Avvai Ashram

Avvai ashram a unit of Gandhigram Trust is a surrogate for 50 children at present (Boys 20 and Girls 30) who are mostly orphan or have a single parent. These children attend regular school and have supplementary support through special coaching by tutors and volunteers.  The employees, volunteers and well-wishers provide emotional support for these children and help them in the process of socialization. 

SOUNDRAM ILLAM (Children’s Home)

The Home is registered {S. No. 1911/DSD/2022 U/S 41(1)} by the Directorate of Social Defence under Juvenile Justice (care and protection of Children) Act 2015. Apart from providing the basic needs – food, shelter and clothing, social values are inculcated in the minds of the children. The need for leading a simple life, understanding Gandhian principles, service to the Nation, sharing the responsibilities and helping fellow beings are part of ashram’s life.  The ashram’s involvement in social work ensures an organic link between the ashram, children and the community. Inclusive approach providing love and care, a home away from home, education and skill development are very much significant.  

Reflection of a social system, personality development and leadership qualities are embedded in the ashram’s day to day activities. Child parliament is an active approach wherein the children understands the roles and responsibilities of integrated management of the Ashram, the needs of the children and plan for better futures.

The passed-out children from the Children’s Home are 419.

GANDHIGRAM SANTHI HR. SEC. SCHOOL FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED

Gandhigram Santhi Higher Secondary School for the Children with Hearing Impaired was established by Shri M. Jesudasan, a social worker in the year 1956 and later merged with Avvai Ashram. The resident school was upgraded to middle school in the year 1976, high school in the year 1997 and higher secondary from 2018. The special school is registered (GO(Ms) No. 220 Social Welfare and Nutritious meal programme Department) by the State Commissioner for persons with Disabilities and Director for welfare of the Differently abled.

At present the school holds a strength of 86 (51 boys + 35 girls) children. Apart from the regular curriculum, English is also teaching to the children with the support from Redington Foundation. In addition, employability programmes such as tailoring, repairing of house hold appliances have also been provided. Extra-curricular activities like Gymnastic, Athletics, dancing are also provided.

The passed-out students from the school are 858

KASTURBA CRÈCHE

Kasturba Creche is crafted to meet the social demands of the community in an around Sivasailam.  With the financial assistance from the Social Welfare Board and donations, the crèche is meeting the demands of 33 children in the age group of 6 months to 5 years. The care and support rendered by the crèche provides satisfaction to their mothers who are at work. The social security to the kids, creative and innovative strategies of inculcating education through play way methods, balanced diet and clothing are provided to the children.

The passed-out children from the crèche are 331.

1. SOUNDRAM SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDENESS (EARLIER CALLED AS PARENT MANAGED RESPITE CENTRE – PMRC)

In continuation of the community based social rehabilitation programme supported by TdHNL Netherlands, the identified children with Mental Retardedness, Cerebral palsy with M.R., Austism, Down syndrome, Microcephaly and mild MR with Hearing impaired are managed by Avvai Ashram. The special school is registered (531/2022, under section (51)2 of the Rights of The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016) by the State Commissioner for persons with Disabilities and Director for welfare of the Differently abled.

Fifty three (36 boys + 17 girls) children identified within 15 km radius in the age group of 4 to 18 are admitted. They have been trained to do the basic needs of them and also engaged with some social work. They have been brought to the centre by our vehicle and dropped to the pavilion in the evening. The transport cost is being supported by Simpson groups, Redington Foundation and Anjana Software Solutions, Chennai. Physiotherapy centre and special teachers have been appointed to run the unit with the help of Redington Foundation. Vocational training like Tailoring, Basket Weaving, Khadi Spinning, Door mat weaving, Ornamental Jewel making and training on sales are imparted to the children the earnings out of these products are directly deposited to the respective children’s account maintained in the Post Office. 

The passed-out children from the school are 78.

