Making notebooks from scrap papers

Hyderabad-based Saketh Kothamasu’s non-profit organisation ‘Yuvatha’ collects 35,000 kg of newspapers to make 1 lakh notebooks for the government school students

Yuvatha, an NGO founded by Hyderabad-based Saketh Kothamasu is converting scrap into notebooks and plan to distribute thousands of poor children studying in government schools of Hyderabad. The organisation is also doing many activities to spread awareness on various issues like education, environment, blood donation and adopting shelter homes.Speaking with The Hans India, Saketh Kothamasu shared why he quit his job and started ‘Yuvatha’.

“I did my engineering from Vignan College of Engineering, Guntur. I have always wanted to do something for the society.

I started doing small activities in my college and at that time many advised me to do the same for larger people and that is how I started Yuvatha in 2011. Our motto is social upliftment, and we bring this about by holding awareness programs, workshops, and charity drives wherever and whenever necessary. We see the collective dream of painting a healthier and poverty-free tomorrow,” said Saketh Kothamasu.

Through Yuvatha foundation, Saketh’s team of more than 150 volunteers all over the city organise several activities and workshops on issues like education, environment, blood donation and adopting shelter homes.

“Until today, we have organised more than 120 activities on various issues in the city. Recently we started a new initiative where we plan to collect 35,000 kg of newspapers to recycle them into one lakh notebooks. In the process, we collected more than 1500 kg of newspapers in the first phase through all over the city by conducting various events. We will distribute these books soon for the students of government schools in the city,” he added.

“Apart from doing the activities for the Yuvatha organization, I am also pursuing the Rural Development course at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Gachibowli. We are doing blood donation activities all over the city.

We have set up an online community of various blood groups and donors information. If anyone posts on our pages and groups will share with them the donor’s details. More than 700 members have registered on our online pages like ‘Yuvatha’ and ‘Blood Brigade’, to donate blood,” shared Saketh.

Yuvatha is also adopting the shelter homes to provide them better facilities. “We have also started a new project ‘Super Sundays’ in which we went to various government schools and shelter home and organised several activities to improve their skills. Super Sunday's main aim is to make government schools children equal in every field with private schools,” he informed.

Yuvatha team also did many programs on traffic awareness and usage of clay idols. “We have adopted the families who make the idols and are asking them to make clay idols and distributing to people to create awareness on eco-friendly idols. In our upcoming event titled, ‘Gifting Future’, we will set up E-learning portals and through these portals, we organise more activities for students,” concluded Saketh.