As part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda, the Cholamandalam, a Chennai-based corporate group, has funded Nalamdana to implement a pilot project in 2016 and expanded the same through 2017-18- campaign on health and occupational hazard issues for truckers and cleaners. Nalamdana has reached 2,050 truck drivers by organizing 12 health camps, 6 role plays and 3 community dramas across select districts of Tamil Nadu state, where these truckers and transport workers/ helpers congregate. Medical professionals, mobilized by Nalamdana, offer free testing and counseling for a range of communicable and non-communicable illnesses. Support communication materials including stickers, audio jingles, spots, pocket calendars are being distributed. Phase II of this project is moving from Chennai peripheral areas into other target districts of Vellore, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Salem and Tada (N.Tamilnadu border) through 2018.
Category: Nalamdana News
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Health Outreach to Truck Drivers
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Health Outreach to Micro-Finance Entrepreneurs
The Micro Finance Corporation of India (Madura Group) has been collaborating with Nalamdana to help reach their women’s self-help groups in rural areas across India. A series of ten short films on specific health issues are being created to be screened for the women when they come together for their micro-finance meetings in the communities. The topics include fevers, cough and throat issues, back pain, vision problems, diabetes, blood pressure, head ache and basic health, hygiene and nutrition issues.
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Child Safety and Life Skills
Through film screening and facilitated discussions, Nalamdana continues to reach out to vulnerable children in government schools. Partnering with eBay and World Vision, Nalamdana team screened Maya Changu the film on child abuse in 15 schools between Sep 2018 and March 2018. Two film screenings on Alcoholism on demand were also held in two community locations. Total audience reached was 4850 children and adults.
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Celebrating 25 years of Nalamdana: Nalam Night 2018
2018 marks the completion of 25 years of Nalamdana working with poor and vulnerable communities all across Tamil Nadu to deliver health impact through social and behavioral change communication. To mark the occasion, Nalamdana hosted Nalam Night 2018 on February 3, 2018 in Chennai, where more than 150 well-wishers and supporters came together for a night of fun, food, and fund-raising. Attendees enthusiastically participated in a silent auction that raised resources to finance some of Nalamdana’s ongoing programs.
Nalam Night this year had a special theme: cancer. While facilities for cancer treatment in India continue to grow, there is insufficient awareness about the role of human behavior in preventing cancer as well as in its early detection and treatment. To address this gap, Nalamdana is teaming up the Society for Oncological Imaging and with oncological treatment centers in Chennai to develop locally appropriate cancer prevention and treatment support materials in Tamil and English. Dr. V. Shanta, Chairperson of the Chennai-based Cancer Institute gave the keynote address at Nalam Night 2018.
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Student Scholarship and Leadership Programme Update
Supporting deserving students from financially challenged backgrounds since 2002, Nalamdana helps them complete school through support of fees, books, uniforms and also special leadership and life skills programmes that include public speaking, self-confidence and social mindedness. In the last two years alone, Nalamdana has supported 60 students.
Youth Education and Leadership
Since 1995, Nalamdana has been supporting students from economically challenged backgrounds, to help them complete their high school, under Nalamdana’s Youth Education and Leadership Program.
The funding for this Youth Education and Leadership Program comes from individual donors, as well as from foundations and corporate organizations. Asha for Education, U.S. Chapters, have supported students on this program continuously, from 1999 to 2009!
Deserving students are selected through a rigorous selection process, which includes interviews with the child as well as their families, screening of the student’s school performance records and a house visit to verify the facts. Students, who come from financially challenged backgrounds yet, show good interest in education and signs of good communication and leadership skills are selected.
Beyond providing monetary support, this program also strives to contribute to their holistic development as young adults. Different skill building workshops are conducted during their school holidays. These range from carpentry skills, arts and crafts, to spoken English and computer skills. The students are also taken on a field trip/camp every year. Career guidance is provided where possible.
These students are also encouraged to give back to their communities in some way while keeping their school grades up.
The Youth Education and Leadership Program has been running successfully for 15 years now, and many of the supported students have gone on to become professionals in their chosen field. Some of the students who are well placed have now come forward to support scholarship students.
Scholarship Recipients
Some of our Former Scholarship Recipients…
John Ebenezer received a full scholarship from a very reputable institute in Malaysia, and is now studying Marine Biology there. He has already been offered a job that he can take up as soon as he completes his course.- Selvarani is now a dentist.
- Suchitra Mohan is now working at Livingston in the U.K. as a Business Systems Analyst with BSkyB.
- R.R. Manojkumar is now studying at the University of New Mexico.
Most of them remain in contact with Nalamdana and are vocal about how the scholarship programme built them as individuals. Some actively give back to Nalamdana and society in one way or another.
Manikandan is now working in a very well reputed I.T. company, and earning well. However, he still keeps in touch with Nalamdana, and spends time talking to and inspiring the current scholarship students.
