The Beginning

SKCV, a non-sectarian, non-profit, registered and pure vegetarian Charitable Trust was founded by a simple person originally from Manchester, England, now a registered Citizen of India. Matthew Norton {now changed his name to Sriman Manihara Norton...a name given by his Guru} had experienced, first-hand, life on the streets when he was a young teenager in Europe. He has since spent many years in India studying the culture, habits and problems of the country. The projects started with a small room in Bombay, opening another centre in Pune later and finally shifting the entire project and his Indian wife and family to Vijayawada at the invitation of the then Mayor, Dr.Jandhyala Shankar. There was no organisation in the entire coastal Andhra Pradesh helping street children. (SKCV Street Child Services)

N.S.Manihara has been honoured by the people of India by conferment of the Dr. Ambedkar Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also received accolades from Late Rajiv Gandhi, Late Mother Theresa, Mr. John Major, Sir Nicholas Fenn, and many others. He lives in Vijayawada with his wife, Bhakti, and their youngest son, Anandamoya.

The Motivation

His desire to assist Street Children began in 1979 in New Delhi where he began his travels in India and started meeting the children on the railway platforms.. The founder has now become a leading figure in the field of Street Child Rescue Programmes, both on a national and international level. Along with his wife, he has designed the "CHILD" System (Comprehensive Help for India's Little Destitutes), a detailed programme for anyone to follow who is desirous of helping such kids, now used in over eight countries worldwide.

The "Manual on Working with Street Children" published by CRY (Child Relief and You), is used all over the world. There is no other such manual available as far as we know. Click here to see { The "CHILD" Manual  }

The Future

As is mentioned later, the Trust is now managed by a group of older "children" who now have become young men, "The SKCV Future Group - Second Generation".  These young men have been brought up by the Trust, and have decided to dedicate themselves to its future development and to helping children who are in the same predicament on the streets as they were when they came to SKCV.

Since the SKCV work began, tremendous research has been done. Professional social workers from other organisations undergo training in the field. Ideas have been shared. Numerous seminars and conferences have been held, sponsored or organised by SKCV. The Trust has also been successful in creating a unique and fully replicable system of assistance for street children. (The Future Group)