Effects of Economic downturn of 2008-09
A humble request from the Trust and the staff of Jeevan Gnanodhaya. The economic downturn has affected all our donors and hence the donations, with which we have been able to continue this service, has come down by 75%. We are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Kindly spare some thought for these children and help us with your donations.
A child with disability is considered a liability by many. Some others consider the child not just a liability but a loathsome shame. Rural children who are deaf and dumb sit & rot due to negligence, ignorance and the poverty level of the family.
The fact is that a disabled person has a heart to feel, a brain to think and the desire to lead a normal, useful life like any other. His/ her desire is well within the reach, provided the state and the society realize their responsibility towards the handicapped lot. If proper treatment is meted out to the handicapped, and if proper accessories and opportunities are offered to them, they can definitely rise above their impairment.
Realizing all these and also by way of carrying out a social responsibility, Jeevan Gnanodhaya School for the Deaf and Mentally Retarded has come into being catering to the needs of the poor rural children who have hearing impairment. The school, which was started on 9 October, 1989 with just three children in Anna Nagar, Chengalpattu, has spread its wings far and wide.
At present there are more than 150 children with hearing impairment and also mental retardation in this Institution. They are given education, food, clothes and shelter in an atmosphere of Love and Concern. The number of children knocking at the doors of the Institution keep multiplying. The Institution has a separate wing for Mentally Retarded Children.
‘We speak with our eyes and hear with our heart’ – so the children of the school seem to say and we are determined to make possible all kinds of interaction between such children and the society. The school aims to provide education and all other things required for a life of Dignity, to these children, and so enable them rehabilitate themselves.
As all the children who are studying in our school come from rural background and also from poor families, we are not collecting any fee for the children’s Education and Shelter. We are not receiving any financial aid from the State and Central Governments. It is only through donations in cash and kind, from several individuals and institutions, who are endowed with compassion and social consciousness that we are able to go on against all odds.
To run the school, we need a sum of Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 200,000 every month. The inflow of donations is not sufficient during many months. To meet the needs of these children and to shape their future in best manner possible, we look forward to your timely help and able support.
The school was previously functioning in a rented building, but now, thanks to our discerning donors, we have a building of our own and we have two separate hostels for the boys and girls.
For the children who are admitted, we give approach therapy for one year. Then we admit these children who have fared well into kindergarten. The children are given education upto XII standard (12th Grade) in line with the Tamil Nadu Government curriculum for school education. We also have typewriting institute for our deaf children in our school. For some photos of the activities, click here.
At present our school has sixteen teachers, who have the necessary qualifications are deeply committed to their work. They have undergone special training in teaching the deaf and dumb. They have the patience and dedication to teach the physically handicapped.
To look after the needs of the children with love and affection, our school has got five female helpers including a cook.
When we see the marked difference in our students’ appearance and behaviour, for the better, since their arrival here, we feel highly satisfied. Indeed, we are profoundly grateful to all our donors and well-wishers. We sincerely appeal to one and all of you to come, join or band of donors and well-wishers and lend a helping hand in the rehabilitation work of our school children. We rely on the help and aid by way of cash and kind from right-thinking and kind-hearted people. We sincerely hope that you are also one of them. We appeal to you to help is in all possible manner.
The institution has Miles to go and we earnestly feel and wish to go further in rehabilitating more such hapless children in a more comprehensive manner. Our school intends to impart several special skills also, like Tailoring, Computer Knowledge and Typewriting, to our children.
We want to help as many children as possible, who are in need of our helping hand to lead a normal life. As such we are currently turning down quite a number of students for want of adequate financial and other resources.
For this plan, we need a vast area and a deftly constructed building with all the necessary infrastructure. Further expansion, naturally involves employing more teaching staff, higher educational qualifications and appropriate higher salary structures.
2008
Students with hearing impairment from other schools, who were not successful in passing their High school exams are admitted into our school and educated. Our goal is to help them pass their high school exams and transfer them to our Jeevan Gnanodhaya Industrial Training Institute.
2007
From this year, we are able to place the students trained at Jeevan Gnanodhaya Industrial Training Institute. The students of the institute achieved 100% success in their final examinations – All India Trade test conducted by the Government of India. We placed 17 students by December 2007 with Industries in Chennai and Chengalpattu.
March 2004
As of now, we’ve the following five branches in the institution
1) Jeevan Gnanodhaya Hr. Sec. School for the Hearing Impaired
2) Jeevan Gnanodhaya Industrial Training Institute – the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu for the hearing impaired
3) Jeevan Gnanodhaya Home for the Mentally Retarded
4) Jeevan Chalk Works
5) Jeevan Gnanodhaya English School (for village students only)
Read more about these institutions by clicking on them above.
June 2003
The students of the school have achieved 100% pass rate in the board exams. This was published in a newspaper article too, rating the school as one of the best in the district. Congratulations to the staff and students of the school.
| Sponsor a child for 1 month | Rs. 400 |
| Sponsor a child for 1 year | Rs. 4000 |
| Providing one full day’s meals for all students | Rs. 3500 |
| Providing one special meal to all children | Rs. 1500 |
| Akshaya Patra scheme (interest used to provide one meal to inmates on a day of Donor’s choice) | Rs. 7000 |
| Medical expenses for 1 month | Rs. 1000 |
| Dress for 1 child for a year | Rs. 750 |
| Purchase hearing aid for a child | Rs. 3500 |
| Maintenance of hearing aid, purchase of books & notebooks for 1 child | |
| Primary school student | Rs. 1000 |
| High/ Higher secondary school students | Rs. 2000 |
Please make Cheques / Demand Draft / Banker’s cheque in favour of Jeevan Gnanodhaya Charitable Trust. For citizens of India, who wish to avail Income Tax benefits, donations are exempted from Income Tax under Section 80 G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Contact Address:
Jeevan Gnanodhaya Charitable Trust
C-46, 5th Cross Street, Anna Nagar,
Chengalpattu 603 001
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: 91-(44)-2742-8708
I along with the staff and children of our school thank you profoundly for your continued support and pray to you to continue your support to us.
Thanking you,
L. Devarajan
Managing Trustee, Jeevan Gnanodhaya.
Email jeevancharity@yahoo.com