Birthday: 30 August 1997

Family Story: Father has leprosy and lives in the Puneri Leprosy Colony. Before Rising Star Outreach, he studied at a government-owned Tamil-medium school.

Personality: Suresh is always the first to greet the volunteers at the front gate of the school. Although he is an assertive leader with the other children, he is also a very caring, loyal friend to them. When he first arrived, it was clear that he was a little frightened and uncertain, yet he made sure to take extra special care of a little girl that lived next door to him in his colony until her brother arrived a couple weeks later. Suresh is a good swimmer and loves to dive head-first into the waves of the Bay of Bengal. He has a sharp focus and always finishes what he starts. When tutoring one on one with the volunteers he works very hard to better understand, working out the letters and words in his head. We think Suresh might have a future in photography because he loves to take the volunteers’ cameras to take pictures of the other children.

Surya (sir-ee-yah) is from the ThiruVallar Colony and was born October 16, 1999. His mother used to make and sell liquor, but received a micro-loan from RSO and has begun buying and reselling clothing. Surya had leprosy as a small child, but took medication and was healed.

Surya is a very bright, creative, precocious boy. He always wants to read out loud to volunteers and even translates the bedtime stories for the other children. He has a happy disposition and is very cunning. One day after a lunch of fish curry, the teachers discovered that Surya had taken some of the curry and hidden it in his shirt. The children have been instructed to finish all their food during lunchtime and not save it for later, so when confronted about his offense, the other children explained that he had approached two of his classmates and told them that if they got married for the day, he would provide fish curry for all the wedding guests!

On another occasion, Gopi (the director at the school) was sad and had retired to his room to be alone. When Surya and some of the other children discovered Gopi was feeling down they tried to come into his room and cheer him up. Surya looked at him matter-of-factly and said, “Gopi uncle, if you’re sad why don’t you pray to God?” Surya is sensitive and observant and learns very quickly. His quick mind can sometimes get him into trouble as he tends to be pretty creative for good and for bad! He is delightful and his enthusiasm for life and discovery, are infectious.

Birthday 9/17/2000

Surya Kala is curious about nature. She is pensive and quiet, but when you make her laugh, she has a great smile. She arrived at the home with both legs covered in sores but was still able to function and have fun. She is easily entertained. She is younger than the other children and has a harder time learning, but she is catching up quickly.

Suryakala is from Patabaram and is always dancing and moving around! She is very active and full of energy, but also very shy. Never demanding attention, she is thrilled when it is given. Her smile is so bright and she flashes it so often that anyone who knows her automatically falls in love. Her smile is also kind of crooked and she sort of ducks her head a little bit when she grins- such an endearing little girl!

Birthday: August 20, 2000

Suvitha is an angel.  She has a strong desire to learn and a very long attention span.  Her gentle ways draw the other children in and she is very loyal.  During playtime, Suvitha has lots of energy.  One of her favorite games is Hide and Seek and she is always running around and laughing.  When she first arrived at Rising Star Outreach, she was very shy and withdrawn but as she has acclimated to her new surroundings, she has blossomed into a very happy and alive girl.  We are glad to have her here at Rising Star Outreach.

Birthday: October 24, 1998

The first word that comes to mind in describing Tamilelakkiya is enthusiastic.  She is excited about everything!  Whether it is skipping rope, dancing, or just running in a race, Tamilelakkiya does it with joy and energy.  She loves to run around and play outside.  She is even able to keep up with most of the boys.  She is also very affectionate.  She loves to call your name, and then flash you a quick “I love you” sign. Tamilelakkiya is a respected girl and we love having her here at Rising Star Outreach.

Birthday: June 21, 2003

Tamilarasi is a quiet, shy girl.  She has a smile that lights up a room.  She is very affectionate, and once she gets to know you, not a day will pass that you you don’t get a hug and a kiss.  She adores her older brother Devakumar, and wants to be just like him.  She loves to watch the boys play cricket, and jumps at the chance to bowl i.e., pitch.  Tamilarasi tends to get high marks in all subjects, but her favorite is Tamil..  She likes to write on the blackboard, which is why she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.  We feel blessed to have such a loving child here at Rising Star Outreach.

Age: 7
Birthday: October 10, 2000

V. Devi is a beautiful, shy child.  She is a budding artist and loves to color.  She likes to play with the volunteers' hair but is always gentle, just like she is for everyone.  V. Devi is also well behaved and obedient.  She is a great student and very smart!  She enjoys going to the zoo and practicing her English. She is a sweet, quiet girl who is a good helper and is very caring.  We are glad to have V.Devi here at Rising Star Outreach.