Since our last meeting the Ashram has reported that the Flower project, the
initial funding of which was helped by the Basilian Fathers, is progressing
well. Jasmines and roses are being sold at the market, but the profit
depends on the festival days, otherwise the selling cost is low and wages to
the women picking the flowers is relatively high. Further expenses may be
incurred in setting up light for workers in the hours before sunrise, as the
area contains poisonous snakes, and prices for early delivery of flowers at
the market is higher.

During the year the Ashram celebrate important cultural events and religious
festivals, and the children are involved in the festivities. At two of
these, Divali and Pongal, each of the children is given a new set of
clothes. This year the children participated in a Sports day, and were
encouraged to compete in friendship for prizes and certificates. During the
hot summer month of May the children who still have contact with their
families spent the month at the family home. The other children stayed at
the Ashram and were taken on some outings to local places of interest.
School recommenced in June, and Ashram officials seem satisfied with the
educational progress. Some staff training was given in the English
language, and a workshop held during the school holidays. Since July the
Indian Government has tightened up on fire precautions, and plans are being
made to install fire extinguishers. Otherwise the buildings were so planned
by the engineers that they meet the necessary regulations.

Regarding the sponsored children, the 3 girls in the nurse training program
have now completed the college courses and each is now employed as a nurse
in a hospital. The boy who was attending technical college has also
completed all his courses, passing with distinction, and has been hired by
the Wind Turbine engineering company. Another 5 of the children left the
Ashram this summer, one little boy was going to train as a vedic priest.
One very smart boy was going to enter business with an older partner, the
other 3 children were returning to their families to hopefully find work.
Two young newly admitted children are being substituted by the sponsors, and
two older girls and a boy of 18 who wish to enter higher educational
programs are being sponsored now.

Since June of this year donations from France of $1,800 each month have
ceased. Payment of the office staff, electricity bills, some support for the
school, cost of clearing up dry vegetation to prevent fire, all came from
the French aid.

So there is a problem to meet these expenses from other sources.



There have been a couple of further unfortunate incidents. An agricultural
labourer tried to elicit control of the Berry Farm by breaking fence posts
and letting in cattle. Another man who was working as a house father was
found to be ill treating the children and demanding money from the parents
all poor and uneducated people, and on being dismissed tried to intimidate
the Ashram.

At Emmaus Farm part of the mango plantation is often leased out annually for
a reasonable rent. This year's contractor generously gave a large donation
of mangos and apples for distribution among the children. Last month a
young deer chased by a dog jumped into the deep well at the farm, but was
rescued by farm workers and forest officials and taken back to the forest.
There seems to be an abundant harvest of mangos, bananas, jack fruit, egg
plant, okra, etc. at Emmaus Farm.


This year the Ashram has been able to give free medical care to the children
and weaker ones were given regular vitamins, like B complex, iron and
calcium tablets. Vera, an orphaned child who was cared for at the Ashram
since birth, has now completed her medical training and is the resident
doctor looking after the needs of all at the Ashram.