About Alamelu
Overview
For almost seventy years, the Sri Kanyakumari Gurukula Ashram (SKGA) has cared for neglected children, and often their mothers when the father has died or abandoned them, providing accommodation in clean basic cottages, plus education and health care. SKGA is located at the southern tip of India, in
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. There are three campuses: one called New Lands is in the town of and Kanyakumari. It looks after about 25 street children who have no papers and are bought there usually by social workers or the police; they now have a home, food and education. Alamelupuram is another campus in a small village, about 15 km outside the town. It is for adolescent boys; after puberty boys are not allowed be in the same campus with girls as per government regulations. Luckily, Alamelupuran is only 3 km from the main campus and school, called Sitaramapuram. This campus houses the remaining approximately 100 children. SKGA assists in total about 150 children.
History and Philosophy of the organization we fund
SKGA was Founded by Mrs. V. Alamelu Ammal in 1952 at Kanyakumari. It is based on the concept of the ancient Ashrams (ashram means a community) and Gurukulas, where the older members take care of the younger; each cottage is organized this way, with a house mother and cook. Child care services are structured and delivered as within a large extended family, creating a child-centred home-like environment where skills and personal life management are developed and encouraged.
Homes for Children
In the Children’s Homes, admission is open to all children and young people between six and twenty years of age. No discrimination is made on the basis of caste, creed, community, class or culture. After high school, some children remain members of the ashram to pursue studies; others continue to live and work at the ashram until they become self-reliant. SKGA is not an orphanage in the western sense. Children are not available for adoption since most already have extended family. According to Indian government regulations, children younger than six have to be available for adoption.
Community Service
- Meaningful employment for widows, single women and mothers.
- Day care services at two nearby villages and in Kanykumari town.
- Employment of local labour for agricultural needs.
- Providing adequate education.
- Growing food at the two farms for consumption and sale.
Canadian Connection
In Canada, the Ashram is supported by Alamelu Children’s Homes (Canada), a small group of donors and volunteers who provide sponsorship of individual children, maintenance of a particular program, or raise funds for projects such as:
- supplying food, clothes, sanitation needs
- replacing wood fires in the kitchens with liquified natural gas appliances. (seven in all)
- Constructing a water reservoir
- Providing furnishings, curriculum resources and supplies for the school and library
- maintenance of the cottages, repainting, window screening, etc.
- maintaining a micro loan system for the staff
- assisting older children who attend post-secondary education
- Paying to send several young women to train as nurses in a three year program
100% of all donations made are remitted directly to the SKGA Ashram. All activities of Alamelu Children’s Homes (Canada) are carried out by volunteer directors, without any compensation. We continue to add to the self-administered revolving loan set up for emergency purposes for those who work at the ashram.
Registration
Alamelu Children’s Home is a Canadian charity, 86331 1866 RR001, registered with Canada Revenue Agency. All donations are tax-deductible in Canada. All donors will receive tax receipts