Our Founder

Chaya Pamula

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The Dream that Manifested

Chaya grew up in India. It was a good life with lots of family. But when she was in her early teens, she lost both her parents. Before her mother died, Chaya made her a promise, one she has worked to keep throughout her life: To be a strong woman and care for others. Chaya went on graduate with a degree in IT. She worked, got married, continued to work, has a beautiful daughter, and eventually moved to the US. While visiting India, she discovered Maher, and was deeply moved and inspired by the work of Sr. Lucy. At first, Chaya and her husband thought of adopting a child to add to their family. Then Chaya realized she could help so many more children by creating an organization and building a strong, home environment. Chaya knows and personally understands the importance of having a supportive adult in a child’s life. That is what she wanted to give the destitute and lost children. And so, SOFKIN was born. Read More

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It started with just a few children in a rented home. Chaya Pamula wanted to assure that the destitute children felt part of her family and that they were provided motherly warmth and emotional support. She spent as much time as she could with the children. She vetted and hired housemothers to support the children while she returned to the US. From that small start, SOFKIN has grown to build and own its own buildings and provide for over 100 children. No matter where she is, Chaya still talks to them every day to maintain the connection and show them consistent support and caring.

Chaya is a technologist, philanthropist, a visionary, mentor, investor, an entrepreneur and above all a passionate human being. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to co-found PamTen, a US based IT Solutions and Staffing Company that was built with the purpose to support SOFKIN. Chaya has also founded SheTek, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to increase the percentage of women represented in the technology industry through mentorship, training, networking, and career support. She is a welcomed speaker at many technology and social change events around the world.

Her family, including her husband Mohan and daughter Anusha, her business partner Prasad Tenjerla, and the employees at PamTen, all pour their hearts for into SOFKIN and often volunteer during the off hours and weekends. It is because of Chaya’s disciplined, organized, selfless and committed team that SOFKIN is able to translate every dollar donated and pledged to the direct benefit of the kids they support. Zero administrative costs mean 100% benefit to the children.

She loves realizing her dream of supporting kids in need – and seeing these once desperate children reach their own dreams and ambitions. Her long-term vision has been to create not just a short-term care home, but a supportive environment and career path for the children to help them succeed. Chaya and everyone is so happy that many of these children who have been at SOFKIN have achieved those goals and become thriving, valuable members of society with successful careers, new homes, and families of their own. Chaya has, and continues, to keep that promise to her mother in every way, and the children of SOFKIN are forever thankful.


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