In 2022, I lost a young relative to kidney failure. It was sudden, unfair, and deeply personal.
I had travelled to my hometown for the funeral. In between rituals, I kept myself occupied with work, trying not to sit with the weight of what had just happened.
That afternoon, during a short break, I came across a post by a doctor. It was about a government school girl.
She had stopped drinking water. Not because she didn’t want to, but because the school toilets were not clean. That decision led to a severe kidney infection.
I could not move past that story.
On the one hand, I had just experienced a personal loss to kidney failure. On the other, a child was fighting for her life because of something as basic as access to clean water and usable sanitation.
That stayed with me.
It led to a question I could not ignore: What is happening in the schools around me?
The same day, I visited a nearby government school.
What I saw was not shocking. It was worse. It was normal.
Unclean toilets, neglected water facilities.
I returned home disturbed.
When I spoke to my sister, she added another layer to what I had seen. She spoke about the challenges faced by girl students, especially when it comes to sanitation.
Then she shared something else. After the 2004 tsunami, groundwater quality in parts of Tamil Nadu, especially the Cauvery delta, was affected. Since then, kidney-related diseases have been on the rise. Even smaller towns now have dialysis centres.
Then she asked a simple question: What can we do?
It sounds like a small question. IT IS NOT.
It stayed with me for many days.
I started digging deeper. Government schemes, Fund allocations, Maintenance gaps, Ground realities, and the challenges faced by sanitation workers.
For two weeks, I spoke to anyone who could offer clarity. Officials, teachers, and friends.
One thing became clear. The issue is not just lack of funding. It is a combination of inadequate funding, poor monitoring, and inconsistent maintenance.
A healthy environment in government schools, and the fostering of a better society, rely critically on sustained community involvement, which encompasses participation, contribution, and continuous monitoring.
When I shared this with my sister, she asked again: So, what can we do?
This time, I had an answer.
I act.
I studied in government schools. I benefited from that system. Giving back was not charity but my responsibility.
We started small.
We adopted three government schools in our village. We met headmasters and teachers. We listened to them and focused on the basic needs.
We supported toilet maintenance every month to ensure consistency. We installed RO water purifiers in places where there was no structured support for installation or upkeep. We provided pressure washers to help schools maintain hygiene.
There was no big launch, no grand announcement, just quiet work.
Within a few months, something shifted.
Nearby schools began reaching out as they were facing the same challenges.
During a School Management Committee meeting, a parent came up to me after the session.
Sometimes, one moment shows you why the work truly matters.
He shared how his daughters avoid using the school restrooms because they aren’t clean, and he has to take permission every day to bring them home.
He held my hand, kept saying thank you but this was more than gratitude, it was a reality check.
That moment pushed us to reach more schools. That’s what led to Care4Schools.
It stayed with me and made one thing clear. This cannot be a one-time effort.
There are thousands of students still waiting for access to clean water and basic sanitation.
This has to continue.
It also became clear that this is not something one person or one small group can solve.
It has to become collective.
So I reached out to friends and they joined without hesitation.
"What started as a question became a shared responsibility."
In the academic year 2025 to 2026, through Kalvi Maram Foundation’s “Care4Schools” initiative:
• 52 government schools supported
• 55 RO water purifiers installed
• 6,900+ students benefiting every day
• Continuous monitoring and maintenance in place
Not everything worked as expected.
We initially provided pressure washers, but usage was inconsistent and maintenance became a challenge.
So we adapted.
Instead of relying on tools, we shifted to service. Today, we provide structured, weekly deep cleaning in selected schools, carried out during non-working hours to ensure consistency and usability.
The support we received from officials, teachers, parents, and students made this possible.
To every donor, volunteer, teacher, friend, and technician who supported this effort, our heartfelt thank you.
But this is still the beginning.
In the coming academic year, through the Care4Schools initiative, we aim to support 200 government schools.
The question that started this still drives us.
What can we do?
If this resonates, you can be part of the answer.
UPI: kalvimaram@sbi
WhatsApp: +91 735 735 4545
Website: www.care4schools.org
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