“Before we officially started an NGO, we were just a small group of friends, each pooling in ₹300 on weekends. We’d visit orphanages, distribute food, clothes, and school kits—just trying to do our bit. I still remember one of our earliest efforts—raising ₹6 lakhs in just three days to help a young boy who had slipped into a coma. His father, like me, had worked as a child labourer. That one act of collective kindness made me realise how powerful our shared humanity could be.
I grew up in Godavarikhani, a coal town in Telangana’s Peddapalli district. My father was a daily wage labourer, and life was all about survival. I had to drop out of school in 9th grade and start working at a scrap shop to support my family. Childhood ended early.
But then something unexpected happened. The Labour Department found me at work one day. Instead of penalising us, they spoke to my parents and guided us through the system. That single intervention changed everything. I returned to school, finished my 10th, went on to intermediate in Warangal, and later completed a degree in Social Work from Hyderabad. That second chance gave me not just education, but direction.
I carried one promise with me: no child should have to grow up too fast, like I did. Every child deserves access to education, safety, and a space to be happy.
That intention slowly took shape as People Helping Children (PHC). Within just eight months, our weekend initiative evolved into a team of 120 passionate individuals. In February 2018, we officially registered PHC as a society. I was working full-time elsewhere, but this mission had become my life’s calling.
Running an organisation from scratch isn’t easy. Sustaining it is even harder—raising funds, coordinating volunteers, keeping everything transparent. I’ve learned that social service isn’t just about good intentions. It needs structure, commitment, and accountability. Every rupee donated carries the weight of trust. That’s why we built PHC on principles of honesty and purpose.
Over the years, our work has expanded across 8 states in India. We’ve grown into a community of over 500 active members, 10,000 volunteers worldwide, and a donor base of more than 20,000 people. Together, we’ve reached over five lakh children and supported over one lakh families.
Our initiatives span from providing nutritious meals, clothes, and school kits to rescuing children from hazardous labour. We’ve been working to promote menstrual hygiene by distributing sanitary pads and conducting educational sessions, and we also provide medical aid and emergency relief in disaster-affected areas.
We’ve launched programmes like Cycles for Girls to support female students who walk long distances to school. We host birthday and festival celebrations at child care homes to remind children that they’re not forgotten. In tribal forest regions with no access to roads or electricity, we set up Adivasi bridge schools—what we call
Adivasi Gurukuls to educate and nourish children aged 3 to 8 until they’re ready for formal tribal welfare hostels.
We’ve adopted government schools, building libraries and digital classrooms. And every year, we run Celebrations for Smiles to bring Diwali, Christmas, and other festivals to thousands of underprivileged children. Alongside all this, we mentor young people from across India through internship programmes, helping them take their first steps into social leadership.
In 2019, we organised India’s first motorcycle campaign against child labour—covering all 33 districts of Telangana, riding 2,839 kilometres in just 8 days with five bikes and ten volunteers, including two fearless young women. We met people in remote towns and cities, speaking about why children belong in schools—not factories. That journey wasn’t just symbolic, it left a real impact.
If there’s one thing I’ve come to believe, it’s this: helping others is not a favour. It’s a responsibility. I know what it’s like to fall through the cracks and I also know what it feels like when someone reaches in and pulls you out.
From a scrap shop to building futures—this is a journey I never planned, but one I now live with commitment, pride, and purpose.”
– Santhosh Bogam, Founder, People Helping Children