The welfare activities of the Gandhigram Trust are a set of institutions that are meant to provide shelter and support for the socially ignored and neglected sections. Avvai Ashram was established in 1954, and Shanti School in 1956 taken over from M. Jesudasan and integrated with Avvai Ashram when he was unable to take care of it.
The Avvai Ashram campus is a stone’s throw away from the Local Shiva temple, and the Shanthi school residential campus is just a few compounds away. The temple and its activities play a prominent role in the daily life of the inmates of both the Avvai Ashram and Shanthi School. Children go to the temple in the evening and night, chant slokas and verses from holy texts. Besides the temple, there is a mosque in the predominantly Muslim village of Sammangulam nearby.
The festivals / celebrations at the mosque correlate with those of the temple and vice versa; hence all people make it a point to visit both on a holy day. There are 58 children in the Ashram now. The children who are brought to the Avvai Ashram who either have only relatives who are unable to take care of them or a single parent who is very poor, or handicapped or working elsewhere etc.
The Avvai Ashram Family The atmosphere is very homely and informal; the children feel more at home here than in their own homes. Until 16 years of age, they get support from the social welfare grant – Rs. 400 per person per month. There are a few donations coming in that go towards the Ashram over and above this amount. Every year there are about 10 – 15 children above 16 years of age and hence without State support. Many times higher studies of the inmates, (nursing, B.Ed., B. Sc. etc), their boarding and other charges in a hostel and elsewhere are also borne by the Ashram. Again, marriages for many of the girls are also planned, organised by the Ashram. The children go to the school at Sivasailam, a few blocks away Attri Kalanilaya middle School (1st -8th) and in Azhwarkurichi Sri Paramakalyani Higher Sec. School (6th to 12th).
Arrangements are also made when required to send the youngsters to Sri Paramakalyani College at Azhwarkurichi. The Ashram, similar to the school, functions like a surrogate family for the children, supporting them until marriage and even offspring’s many times, and keeping in touch after, to know of their well-being. There is one general tuition teacher for assisting them with their study after school hours, one tutor for the weekend, and there are girls from the nearby colleges and others who volunteer from time to time to help the children with their studies and other activities. Cultivation and gardening has been taken up in the Ashram campus. Mostly vegetables are grown here and the children get involved in this with the help of the gardener. Financial support is needed for their infrastructural and other needs.
