This Sunday, 28 March 2010, Aashayein Foundation will be organising breakfast for the inmates of St. Philomenas Little Boys Home. Join this noble cause.Lets meet at the Church at 8.10 am
The volunteers of AF Mysore carried out their 8th Sunday Breakfast Serving at the ‘Smt. Puttaveeramma Deaf School’, Vidyaranyapuram. Mysore. Located halfway between the NIE College and the Sterling theatre, this school is home to the 30 odd deaf and mute girls. This outing of the volunteers was by far the most challenging one so far as it demanded them to understand and socialize with girls who could neither talk nor hear. This institution started operations in 1989 with an intention to provide shelter to a couple of deaf and dumb girls. Over 21 years this institution has been sustained almost entirely by Smt. Puttaveeramma and her daughter Sharadamma. Today the institution stands strong with two separate buildings. One used exclusively for lodging and the other as the teaching facility. The teaching facility has over 10 dedicated teachers. The school has students coming over from all parts of the city and surrounding towns and villages. There are also many girls who stay back at the institution and it is for them that the residential facility provided. Another charitable institution lends the service of a van that will ferry the students from the house to the school and back every day. Things were not always this rosy for the underprivileged girls, recalls the 91 year old Smt. Puttaveeramma. She informed that the initial years were the most testing. One job was not enough to feed her and the girls. She confided that working at a nearby silk factory wasn’t enough and had to resort to begging for a couple of hours to make the ends meet. When asked what gave her the strength to carry on, she said, “As such these girls are unable express their grief. I couldn’t stand seeing them go hungry too. So I did what I had to do to see things through”. These words of commitment by the nonagenarian made many a hearts of the volunteers heavy. One understood that the recognition that the institution and it's driving force truly deserved eluded them for a while.
In 1997, Smt. Puttaveeramma was conferred with the prestigious ‘Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award’ for her outstanding contribution and dedicated service for child welfare and development. This meritorious award is constituted by the MHRD, Government of India. She has also been the recipient of the ‘Karnataka Rajya Prashasti’ for the year 1998 – recognition to her service in the field of education. She was felicitated by the then Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. J. H. Patel.
The volunteers reached the venue by 8.30AM. The silence of the first few minutes was tough to adjust. To socialize with one another without talking was quite an experience to the volunteers. It was learnt that the girls come over not only from Mysore but also from the surrounding areas like Srirangapatna, Nanjangud, Mandya etc. Many of them come over in the month of July, join the school and pursue one year of academics and go back to their homes in the month of March.
“When they come over for the first time, they feel a little uneasy to adjust to the environment, but things change in a matter of few days. They begin to like it here better than home as they are in the company of others like them. They get used to do things themselves and interacting with each other which actually instills confidence to lead their lives”, said a proud Sharadamma. She told the volunteers that her mother was her biggest role model and that she will try to be as selfless as her mother in helping the needy.
The volunteers also learnt that Smt. Puttaveeramma and her daughter Shardamma were not interested in publicity rather preferred concentrating on their work.The volunteers handed over the breakfast to be served later. They also distributed 'yummy' chocolates to all the girls. The AF-Mysore team wishes to thank one of its own members (name undisclosed on request) for sponsoring the breakfast for the day. The volunteers of AF-Mysore did learn one invaluable lesson – The impairment of either speech or hearing does not impair the reception and reciprocation of goodwill, hope and joy. They bid farewell with distributing chocolates to the girls. They all left the place with warmth in their hearts and a smile on the lips. After all, as a certain Chinese proverb puts it, “A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives the roses”.
Venue: Puttaveeramma Deaf School, Near N.I.E, Vidyaranyapuram Number of inmates: 30-35 AF Contact Person: Akhilesh (+91 9986890140) Volunteers meet at: N.I.E College, New building entrance Assembling Time: 8.10 AM
The 7th Sunday Breakfast Serving (SBS) was carried out on 14th March 2010 at the Government Children’s Home located on the Lalit Mahal Palace road overseeing the helipad. The volunteers of AF Mysore reached the venue by 8.30 AM.
The children's home was a spacious and clean facility overlooking the greenery of Chamundi Hills. The walls of the home were decorated with bright paintings that lent a cheerful mood to the room. This children’s home was established in the year 1958 by the then Mysore Dynasty Diwan, Nanjaraj Urs. It was then known as "Chikka Aramane" (The little palace). The place is envisioned to be the home to destitute girls between the age group of 6 years and 18 years. On turning 18 years, the children are transferred to the State home for women. This place has been designed and built to accommodate upto 200 inmates. Currently, there are 82 children.
All the girls assembled in the dining hall by 8.45 AM and the volunteers started the breakfast serving. This time the female volunteers outnumber the men. They took to the task of helping the children with the breakfast. After the breakfast the children were served badam milk.