SELVAN A SWAMINATHAN HEALTH CENTRE

A health centre was started within the campus in the year 2018. The building worth of Rs. 40.00 lakhs donated by Shri APR Annamalai Chettiar – Smt. Kalpana Achi of APR Groups, Madurai and Ambasamudram. The centre takes care of the health issues of not only the inmates of Avvai Ashram but also for the people residing around the Ashram. A physiotherapy centre is also functioning in the Centre and provide treatment to the children in Dr. Soudram Special School and the people around the Centre at free of cost. Qualified Medical Consultant, Physiotherapist and nurses have been deployed and the cost is born by the well-wishers. The medicines for the children are sponsored by VSN & VNS Trust, Balaji Medicals – Tirunelveli, Dr. Murugan from Sampankulam, Dr. Paramasivam from Kadayam and Ganesh Medicals, Tenkasi.

EVENING COACHING CENTRE

The children of Ashram attend regular school in three different places. Additional coaching (tuition) is essential for them particularly for English and Mathematics. Hence we have started additional coaching classes for our children.  In 2015 the programme was extended to outside students also. The result was good and hence the enrollment of children from nearby eight villages has been increased from 40 to 300. Twenty-four teachers have been deployed for the programme, and the cost for the teachers have been mobilized from Well-wishers and the CSR contribution from Redington Foundation, REPCO Home Finance Limited, Anjana Software Solutions, Chennai. 

ONLINE ENGLISH AND COMPUTER TRAINING

English and Computer training have been started for the children of the Children’s Home from August 2020 with the support from Ann Foundation USA. The virtual class rooms for the same has been established with the help from the Well-wishers of the Ashram.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Training towards tailoring is also offered in the campus.  Currently 25 women from nearby villages are undergoing the training.  The six months tailoring certificate course is conducted with the aid of M.S.P.V.L Polytechnic.  To till date 472 women have been benefited from the Centre with an alternate employment from their regular involvement in beedi rolling which is found to be a major income generation for the women folk in this area.

PALANIAMMAL MEMORIAL TAILORING UNIT

Department of Environment, Government of Tamil Nadu sponsored a tailoring unit to the tune of five lakhs aiming to train women in stitching ecofriendly bags which could be used instead of plastic bags in 2014.  Twenty sewing machines and an embroidery machine have been installed and the trained women from nearby villages are the beneficiaries.  

The skill development programme on tailoring and production centre establishment for the rural women was also organized in association with Usha International Ltd. The main aim is to train them on the marketable items like cloth bags, Sling bag cutting & stitching, edge finishing for towels, different type of pillow covers, Kurta, blouse, picoting work, kids dress, shirts, bag with lining, swaddle for babies and sewing machine assembling etc. The program scheduled for 15 days – 2 days for Sewing machine assembling and 13 days for technical skills. Fifteen participants from nearby villages were participated and got benefitted.

TRAINING ON KHADI PRODUCTION

Manufacturing of Khadi is an everlasting part of the gorgeous cultural Heritage of India. The element of art and craft present in Indian handlooms makes it a prospective sector for the upper segments of market domestic as well as international. Gandhigram Trust is one of the pioneer in Khadi production. The number of artisans involved in the sector drastically decreased due to low income, opportunity in alternative employment and other reasons. To revive the sector and also creating opportunity among the person with differently abled, the training programme on spinning and weaving has been started for the hearing impaired and mild MR children with us.  This is the self-reliant, and continuous income generating activity training along with their education / Vocational Training programe, the children with differently abled can earn at least Rs. 150 per day by producing Khadi fabrics by spin / weave.

A new initiative of the Ashram was establishment of Natural Dye extraction unit  for the rural women. supported by the Craft Council of India (CCI) in association with the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation of Tamil Nadu (TNSDC). A very satisfying and successful training has been conducted, with the full cooperation given by the participants. Total of 16 main colours and 13 post dipping colours were obtained out of this training. The efforts taken by the participants to get the locally available dye materials is duly appreciated. Eagerness and willingness to learn more about the traditional dyeing technology was expressed by the participants.

SUPPORT US

Gandhigram is supporting rural communities with health, education, Rural development especially for the children, woman and differently abled since 1954. We record our appreciation for the various stakeholders for supporting our activities through their technical and financial support.

All the donations to Gandhigram Trust – Avvai ashram will qualify for a tax relief of 50% under section 80G of the Income Tax Account provided it is indicated the PAN number with full address at the time of donation.