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Madhavi Latha Mareedu receiving the Mother Teresa Award, 2018
Mother Teresa Award · 2018 Health Care International, Hyderabad — for 20 years of service to children with disabilities.
Chairman · AshaJyothi

Madhavi
Latha
Mareedu

Chief Functionary · Secretary · Correspondent · Since 1998

Founder of AshaJyothi since 1998. Started with two abandoned children and a borrowed room — built a permanent campus of 70+ children with severe disabilities. Twenty-seven years of unbroken care, still on campus every day. Her work spans medical rehabilitation, inclusive education, women's empowerment, disaster relief, and judicial child welfare across Andhra Pradesh.

Education

MSW · Acharya Nagarjuna University M.Sc. Psychology Diploma in Hearing, Language & Speech

Current Appointments

Forum for Child Rights National Trust · WG Dist. ASRAM Hospital ICC PN & PNDT ACT Committee SC/ST Vigilance Committee
27 years in numbers/ 01
/ People impacted4,100+

Women & children with disabilities across Krishna and West Godavari.

/ Children rehabilitated1,000+

Brought back to health, mobility, and education through sustained care.

/ Sanitary pads1M+

Distributed via PARI — generating employment and restoring dignity.

/ Girls educated25K+

On menstrual hygiene across AP and Telangana.

"Every child who came to us was abandoned or turned away. We never turned one away. We never will."
— Madhavi Latha Mareedu, Chairman · AshaJyothi
AshaJyothi campus
What she built/ 02

27 years of work.

Four areas — one sustained commitment.

Building from nothing — permanently.

Scaled AshaJyothi from 2 children in a borrowed room to a fully self-sufficient campus of 100+ residents. Every brick was fought for.

🌱
Founded 1998Started with 2 abandoned children at Hanuman Junction — a family's grief turned outward.
🏗️
Permanent CampusSecured land, construction, and multi-facility infrastructure with international partner SDWH, Holland.
⚡
Self-SufficiencySolar power, borewell systems, hydrotherapy rooms — campus runs independently, 365 days a year.
⚖️
CWC Chairperson · 2018–2022Appointed to function as a Bench of First Class Judicial Magistrates, West Godavari District.

Advanced medicine, brought to children who couldn't access it.

From cochlear implants to Stem Cell Therapy — healthcare that would otherwise have been out of reach for every child here.

💉
Stem Cell TherapyPartnered with Neurogen Institute; secured CM Relief Fund for 40 cases, treated 50 children total.
🔬
100+ Major SurgeriesPolio, Achilles Tendon, Cleft Lip & Palate, Cochlear Implants — with full post-operative care on campus.
🤝
ASRAM Hospital MOUSecured exclusive ward and subsidised healthcare for all orphan and semi-orphan children in the district.
🚐
Mobile CBR ProgrammeExtended active physiotherapy to 100+ girl children in surrounding villages who could not travel to campus.

Education for the excluded. Dignity for girls.

100% school enrollment for children with disabilities. One million sanitary pads. Five self-help groups. The numbers are real.

🏫
100% EnrollmentDoor-to-door campaign mainstreaming 145 children with disabilities into regular schools — national SSA recognition.
🔍
Chinnari ChoopuScreened 5,000 children for developmental conditions; 100 referred for specialist treatment and surgery.
🩸
PARI Unit & 25,000+ GirlsManufactured & distributed 1M+ sanitary pads; personally educated 25,000+ girls on menstrual hygiene.
💪
5 Self-Help GroupsFormed SHGs for 50 women with disabilities — connecting them to micro-loans and livelihood training.

When the state was overwhelmed, AshaJyothi showed up.

Three major crises. Each time, Madhavi Latha was on the ground before most organisations had filed their reports.

🌀
Hudhud Cyclone · 2014Rebuilt 50 homes; distributed 20,000+ meals to displaced communities across affected districts.
😷
Covid-19 · 2020–21Ration kits to thousands of migrant workers; Oxygen Concentrators to 4 AP Health Dept isolation centres.
🌊
Flood ReliefFlash flood response across Eluru, NTR District and Kolleru Lake area — essential goods and medical supplies.
♿
Mandal Rehab Supervisor · 2002–04Mobilised 1,000+ women with disabilities to access government certificates, pensions, and benefits.
Career & recognition/ 03

Milestones & honours.

Timeline

1998
Co-founded AshaJyothiTwo children, one small house at Hanuman Junction.
2002
Mandal Rehabilitation SupervisorHelped 1,000+ women access disability pensions & certificates.
2006
First Cochlear ImplantCoordinated surgery & full post-operative speech therapy.
2008
Permanent CampusChief Minister lays the foundation stone.
2012
District Best IED TeacherSarva Shiksha Abhiyan — 100% enrollment for 145 children.
2018
CWC ChairpersonJudicial Magistrate powers, West Godavari District.
2021
Stem Cell Therapy Launch50 children treated; CM Relief Fund secured for 40.
2023
ASRAM Hospital MOUFree exclusive ward for all orphan children in the district.

Awards & Honours

2021
REX Karmaveer Chakra — Platinum
ICONGO, New Delhi — highest humanitarian category.
2019
Rashtriya Samman Award
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh — PARI initiative.
2019
Kalamandir Foundation Award
Services to adolescent girls · ₹5 lakh cash award.
2018
Mother Teresa Award
Health Care International, Hyderabad.
2018
State Best Women Entrepreneur
Received from the AP Chief Minister.
2016
CM Award + World HRD Congress
International Women's Day · Mumbai.
2012
District Best IED Teacher
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
2003
District Best Social Worker
Presented by the District Collector.
——
NATA Public Service Award
North American Telugu Association, USA.
——
Sri Padma Medha Award
Sri Padmavathi Mahila Vidyalayam, Tirupathi.
——
Best NGO Award
Sri Karthikeya Misra IAS · Independence Day, Eluru.
What's next/ 04

The work ahead.

01

Vocational Training for Girls

Market-aligned training centres for girls with disabilities — economic independence, not just shelter.

02

10,000 Girls in Three Years

Strategic partnerships to support and educate 10,000+ girl children through scaled outreach.

03

Enhanced Therapy Facilities

Deeper hydrotherapy and physio-rehabilitation infrastructure for every resident's development.

Help Madhavi give every child a home.

Sponsor a child · $150/mo → Back to About →