Prayers were offered to the almighty for the meal. After the breakfast session, the children who appeared shy so far started to mingle with the volunteers. Soon, the group of volunteers and children took to singing. The volunteers too pitched in with a song or two. One of the girls then explained more about their little-palace, how they were supported and also how good they felt when somebody came around to visit them. She particularly thanked the AF Mysore volunteers for their time and goodwill. Her emotions were well reciprocated by the members of AF and assured the kids that they would keep visiting the place frequently.
Volunteers also took time to have a word with Superintendent Geetha Lakshmi. She shared with the volunteers the various programs undertaken by the government to support initiatives like the children’s home. She also proudly mentioned that one similar such facilities exist at each and every district of Karnataka. This facility alone was taken care of by her and other 14 staff members.
She further informed that the girls were encouraged to learn what they liked. Some of them took cookery classes while few others were passionate towards computers. She added that over the years, the children’s home had attained mastery at skills like candle making among others. She concluded by informing that free bus passes were also provided for traveling long distances. The volunteers bid farewell with chocolate distribution.
The AF team wishes to thank Mr. Anil Kothari and Ms. Vidya Khareedhi’s family for sponsoring the SBS.
On the 7th march 2010, the volunteers visited the Children House of the ‘Sri Jain Education Society’, located off Manandavadi Road, Mysore south.
This institution, established in 1986 is one of the earliest efforts within Mysore to help the destitute children. Over the years, the initiative has drawn admiration from many. In 1992, the Government of Karnataka accorded the institution with the honor of voluntary organization.
The children home is a very clean and well maintained facility located off the busy Manandavadi Road. The facility is also equipped with a library, couple of desktops, spacious dining hall and a wide porch. The establishment also doubles up as the office of the monthly magazine ‘Dharmachakra’. This publication has the distinction of being the only Jaina periodical in Kannada with multi coloured printing. The event started at 8.30 AM with breakfast serving to the children. The children were served with Idli-Vada and Badam milk.
After the breakfast serving few of the volunteers caught up with Mr. Sona, one of the caretakers at the ‘Jain’s Education Society’. He informed the volunteers more about the place. “We mandatorily educate the children till 10th standard. After that usually we help find these children a donor who will support their education further”, he said. He further added that, “We have appointed a tuition teacher to visit the facility everyday and complement the teachings at school.”
Meanwhile the children assembled in general hall for a birthday celebrations.
The children sang the birthday song and the two volunteers well. Few of them volunteered to present songs and jokes.
The volunteers then wished the management of ‘Sri Jain’s Education Society’ for their good work and bid adieu to the children with a promise to come back soon.
More children to be met… More smiles to be spread… And more hopes to be nurtured… The Aashayein caravan shall go on. See you next week with more updates.
The volunteers of AF Mysore went through another experience on the 21st February 2010 that made a deep impact on them. This weekend they visited the children’s rehabilitation wing of ‘Foundation for Restoring Human Dignity(FORHD)’.
Makkala Mane (Children’s home) is one of the unique rehabilitation places that cater to the need of the children’s of prisoners. When the bread-winner of the family is serving prison, education of their children becomes a casualty. When both the parents go to jail or when the mother goes to jail, they are usually allowed to take children below 7 years along with them. FORHD also takes up the responsibility to counsel the prisoners regarding value of education or undesirable nature of keeping children in prison along with them. Such children are housed in the Makkala Mane run by FORHD at Mysore.
The event started at 8.30 AM with breakfast serving to the 23 children at Makkala Mane. The children prayed to the almighty in unison before the breakfast.
The volunteers served idli-vada and badam milk to the children. After the breakfast serving few of the volunteers caught up with Ms. Mayamma, one of the care takers of the place. She enlightened the plight of the kids to the volunteers.
“Kids of prisoners usually have no place to go. As such their parents would be in jail and they are looked down upon by their relatives and the society. Such conditions often force children to take up wrong means to earn two square meals a day”, she said. She further added that, “It is in such conditions that a vision like FOHRD and efforts like Makkala Mane would serve the society better. We take up the responsibility of shelter, food and education of these children.”
It was learnt that all the children were admitted to either one of the nearby schools. Education was a high priority here with efforts being made to get a private tutor to come and teach the kids every day.
Meanwhile the children assembled in the porch to have some fun on the lazy Sunday morning.
The children first introduced themselves followed by the volunteers. It was learnt that the residents were constituted not only from the nearby areas but also from far away cities.
Few of them also had their relatives but chose to come and stay here with other kids in the hope of better education and other facilities.
Few of the children also expressed how much they would miss their parents. Later, the volunteers organized some fun games for the children. Few of them also volunteered to sing. The kids also performed a group dance.
The volunteers then wished the management of FORHD for their good work and bid adieu to the children with a promise to come back soon.
More children to be met… More smiles to be spread… And more hopes to be nurtured…
The Aashayein caravan shall go on. See you next week with more updates.
