Community Corner

Teen Launches Global Initiative in Memory of Caregiver

Inspired by family, scholarship fund created to honor Lake Parsippany woman. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts

About this sponsorship: In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Mount Everest, Patch and Grape-Nuts are teaming up to highlight those who inspire people around them to climb their own mountains.

Although Matt Thekkethala may not be old enough to vote, he has already made an impact on the community — the global community. 

Thekkethala established the Learn For Life Foundation to help educate less fortunate children in under-developed regions around the world. In memory of Katelyn “Katie” Ackerman of Lake Parsippany, a beloved caregiver who tragically died in an automobile accident last year, Thekkethala created a scholarship fund to honor her love for children and education.

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Patch recently contacted Thekkethala to discuss plans to augment scholarship funds. 

1. PATCH: Your organization has named the first recipient of the Katie Ackerman scholarship. What goal you are trying to achieve right now?

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Right now, the goal that I am trying to achieve in 2013 is to sponsor 100 students at the Sneha Care Home for HIV-positive children, most of whom are orphans aged 4- 14 in Bangalore, India. The sponsorship program includes lodging, nutrition and education for each child. I am aiming to raise money and build a network of 100 American families willing to sponsor these children yearly, bond with them, and advise and mentor them via email and the phone to help them achieve their potential. I have obtained full sponsorship for five children to date and expect to reach my goal of 100 in 2013.

2. PATCH: What inspired you to take on this challenge?

My grandparents are of Indian origin. On a trip to India during my freshmen year in high school, my aunt invited me to visit the Sneha Care Home in the outskirts of Bangalore. I was inspired by the children’s confidence, despite their circumstances, and sense of community created by the staff there. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of these children who were prenatally infected by HIV.

I returned that summer to volunteer and teach while living on campus and eating all my meals with the children. This was an incredibly fulfilling and transformative experience. In order to achieve my goal, I started the Learn for Life Foundation as a New Jersey nonprofit organization. I then asked family and friends to volunteer and help the organization obtain legal status, initiate various small fund raising events in the community and find sponsors for each child.

PREVAIL 2013 is Learn for Life Foundation’s first major public event. I expect to raise over $10,000 that will sponsor another 10 students. The event is also raising awareness among families and local businesses in my community. I will continue expand the Learn for Life network and achieve my goal of sponsor for the 100 children by year end

3. PATCH: What are your next steps?

In India alone, over 60,000 children are born annually to mothers who are HIV positive. With over 200,000 HIV-related deaths being reported per year, many of these children are being left without a parent or caregiver. The children with HIV, who survive, end up living in broken or foster homes where they are underfed. They are not given proper medical care or education. These children, with poor education, nutrition, social skills and low self-esteem, are quickly picked up by street gangs and find their way to the sex trade or drug trade.

The next steps, after successfully sponsoring the 100 children, are to address their needs as adolescents. "Snehagram" is the second phase, which will focus on skill development and practical integration back into their communities. The life skills and personality development programs, coupled with aptitude-based vocational training, will encourage the adolescents to start careers in Business Process Outsourcings (BPOs), call-centers and medical transcription at Snehagram. It will help them develop work experience and re-integrate into the community as productive adults.

I hope to work with larger non-profits to help raise the money to make Snehagram a success that could become a blueprint for the reintegration of children, suffering from infectious diseases, back into their communities.

About this column: We’re dedicating the months of April and May to telling the stories of people locally and statewide who have overcome the impossible, affecting positive change in their own lives, or in communities. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts.

About this column: : We’re dedicating the month of April and May to telling the stories of people locally and statewide who have overcome the impossible, affecting positive change in their own lives, or in communities. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts.


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