Lotus

Project Brief: To support the utterly neglected poor and destitute for their basic and self-supportive education irrespective of caste or religion.
Project Type: Residential School (description)
Primary Focus: dropouts (description)

Secondary Focus: children from slums

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact: Portland
Status: completed - requirements ended
Project Steward:
Project Partner(s):
Other Contacts:
Project Address: , 5/456, Rohini Garden,1st Plot, Iyappa Chettiar Kadu,Alagapuram Pudur,
Tamil Nadu  636 016
Tel: 0427-440449
Stewarding Chapter: Portland
Dec 2000PortlandUSD 500

Total = $500

LOTUS, Home for Destitutes, is located in Alagapuram Pudur, Salem, India. This organization is run by Sr. Augustine Mary, a teacher. Currently LOTUS is taking care of 38 students and 4 destitute women.
It assists children who have been forced to leave school for various reasons (i.e. poverty or loss of a parent), by providing them with a basic education.
LOTUS helps destitute women by teaching them job skills, such as typing and tailoring; and by educating them on their legal rights. Also, in hopes of providing these women with self-confidence, they concurrently run a self-worth awareness program.
Some of the youth who have graduated from this program, and found jobs, have returned to LOTUS to become volunteers and help others.
In the future, LOTUS also hopes to expand and serve the aged, handicapped and mentally challenged children.
LOTUS, Home for Destitutes is located in Alagapuram Pudur, Salem, India. This organization is run by Sr. Augustine Mary, a teacher. Currently LOTUS is taking care of 38 students and 4 destitute women. As their residence is small, only 22 people(20 school kids & 2 women) are staying in house. The rest are in Sr.Augustine's relatives place and some live in hostels. 33 of the children are studying in school and 5 are professional students(vocational training).

The current income from different sources is not meeting the current expenditure levels. She approached philanthropists, friends, relatives who helped her immediately. Other organizations like LIONS, Rotary clubs helped them from time to time. They also receive monthly contributions from some philanthropist.

These people are ready to accept any form of help and they also welcome people who wants to sponsor children for studies, food for a day and etc. LOTUS project is being evaluated by ASHA Portland organizers. One of the organizers who is currently visiting India went to Salem, visited this place and we will know more info when she gets back.