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The Beginning
SKCV,
a non-sectarian, non-profit, registered and pure vegetarian Charitable Trust
was founded by a simple person originally from Manchester, England,
now a registered Citizen of India. Matthew Norton {now changed his name
to Sriman Manihara Norton...a name given by his Guru} had experienced, first-hand,
life on the streets when he was a young teenager in
Europe. He has since spent many years in India studying the
culture, habits and problems of the country. The projects
started with a small room in Bombay, opening another
centre in Pune later and finally shifting the entire
project and his Indian wife and family to Vijayawada at the invitation
of the then Mayor, Dr.Jandhyala Shankar.
There was no organisation in the entire coastal Andhra
Pradesh helping street children. (SKCV
Street Child Services)
N.S.Manihara has been
honoured by the people of India by conferment of the Dr.
Ambedkar Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also received
accolades from Late Rajiv Gandhi, Late Mother Theresa, Mr. John Major, Sir Nicholas Fenn, and many others. He
lives in Vijayawada with his wife, Bhakti, and their
youngest son, Anandamoya.
The Motivation
His
desire to assist Street Children began in 1979 in New
Delhi where he began his travels in India and started
meeting the children on the railway platforms.. The
founder has now become a leading figure in the field of
Street Child Rescue Programmes, both on a national and
international level. Along with his wife, he has designed
the "CHILD" System (Comprehensive Help for
India's Little Destitutes), a detailed programme for
anyone to follow who is desirous of helping such kids,
now used in over eight countries worldwide.
The
"Manual on Working with Street Children"
published by CRY (Child Relief and You), is used all over
the world. There is no other such manual available as far
as we know. Click here to see
{
The "CHILD" Manual }
The Future
As
is mentioned later, the Trust is now managed by a group
of older "children" who now have become young
men, "The SKCV Future Group - Second
Generation". These young men
have been brought up by the Trust, and have decided to
dedicate themselves to its future development and to
helping children who are in the same predicament on the
streets as they were when they came to SKCV.
Since
the SKCV work began, tremendous research has been done.
Professional social workers from other organisations
undergo training in the field. Ideas have been shared.
Numerous seminars and conferences have been held,
sponsored or organised by SKCV. The Trust has also been
successful in creating a unique and fully replicable
system of assistance for street children. (The
Future Group)
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SKCV Beginnings
