About LOTUS:
LOTUS, home for the destitute 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. Sr. Augustine Mary approached philanthropists, friends and 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 want to sponsor children for studies, food for a day etc.

Aim: To support the utterly neglected poor and the destitute by providing them basic and self-supportive education, irrespective of caste or religion.

Current Involvement: There are three categories of people who benefit at present from this project.

Children: These are capable students who are forced to give up their studies because the daily wage, which their parents earn, does not meet even their basic needs or they have lost one of their parents. The poverty at home led especially girls, to the streets who are now rag-pickers or runaways. They are destitute who either lack shelter or dwell in slums.

Women: These are unprotected destitute women who come under its care. Depending upon the circumstances, they keep them in a separate home for a year or two and help them become self-sufficient. It imparts self-confidence in them through legal right and self-worth awareness programmes. Their children too, will be taken care of and returned to them.(Three destitute ladies and two very poor families already benefited from this project). These women are initiated into various vocational courses. Also. The less educated ladies are taught tailoring and are provided with tailoring machines. Training the sufficiently educated women into typing and then helping them find jobs. Helping the bright women to study further through open universities. Finding suitable jobs for less educated women.

Youth: As in the case of destitute women, the youth who drop-out of school are helped to get education, until they find jobs. Leadership training is provided, which increases their confidence. Finally, they are restored to their families and some of them even turn out to be committed volunteers in this project.

The Future Agenda:
Aged: There are people who are aged and neglected, either abandoned by their children or do not have any children. To make sure that those who are invalid and confined to their house get regular and proper food. To admit the shelter less people into some home for the aged until this project gets its own home.

Handicapped: These are children who are very poor and handicapped between age group of 5 and 15. To give them education by keeping them separately under care. To help them discover their talents which in turn may impart confidence in them.
Mentally retarded children: To teach them according to each ones IQ by keeping them separate. To initiate them into some simple vocational courses like making bricks, mixing washing powder and arranging match sticks.

Particulars of the Residents and Day Scholars in LOTUS:
LOTUS harbours 42 members which include students(School, ITI, Polytechnic and College) and destitute ladies.
Children studying in School - 33 (Inmates - 20, Day Scholars - 13)
Professional students - 5 (Day Scholars)
Destitute Ladies - 4 (Inmates - 2, Day Scholars - 2)
Among the 38 students 5 have recently completed their courses and are awaiting their results. Due to the lack of accommodation some of the above students, at present, are accommodated in different hostels and others reside with their parents. So far their performance in education has been excellent.

Income and Expenses of LOTUS:
Income:
Salary of Sister (Sr.Augustine Mary) - Rs.6000 /-
Tuition - Rs.3000 /-
Sale of Handicrafts - Rs.2500 /-
Monthly Contribution - Rs.3500 /-
Total Income per Month - Rs.15000 /- ( All figures are approx. values)

Expenditure:
Food Items - Rs.14000 /-
Toilet Items - Rs.1000 /-
Electricity - Rs.500 /-
Fuel - Rs.2500 /-
Total Expenditure per Month - Rs.18000 /-

In addition to the above expenditure they have to take care of the students who are staying outside(which is Rs.10000/- per month) and for the students staying in the hostel they have to pay Rs.150/- per month apart from their educational expenses. Some of the adults and aged people stay in rented houses and they have to pay the rent and provide them other necessities.
LOTUS has been surviving because people like us have been constantly lending a helping hand.

Address:
5/456, Rohini Garden,
1st, Plot, Iyappa Chettiar Kadu,
Alagapuram Pudur,
Salem - 636 016, INDIA
Phone # : 0427-440449


Site Visits: Asha Portland’s Project Coordinator, Chandrika visited LOTUS in March'2000. Here's video from the visit. ( Lotus March'00 )