Anne Legeland is really a friend in deed for many orphans and physically challenged persons. She strives to ensure a new life for them and her dreams become true in many cases. Ms. Anne Legeland, who is a senior advocate in Amsterdam, spends almost four months in India every year to serve the needy people in the remote Kotta Kopperla near Konada junction of Pusapati Rega mandal, Vizianagaram district.
She established the “Campus Challenge’ institution to provide education with all the facilities. It has been doing wonders for the last eight years. As many as 120 differently abled kids are able to get special education in the institution which also provides artificial limbs free of cost. As many as 1585 kids are getting assistance in their homes with the ‘Out Reach’ programme being implemented in Bhogapuram, Puspati Rega and Denkada of Vizianagaram and Ranasthalam mandals of Srikakulam district.
Ms. Legeland who founded the ‘Friends Indeed’ organisation long ago bought five acres in 2008 and established the institution with state of the art facilities. Her service activity in Konada began in a dramatic way nine years ago when a woman put her son Korlayya in her hands saying it was difficult for her to ensure decent life for him as he was born with physical challenges.
It made her start the ‘Friends Indeed’ in association with her Netherland friends. She could gain support from the Rotary International for which she acted as Governor in her native place between 2015-16.
“|Very few people would come forward to take care of physically challenged kids. I understood their difficulties as they are unable to walk, speak and listen. They can also lead happy life along with others if a helping hand is extended. That is why I started the institution. Now I am able to get support from the old students of the Korukonda Sainik School and other organisations in supplying artificial limbs for the needy persons,” she added.
After The Hindu published an article on the sufferings of kidney patients on August 28, 2016, she came forward to set up water plants initially and establish dialysis centres very soon. Srikakulam Collector P.Lakshmi Narasimham has asked her to come up with a plan of action to serve the kidney patients while assuring to provide all the support from the government.
Dharani Rural Development Organisation Director Gorle Srihari and Srikakulam Rotary Club president Natukula Mohan, who are associated with the organisation, hailed her relentless service.
“Ms. Legeland is keen to serve kidney patients of Uddanam region. It is really a welcoming step. She planned to serve the HIV patients and kids in Srikakulam district. We are going to extend our full cooperation,” they said.
