and Podarella for the elderly. The duo used all their savings plus Rajyalakshmi’s monthly annuity to set up the homes.
“We used our five acres of land to build these shelters,” she says.
“We were hoping to create our joint family. Fortunately, it worked out well,” says Qasim, who retired as a civil servant in 2021.
He adds, “We started saving a five-year-old in 2014. Today, we have 80 children within the age groups 8-19. There are 53 girls and 28 boys in the house. We also have five seniors living in the nursing home, which started last year.”
Launch of “Munim’s Dream”
At first, the couple called the Department of Women and Child Development and Child Helpline numbers to spread the word about their organization and the adoption of children rescued from the streets. Slowly, well-wishers and friends called them whenever they spotted a disadvantaged/uneducated child from marginalized groups.
Almost 90 per cent of the children in the home are from scheduled castes/tribal communities. All of them are orphans, children of their parents or children of people with HIV (AIDS).
What the couple did for these children is nothing short of exemplary.
While 30 children are pursuing secondary/secondary education from Kendriya Vidyalayas, one of the boys is going to law school and another is about to complete his BTech studies. There is also a state chrome champion within the group.
Anand, a 13-year-old resident of the house says, “I am a student of Kendriya Vidyala in class 8. I lost my parents at an age I can’t even remember. I was staying with some neighbors in the village. In 2018, a team of Pomarillo The house came to our place for a free medical camp. Rajyalakshmi ma She knew about me and brought me here. Now I have many brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents too.”
There are three different campuses for girls, boys and seniors but they have regular gatherings in the common area.
Rajyalakshmi shares, “My salary and pension is used to run the houses. We also receive help in the form of food grains from like-minded people and sponsors too.” “An average of 2.5 thousand rupees is spent per month on residents,” she adds.
Krishna Priya, the house sitter and caregiver says, “My husband and I are from Kurnool and happened to come to Ongole on relocation in 1998. We knew Rajyalakshmi and Khasim Bhai since then. Our marriage is also an interfaith marriage and we believe in humanity. When they mentioned a children’s home, we were very happy and wanted to provide all possible assistance.
Krishna is a former Lecturer in the Andhra Pradesh Department of Technical Education and has voluntarily retired to focus on social service. She adds, “I am a teacher by profession. My husband passed away six years ago, and that’s when I got involved Pomarillo. I usually guide and advise children and look after three girls for their accommodation as well as education. I visit the place regularly and couldn’t be more satisfied with the couple’s work. Spending time with the kids also makes me happy. For me, they are family.”
For the children, Rajyalakshmi and Khasim are nothing short of parental figures. The older children take care of the younger ones as in a family, and the elders are also asked to give them advice on raising children. “It gives us great joy to be such a big family of 88 now,” says Rajyalakshmi proudly.
As our discussions come to an end, the couple share that they are now agnostic. Religion is only dividing people. By providing education to children, we hope that they will become the torchbearers of change,” says Rajalakshmi.
She also adds that it is her desire to uplift the communities of untouchable castes and tribes in any way possible. “They are being abused and abandoned in so many places, and this has to end,” she says, adding, “Most of the kids were 5 or 6 when they first came here. I’m sure every single one of them will reach great heights.” High in the future and giving back to the community.”
Edited by Yoshita Rao
Image source: P Rajyalakshmi
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