S.M.S.S Hindu mahila Mandiram, Poojappura

At present, the institution comprises the following units in 3 locations, in Thiruvananthapuram district.

The first and foremost is a home for destitute girls between the ages of 3 and 21. Many are orphans, many others have one parent alive, but he/she is not in a position to care for the child due to financial problems or social evils. They are brought to the home either by relatives, the police or some other agency. At a time we take care of 110-120 girls. All of them go to school or to some vocational training centre. The diet is totally vegetarian. They are provided clothes to wear at home and uniforms to school. They sleep in dormitories with common bathrooms and toilets. They offer prayers in the prayer hall twice a day and do yoga in the morning.

After school, they are directed to the academic stream or skill development centers according to their merit and choice. Our aim is to equip them to lead a self reliant life in the society. A few of them find employment in the institution itself, while some others are helped to find jobs in government and private agencies. Many others have been married to eligible young men who have approached the institution now and then.

Taking into account the importance of computer literacy as a requirement for all jobs and educational programs, we introduce children of the home to the PC as an instrument for furthering knowledge and skill, and developing a sense of exploration through the internet. At present, we have 7 PCs (Pentiums) being used is the school computer lab and 1 in the library.

Differently abled women children we have helped

Over the years, Mahila Mandiram has provided relief and shelter to many poor and helpless women out side the target group. The following are some examples that we are particularly proud of.

A 47-year old woman who was admitted at the age of 7 developed obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. She was treated by a psychiatrist and rehabilitated. She now helps out at the primary school. She has also been trained as a weaver and spends all her spare time spinning yarn.

A blind lady was trained as a music teacher and now gives lessons to children.

Three young girls with low IQs from disturbed families have been trained in book-making.

A polio victim has been trained in hand-embroidery and book-making and lives a useful and productive life.

A hostel for working women of the low-income group. The hostel has 25 residents, it is run on a no-loss-no-profit basis and is self-supporting.

A crèche provides day-care for 14 babies whose mothers work in units of the institution or in the neighbourhood.

An English medium pre-primary and primary school provides education to local children from Std. I to VII

A full-fledged secondary school aided by the government from Std. VI to X has nearly 750 day scholars in addition to girls from the Home.

Ambulance service The State Bank of Travancore donated an ambulance to be used as a service in the locality. It is available all 24 hours.

RURAL UNITS

Care centre for the elderly

The Care Center for the aged, 35 kilometers from Trivandrum, started in 2002 has 14 residents. The land and the heritage building were donated by a generous lady. They are all destitutes who do not have any one to care for them. Four of them were handed over by the Government General Hospital when their relatives failed to claim them long after their treatment was over. The center is looked after by an efficient staff. Funding is mainly by public donations. Medical care is given by the government hospital 4 kilometers away. The residents whose health permits are encouraged to help in the daily chores of the home. They also maintain a vegetable and flower garden.

In the next phase of this project we plan to build a two-storey building as a Multi care Center for The Aged, which will include day-care activities as well as outreach programmes. This will include medical care and counseling.

Vocational Training Units

A weaving center with 10 looms produces bed-sheets, towels, dhotis, cloth for school uniforms, mopping cloth etc.

The tailoring unit employs grown-up girls of the Home and a few others in the neighbourhood. Here tailoring orders are undertaken to fabricate all types of ladies' and children's garments. Training in tailoring and embroidery is given to grown up girls of the Home and the locality.

Book binding and notebook making center gives training in book-binding, notebook-making and screen printing. Here training is given to groups of women from Government and private agencies.

Offset printing execute multi colour quality printing orders.

Catering unit, a vegetarian catering unit, provides tasty and homely snacks and meals to nearby localities at very reasonable rates according to demand.

A Desktop publishing center with photo-copying, lamination and spiral binding

Computer application classes provide girls with basic training in the use of computers. Courses offered equip the students to find jobs as middle level managers and accountants.

All the vocational units trained grownup residents of the home as well as young women of the neighbourhood. The income generated from these units are ploughed back to train new groups and to upgrade the units.