Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

Ms. Virpi Salovaara, who has been organizing visits of Spanish Tourists to India has been a Deepalaya sponsor parent for the past 12 years. Every year she includes Deepalaya in the tour itinerary and mobilizes sponsorships and donations for Deepalaya as well. She has been instrumental in bringing in 140 sponsors to Deepalaya..

On February 12, 2007 Virpi and her team of 5 members visited Deepalaya School, Sanjay Colony to interact with the children. In spite of the rainy weather and having lost their luggage in transit, the visitors displayed much warmth and spontaneity in their interaction with school children. They visited many classes, showed interest in the children’s activities, photographed them, showed the children the same and showered praises on them, much to the delight of our students.

It was the sincere smile and joy on their faces that Deepalaya’s children and staff cherished during their interactions. The visitors spontaneously reached out and mingled with the children and staff without any inhibitions and their ebullient behaviour is still lingering in our memory. They did not speak much; their actions spoke volumes. When the children performed dance numbers they were happy clicking away and also joined in the dance. At the end of it, it is neither money or fame or status that mattered. Only love did.