Back-to-school health checkups and school bags

Since school started on the 26th for the kids, Saturday the 24th was our back-to-school health checkups for the kids. On that day, members from SWARG also arrived to pass out school bags to all of our kids.

Dr. G (our fabulous doctor on our board in India) brought a couple of pediatricians, including Dr. Umesh, head pediatrician at JSS Medical Hospital, to see our kids for free. Here's Surya getting his weight checked, and Dr. Umesh checking Anand's throat.

Everyone got their height and weight measured, Dr. Umesh was pleasantly surprised to see that most of our kids are very healthy and well nourished.

SWARG (which in Hindi means "the heaven we desire") is a charitable organization started by young, proactive, open-minded individuals from Infosys who want to give back to their society, particularly by harnessing the minds of deprived children, identifying the children who cannot afford education, focusing on innovative methods of preventing poverty, providing health care throughout the year, prohibiting child labor. We also make sure that all the benefits directly reach these children and transparency is maintained (from the SWARG What we do statement).


From SWARG's Who we are statement: The greatest stumbling block of a human mind is to think that 'No one is there to take care of me.' If we can make these children feel that "WE" are there to take care of them, their lives would change. So WE, a continuously expanding group, have set out on a mission to change this world. And if not change it, try to change it. In a country where religion dominates every nook and cranny of life, SWARG's religion is humanity.

SWARG accomplishes their objectives by working with organizations such as Operation Shanti.

On this same Saturday, four members from SWARG passed out school bags to all of our kids.

It's safe to say that everyone had a great time on Saturday and the kids made some great new friends in the members of SWARG. Top two and last photos courtesy of SWARG.