Nithya and Kavya Borra, twin sisters from West Windsor, were recognized at the recent holiday gala of Happy Doll, a non-profit organization works with children from all backgrounds, often with vulnerable children facing challenging circumstances. Simple doll-making kits are provided to create a unique, plush friend to comfort a child in need. Doll-making sessions take place at schools, hospitals, special needs programs, workplaces, and birthday parties. Visit happydoll.org for information.
Both young ambassadors for the organization, they received founder’s awards. The 11-year-olds were inspired by an activity at bring your children to work day at Bank of Tokyo in New York City, their parents’ workplace, where they learned about the employees contributions to Happy Doll. They are sixth grade students at Community Middle School.
“I decided to become a Happy Doll ambassador because I really needed to witness how other kids my age, younger, and older, live with not as many advantages as we have,” says Kavya.
“I became an ambassador because I knew that I could make a difference in these children’s lives and they would cherish what we gave them,” says Nithya.
Their parents, both born in India, are Kiran and Pavan Borra. Married in India 14 years ago, they both work at Bank of Tokyo in New York City. She’s in trading and he’s in systems. The family moved from East Windsor to West Windsor seven years ago for the schools and the community. Their youngest sister, Anwita, 4, will go to Dutch Neck School next year.
Kavya does travel soccer with WWPSA, and Nithya is a student at Princeton Dance Theater. They both study Indian classical Carnatic music from Suchitra Srinivas of Plainsboro, and piano from Emiko Edwards, a Juilliard graduate and West Windsor resident. They earned their Girl Scout bronze awards last year.
The girls invited friends to their first Happy Doll fund raiser and they yielded close to 70 stuffed, sewn, and decorated dolls. Participants included Chinmayi Chittamuri, Emily Shapcott, Reva Sangal, Eshita Sangal, Karunya Chittamuri, Manasa Kotamraju, Pranav Burugula, Saketh Kotamraju, Sachi Tejani, Sunita Nair, Anusha Banerjee, Aishwarya Rao, Sanjana Prabhala, Swati Warrier, and Akhil Nagulapalli.
The twins requested donations of books instead of gifts for their birthday. Guests were asked to bring old and used books from their library appropriate for ages 5-15. They received close to 100 books from children from the community including Jillian Dowling, Rhea Kak, Reva Sangal, Sunita Nair, Sachi Tejani, and Krisha Bagga.
Nithya and Kavya began their summer vacation in June with a visit to their grandparents in Hyderabad, India. While in Hyderabad, they visited the Valmiki Foundation and conducted a Happy Doll session for 25 orphaned children. The nonprofit organization provides food, clothing, education, lodging, and medical care to the poorest of children.
“I wanted them to spend a whole summer exposed to another part of the world,” says Kiran. “They saw a lot more than what I can expose them to here.” They saw the Taj Mahal, Indian villages, a missionary, and an orphanage for children with disabilities.
Nithya and Kavya delivered the books to the Valmiki Foundation in India, an orphanage for boys who were picked up from the streets. “They are brilliant, and their parents do not have resources to send them to good schools and provide education,” says Kiran. “The foundation places them as charity students in good private schools.”
“They are studying in English, and a library of fiction books exposes them to a whole different world that is not open to them at the present time,” says Kiran. “Books are a great way to open up the imagination for the kids and allow them dream of bigger things in life. The kids welcomed all the books that were provided to them.”
Nithya and Kavya took the remainder of the 100 prepared dolls to the Asha-Jyothi Foundation in Hanuman Junction, Andhra Pradesh, India. The organization operates with a mission for children — one special needs child at a time. Nithya and Kavya guided the decoration of close to 125 dolls by the children of Asha Jyothi and from neighboring schools.
“Some of the children in the orphanages were mentally and/or physically disabled, which brought many disadvantages to them,” says Nithya. “But what truly amazed me is that even with such heart-breaking obstacles, the children were still able to manage living a healthy life.”
“When I saw how happy every kid was to have one, an important, life-changing message dawned upon me,” says Kavya. “What the orphans needed to know is that someone around the world cares about them, that they are not alone, and we want to send them hope. Each and every one of them felt so grateful to have received the doll — the smiles and compassion on their faces couldn’t have been greater.
More than 160 prepared dolls traveled back to the United States and were then added to the entire pool of 500 dolls that traveled to their next destination — Bhognayli, Ghana. “It was a rewarding and heart-warming experience in many ways for the entire Borra Family and especially Nithya and Kavya,” says Kiran.
