Did you know that Tsunami affected orphan Dalit children are still facing problems in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India) even after 6-7 years? We all know in the relief process at the time tsunami hit India, Dalits were sidelined by Governments and many other orthodox relief organizations.

During this time organization named “Visuddhaloka” came forward to help the helpless children – most of them Dalits and put forward the proposal of free education to the tsunami affected children in-front of donor organizations.  In 2005, Karuna Trust, UK came forward to support the children through Trilokya Boudha Maha Sahayak Sangh (TBMSG), Nagpur and since then Karuna Trust was the major contributor for the activities of Sakya Hostel.

Sakya Hostel students

Check out posters created by my friend, Ravi, and share with your friends from this following link:     http://drambedkarbooks.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/support-sakya-hostel-students-2/

At present there are 21 boys and 28 girls supported by Visuddhaloka. Children go to nearby Government schools and in the last few years some of the children after completing the schooling have joined engineering colleges/technical institutes such as three girl students have completed nursing course and joined good hospitals in Chennai, one student is doing Mechanical Engineering, two students joined diploma course in Fire & Safety and two other students joined diploma course in Petrochemical Engineering. Almost every student is doing well in their respective fields.

Since 2005, apart from education, Visuddhaloka is providing all these children with health care facilities, organizing meditation camps for students so that they can overcome traumas these students have undergone after losing their loved ones.

Sakya hostels were well supported in the beginning, as often seen in disaster situation of tsunami; many organizations come forward to provide humanitarian relief. But most of this relief was short term and lacked long term rehabilitation supports. The main remaining supporter (Karuna Trust) of Sakya hostel is also about to withdraw support as per the policy (to help start such ventures and to support them for a few years, but they then expect such ventures to find other, local, means of sustaining.)

Sakya Hostel students

Ignored by Governments, Sakya hostel students need your helping hand to achieve their dreams.

Today, Sakya hostel is facing critical situation and without external support it is a great burden on the organization to continue the hostel. The cost per child for one month is Rs. 1650/-. This amount supplies these students with food, clothing, study materials, stationeries, medicine and other essential items.

Please give wings to the dreams of Sakya hostel students, come forward and help.  Sakya Hostel students not only need money as a help, but also need an encouragement, an encouragement so that they can follow the path of struggle.

If you can’t help with money, please give encouragement. Just drop an email (at visuddhaloka@gmail.com), contact or give a phone call at following address:

Mr. S. JAYASRIDHAR  

(Email id. visuddhaloka@gmail.com )

(General Secretary)

Visuddhaloka Welfare Association Trust

Visuddhaloka, No:12/95 Subarmani Nagar, Manali New Town, Chennai – 600 103, TN

Mobile:  +91 9841 255 342.

(Please include me in CC while replying, my email id is drbrambedkarbooks@gmail.com)

More Information:

You can check out homepage of Sakya Hostel at http://sakyahostels.org/

Pictures of Sakya Hostel students at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sakyahostels

Visit Visuddhaloka blog at http://visuddhaloka.wordpress.com

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