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Project Description
“GNANODAYA” School was stared in the year 2001 by St. Johns Leprosy Patients Rehabilitation Association to provide educational opportunity for healthy children of leprosy affected people. The majority of the children’s parents are below poverty line and Gnanodaya provides shelter (in hostel located on campus), food and education to the children – all at no cost to the parents. Due to stigma attached to this disease, these children find it extremely difficult to attend regular schools. The idea behind such a residential school comes from the background of most leprosy-affected patients/parents. Many of them earn a living by begging. The children either go along with them or wander near the homes. They don’t go to school or even if the parents take an effort to enroll the children in a school, they are discriminated/cast aside as children of beggars. So, even if enrolled into school the children drop out due to the discrimination faced in school. Through proper medical care, good nutrition and education these children will be integrated in to the mainstream society. Some children belonging to backward communities from nearby villages also attend the school as day scholars, which promotes integration of the leprosy affected families with mainstream society. The school caters to children of leprosy affected people from all over India – from Delhi to Kanyakumari. There are currently 102 children residing in the on-campus hostel and 101 children from surrounding villages. Currently the school has students from 1st standard to 8th standard (a nursery class for younger children is also run in the campus) and it plans to upgrade to higher classes (9th and 10th standard) in the next 4 years. Asha Austin currently supports part of the annual expenses for running the school which includes teacher salaries, electricity charges, uniforms, food related costs etc.
Organization Description
St. Johns Leprosy Patients Rehabilitation Association was started in the year 1965 and the association became registered with the Tamil Nadu government in 1979. The main purpose of the association is to rehabilitate the leprosy patients who are shunned by society as well as family members. The stigma associated with leprosy leads to discrimination of the affected patients and many of them resort to begging for survival. The association purchased 5 acres of land in Venkatapuram village near Singaperumalkoil in Kancheepuram district, near outskirts of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Houses were built for the leprosy patients here and part of the land is also used for cultivation. The farming activities helps to provide employment to the patients along with rice, vegetables etc for consumption. Poultry farm and dairy farm is also run to generate income for the association. The association started Gnanodaya middle school in 2001 to provide free education for children of leprosy patients in the same area. The education is aimed to promote social, cultural and economical improvements for the leprosy affected families.
Project Type: Residential School
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Primary Focus: children of lepers
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Area: Rural
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