The first center that was formed is Periyar Nagar, about 3 km from Vellore. In this center we have rickshaw pullers, coolies, rag pickers, flower sellers etc., The literacy level was zero when we started work here. But now all the children, approximately 70, go to nearby Government Schools and some go to private schools. We have built a structure in an area of 15’x25’ with a tiled roofing. It is used as a multi-purpose hall.
Distance from Vellore: 3 kms west of Vellore City
Size of the village: 500 Sq km.
Total number of families: 80
Number of Children going to school : 70
Number of children attending Day care: 15 (‘Balvadi’ a project run by the government for children below school-going age)
In the evening, when the senior children come back from school, they are given additional tuition to enable them to cope with the local schools as most parents are illiterate.
Children who don’t have parents are admitted to good Christian orphanages. Some children in this centre have successfully completed basic undergraduate degree courses and have secured jobs. Some girls have completed diploma course in Nursing and are employed.
Special days like Christmas, Easter, Independence Day etc. are celebrated. Their talents in singing, dancing, and dramatics are encouraged and they entertain the guests and parents during these occasions.
Children are encouraged to play musical instruments and also games equipment are bought for them to play cricket, volley ball, tennikoit etc., Periodical medical check ups are given by doctors as voluntary service.
Regular worship, Sunday school, women’s fellowship, and youth meetings are held here.
Medical care is arranged for them in the Low Cost Effective Care unit of the Christian Medical College. Medical camps are held periodically.
Women are taught to make Paper Beads using old magazines.
It is gratifying to see the people whose lives have been transformed go to the nearby villages and spread the good news.
Needs:
- A bigger Community Hall cum Church building.
- The village is in a low lying area and so gets flooded during rains.
- Better housing and sanitation facilities.
The other surrounding places covered by Periyar Nagar center are as follows:
- Sampath Nagar: This area is parallel to the vellore town railway station which has around 300 families who work mainly in the market. Many children attend Sunday school and some adults come for worship to periyar nagar church. 70% of the children attend local schools.
- Vedhaa Street: There are around 80 families in this street which is located on the banks of the vellore Coovam which is very unhygienic. Most of the women are domestic helpers and all the children go to school.
- Irulars: They live around 1 km from periyar nagar. Around 25 families live here. They earn their living by cutting the roots of large trees and making them into coals and selling them. Their living conditions are very poor. All the children in this area go to local schools.
- Kansalpet: It is located in the northern side of vellore fort. There are around 70 families on whom we concentrate. It is a mixture of families doing different things like ricksaw pulling, domestic helpers and making wire by burning old tyres. 50% of the children attend schools.
In all the above 4 centers most of the men are alcoholics.