About the Trust
ANYA Charitable Trust was founded on a simple, stubborn belief: that love has the power to transform lives. Anya means love in the Nyishi language — and it is the whole of how we serve the Puroik and other marginalized tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh.
Registered on 13 January 2025 under the Societies Registration Act, ANYA Charitable Trust works in East Kameng and Bichom districts of Arunachal Pradesh, with a special focus on the Puroik — one of the state’s most marginalized indigenous communities.
The Trust began with Agung Lapung, an Administrative Officer with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Visiting the state’s remote forest settlements, he met the Puroik — children eager to learn but with no school within reach and no hostel to make attendance possible. He chose not to wait for change, but to become it: from his own earnings, and later his pension and savings, he began putting Puroik children through school. Co-founders Haulian Samte and G. Thangkhanpiang joined, and together they built ANYA Charitable Trust and the Anya Residential School.
Agung Lapung begins sponsoring 24 Puroik children at Lapung Government School from his own earnings — food, lodging and learning materials so they can simply stay in class.
Support grows to 34 children, and co-founders Haulian Samte and G. Thangkhanpiang join the work after a field survey among the Puroik.
The work becomes a trust — named for the Nyishi word for love. Agung Lapung retires from government service to devote his life, pension and savings to it.
A rented house at Yangsey, Bana becomes a school of 36 children, from kindergarten up — the first campus fully our own.
Enrolment reaches 54, and a 179 × 120 m plot at Peo village is acquired for a permanent Model Residential School.
Until 1999 the Puroik lived as bonded labourers under the Bangni (now Nyishi) tribe. Though legally freed by a district administration order, vestiges of that exploitative system still linger in rural areas — and the community continues to lag socially, politically, economically and educationally.
Having visited nearly every Puroik village in Bameng Block, our founders became convinced of one thing: educating the next generation is the only sustainable path to break the cycle of poverty and restore dignity and self-reliance.
To empower marginalized and tribal communities through free residential education, skill and vocational training, healthcare and nutrition, cultural preservation, environmental conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
An inclusive, empowered society where every marginalized child and community has access to quality education, healthcare, skills, a healthy environment and the chance to live with dignity and self-reliance.
Empathy and care for the most vulnerable.
Equal opportunities for all.
Honesty and accountability in everything.
Self-reliance through skills and knowledge.
Long-term, environment-conscious solutions.
Preserving dignity, identity and tradition.
Partnerships for greater, lasting impact.
Every contribution is a bed, a meal, a school day — and education here stays free of cost. Give once or sponsor a child through the year, online, by UPI or bank transfer. 12A & 80G tax benefits apply.
A month of nutritious meals for one child.
A term of learning materials for a classroom.
Sponsor a child — board, care and school for a year.
Bank transfer — State Bank of India, Seppa · A/c 44295091812 · IFSC SBIN0005783 · in the name of ANYA Charitable Trust.
