Young Hyderabadi girl on a mission to help poor

Meet, a 19-year-old, Hyderabad based, Sherly Devarapalli, who is on a mission to teach young girls and women self-defense techniques while spreading awareness about demotic violence and sexual abuse.

She is a native of Vuyyuru Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh. She started her journey at a very young age when she was 17-year-old and conducted different camps in remote villages. She is a black belt holder in karate.

She is currently doing her Bachelor of Arts in 3rd year with civil coaching in Narayana IAS Academy, Hyderabad and is also a co-founder of the Goodwin charitable trust.

She teaches self-defense to government school students, orphan home, distribute sanitary napkins to village women, she takes sessions on good touch and bad touch, personal hygiene, women empowerment.

Conduct games in schools and orphanages to promote their skills. Installed a smart class technology in a government-aided school and celebrate festivals like Raksha Bandhan with orphan kids.

Speaking to Young Hans, Sherly said, "I conduct camps on personal hygiene and donate sanitary napkins to village women and girls. She is doing her B A with civil coaching in Narayana IAS Academy."

When asked what inspired her to train self-defense to girls she said, "When I was reading newspaper, I came across many atrocities against women like, domestic violence, abuse in the workplace, rape and thought how can I do a part in reducing such activities.

Being a karate black belt, I thought of why not to teach self-defense to young girls and women? so, I started teaching self-defense to girls. I want them to feel confident and rebel against any difficulties they face in their life."

"In my BA-1st year, I along with my friends Bhavani, Harini, Alekya, Sushma, Sreeja have done a short film 'atrocities against women' and I directed the movie and also acted as a victim in the film.

We wanted to show how a woman leads her life of being a victim of child marriage, dowry, domestic violence, female infanticide, rape, in 9min Muki short film. We use the short film when we do camp in villages and give awareness to women about sections like domestic violence act 2015 and child helpline 1098," she adds further.

Till now I have thought basic self-defense techniques to many girls in 3states Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh schools in orphanages and govt schools.

Provided smart class technology to rural government-aided schools. Speaking on this project, Sherly said, "When I visited a government school with no proper infrastructure like restroom, fans, etc. I asked the students, will they be happy if they get good infrastructure.

But there answer shocked me. They asked for a smart class technology (projector, screen) and said "sister if you provide the big screen then even my friends from my village will join the school. And we promise that we will score more marks in the exam."

This made me start the project. Kids who have parents will demand for new dresses for festivals, then what about orphan kids? To whom they can ask?

This question arose in my mind and became the reason to start the Joy of Giving project.

This project is all about giving joy in the form of dresses. I with my friends Namratha killed, Rudragoni Sowmya, Moluguri Vennela have started the project. Where we collect unused cloths from college hostels and give it to the orphan home and disabled homes.

Making the unused dress new clothes to others. Till now we have distributed nearly 500 cloths to orphan homes and disable home in Hyderabad.

We have installed a smart class technology in a government-aided school took self-defense sessions and conducted various activities like drawing, singing, sports and encouraged them by giving prices.

Thought good touch bad touch, personal hygiene women empowerment in schools and orphanages and distributed sanitary napkins in villages.

The Goodwin charitable trust is a government registered NGO in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh which was started in May 2019. Sherly along with her mother D Devamani started this NGO.

The NGO provides skill development training to youth and to work on sustainable development goals. At present, they work in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. She also received many awards.