Bengaluru: A haven for the destitute children and the elderly, Sumangali Seva Ashrama (SSA) has been making efforts for the last 30 years to empower the underprivileged, vulnerable and needy sections of society, particularly children and women.
Founded by S.G. Susheelamma, the NGO has come a long way from counselling women and children, to addressing their health, educational, environmental, economic and cultural needs.
“One of our focus areas is education. We strive to educate students from first to seventh standard free of cost. We provide them with teaching material, food and other needs,” says Ms Suma Suresh, the coordinator.
“Apart from teachers' salaries, the government does not support us in any other way and we are mostly on our own, and rely on volunteers and financial aid from philanthropists. Our volunteers and teachers at the ashram go to slum areas and try getting children to schools as their parents are not educated enough to make such decisions. A lot of effort goes in counselling the family about education,” she says. At present, the Ashrama's school has 350 children studying from first to seventh standard.
The team aims to facilitate self-sufficiency and overall development of all, irrespective of their caste, creed and gender. It provides free food, shelter, health, education, training and housing.
“We focus on urban slums and remote rural areas, where vulnerability is more. We also involve community leaders, panchayat raj institutions and government officials in our programmes to establish transparency and to comply with principles of ‘good governance’,” she says.
The Ashrama houses some 100 residential children, who are educated and trained in various aspects.
“It is not just educational and residential facilities, we also have craft training, spiritual training, vocational training (tailoring, embroidery, car driving, screen printing, twisting, spinning, knitting, handloom, soft toy making and plant nursery), community development, family counselling and self-employment opportunities. We also open savings bank account for women and children," she adds.
“We have service-minded staff members and people to take up different activities. Apart from volunteers coming in for a day or two, or corporates providing for some needs, not many people or organisations have come forward to support us. Recently, Puma along with The Smile Foundation offered to help. “They are paying the salaries of six teachers and support staffer as part of the formal education initiative run by The Smile Foundation,” she explains, maintaining that the Ashrama's current requirements are large.
Despite these hurdles, the Ashrama ensures that its vision of empowering women and children does not suffer. At present, some 180 elderly people are housed at the Ashrama's Old Age Home and their day-to-day needs are met by the NGO. Also, some 15,462 children have reaped the benefits of education at the nursery and higher primary school for boys and girls at C.N. Halli in Bengaluru.