Ramaswamy, a former recipient of Nalamdana’s Scholarship, is now working as an Assistant Engineer at Tata Consultancy Services, Chennai, and gives back a part of his salary towards this program to support another student like himself! Ramaswamy’s letter to Nalamdana
Support and Endowments
Between 30 and 35 students are supported annually by Nalamdana under this program. The funding for this Youth Education and Leadership Program comes from individual donors, as well as from foundations and corporate organisations. Asha for Education, U.S. Chapters, have supported students on this program continuously, from 1999 to 2009!
Other than sponsoring a student on a yearly basis, there have been specific endowments established to ensure continued support for some students annually:
The Rani Chandran Memorial Fund, is an endowment set up by former students and colleagues, of the late Mrs.Rani Chandran, an extraordinary English teacher and an inspirational individual and mentor. The interest from this fund supports spoken and written English classes for all the scholarship students, every summer.
The Kaveri Mani Endowment, was set up by her family members, in her memory. The annual interest from this endowment supports one girl student studying in an English Medium School, from 8th through 12th grade. When that girl finishes her 12th grade, another deserving 8th grade girl, in an English Medium School is taken on by this endowment.
Nassim Manji Endowment and Vinod and Vasu Sanchania Endowment: The collective annual interest from these two endowments supports the high school education of two girl children each year.
The Sudha Jain Memorial Endowment was set up in 2010 by her family members, friends and former students in her memory. Sudha Jain dedicated much of her life to teaching. Improving the situation of the lesser privileged segment of society through educating girl children was particularly close to her heart. The annual interest from this endowment supports four students from financially challenged families, right from the time they are selected to the time they complete grade 12. When each of the four children finishes 12th grade, another deserving child is taken on by this endowment.
The Vinodh Srikanth Memorial Endowment was set up in 2010 by his family members and friends, in his loving memory. Vinodh’s zest for life, generosity of spirit, care for others and love for children will be sorely missed by all who knew him. The annual interest from this endowment supports one student from the time they are selected to the time they complete grade 12. When each child finishes 12th grade, another deserving child is taken on by this endowment.
Kalvi Trust and Nalamdana
From 2010, The Kalvi Trust, an independent NGO, (with 80G tax exemption), has been identified to run this program, in partnership with Nalamdana. This is through a special resolution passed by the Nalamdana Board.
If you are interested in supporting a student, setting up an endowment or supporting any aspect of the program, please contact us at info@nalamdana.org.
Please address your email to Mr. M.Sampath, Programme Coordinator, Nalamdana Youth Education and Leadership Program
Approximate Program Cost
The cost of supporting one student from standard 8 through standard 12 (continuation of funding for each student for all 5 years however, depends on the results of the yearly assessment conducted, of the student’s performance and need)
- Rs.7000 ($152 USD) per student, per year, + 10% towards admin charges = Rs. 7,700 ($168 USD)
- Rs.7,700 x 5 years = Rs.35,000 ($760 USD) for all 5 years
This covers the school fees, uniform and books cost for the student as well as other activities organized by Nalamdana for skills building.
Cost of setting up a Endowment to keep supporting one student every year (this is put in a fixed deposit, and the interest is used to support the student’s education)
- Rs.1,00,000/- + 10% admin charges = Rs.1,10,000/- (approximately $2400 USD)
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Volunteering at Nalamdana – A Personal Story
By Aravind Rajagopalan – Undergraduate Student, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
When I first reached out to Mrs. Bharath Kumar to inquire if I could spend a couple weeks volunteering for Nalamdana, little did I know that I was about to gain an experience that would very well become not only the highlight of my summer but also an influence on my career path and future.
Beginning with an introductory course at UCLA that caught my attention, my journey and growing interest in the discipline of public health drove me to seek out valuable, tangible field experience that would complement my theoretical knowledge.
This summer, I spent a good two weeks in Nalamdana’s office in Neelankarai under the tutelage of the Nalamdana core staff – Mr. Sampath, Mr. Oyyavandhan, Mr. Jeevanandham, and Ms. Nithya Balaji and the rest of the office staff. I was able to observe the day-to-day progress of ongoing projects such as the “Magale Unakkagathan” Project, a 365-episode women’s community radio project designed to cover issues central to women and the community. I also was able to sit in on an official meeting where Nalamdana and New Concept Information Systems (NCIS) presented the ongoing progress and results of the “Drive and Thrive” Project, a health campaign for local truck drivers and their families, to the Chola Murugappa Group’s CSR representatives.
On yet another eventful day at the office, I traveled to the Payanoor village with office staff and associated performers to help set up, and even sing, for a short drama production designed to teach villagers how to properly use toilets. This experience was unlike any other, and I marveled at Nalamdana’s ability to hold an audience captive and immersed using their variety of talents while simultaneously delivering an extremely useful instructional message that would promote the villagers’ long-term health and well-being. Calling for audience participation from adults and children alike, the team seemingly accomplished their goal when even the smallest of village kids wanted explain why using a toilet was beneficial for hygiene.
Seeing Nalamdana in action in the areas in and around Chennai has opened my eyes to public health field experience in a way that I could not have received anywhere else. The directors and staff members are incredibly talented and dedicated to their ongoing efforts, and I am inspired to not only continue helping or volunteering again however and whenever I can, but also to carry these valuable experiences and lessons with me into my future in the medical field.