Water treatment plant at Kovalam village

Rtn Ron Mazur sent me an email that the funds are on their way and this means obviously that in the next few weeks the water treatment plant will be on its way to us.

The village headman at Kovalam is enthusiastic about the opportunity to provide his people with clean potable water. He has cleaned the area close to the well from which the water will be drawn and has built a wall around the site for security.

We need to make a visit soon so we can get the job of building a shed for the plant. Rtn Mani Iyer an architect has agreed to look into this and prepare the drawings.

Lots of work to get done by the time the plant arrives.

Regular meeting on 23rd November

The regular meeting of the Club on 23rd of November was different and at the same time outstanding. I had arranged for a preview of a play which is to be staged in January in connection with the Centennary festival of kerala's renowned author VAIKOM.

The theatre group PERCH (Performers Chennai) did a great job, they made us all laugh and also left beiind a nagging thought about the plight of women who are subject to dowry.

All in all the meeting was a great success and the festival in january is something no one should miss.

Bedding kits for sanitary workers

Come Sunday the 16th September members of the Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk will give away bedding kits to about 120 sanitary workers attached to the Corporation of Chennai. These workers keep the city clean by doing dirty work, they sweep the roads, clear the garbage, clean out sewage lines and yet what they earn for this work does not give them enough to be able to afford their children a reasonable education, clothing or in my opinion lead a life whree all needs are met.

The kit that will be given to them will consist of a pillow, a sheet to cover themselves to protect them not only from the winter chill (20 degrees celsius) but also from the mosquitos and another sheet to lie on.

I hope we are able to bring a little cheer into their lives on Sunday.

Update on Chip Ross Learning Centre

The Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk made its contribution for the year to the Chip Ross Learning Centre. This will make it possible for the centre to train and find jobs for 20 disabled girls. These girls will be trained in computers, OS, Office suite, accounting basics.

Please read the story of Sarada, a disabled girl who benefitted from this project.

Sarada Helped

Have I said enough?

I woke up this morning thinking "Have I said enough?"


Head Master - Thiru Vi Ka School
This project is one of the best to have happened to this school, while many of you who have benefitted from this project are not from this school, I still feel a part of you. This is an opportunity that has been offered by RC Chennai Kilpauk which has supported us like a tap root that supports a tree, make use of this opportunity and rise, rise beyond what you think possible.

President - RCCK
We are firm that this project will continue to benefit thousands of drop outs and help them find for themselves a vocation that they find interesting. We are committed.

This is one of the most endearing projects that has been taken up by the club, we are able to directly help people achieve their ambitions by providing them with means.

Tim, thank you for helping us make this happen.

Vocational training for school drop outs

This evening the RC of Chennai Kilpauk crossed a significant mark in its path towards its objective of reaching out to needy people. The first batch of 60 students who have undergone the vocational training courses offered by us at thiru Vi ka school were handed over their completion certificates. most of these drop outs have not only succesfully completed training in their chosen vocation but have also been placed in jobs.

There were teething problems, drop outs not sure of what they could do and suspiciouos of the offering, getting the team together, putting the process in place and many other smaller issues. What I saw today was a successfully completed project which was represented by the beaming faces of those school drop outs who at one point were under the impression that they were no good and there was very little in store for them in their lives.

This project was started with the generous funding by The Rotary Club of Medford Rogue, Oregon. Rtn Tim Johnson who helped shape this project should have been here this evening to nwitness this wonderful event. 60 lives touched and changed for the better. This would not have been possisble if not for Tim's efforts and viists to meet up with us in India.

The only worry expressed was that with the success of the first batch the next batch amnounting to 150 would be completed in six months and then what? We need to come up with the funds to keep this wonderful project going. We can show these kids that not everything is lost and that we can help them help themselves.

This project is worth taking on for the long term.
This project makes a different to so many kids who drop out of school
This project changes lives with so little
This project must go on
This project must go on........

First Rotary meeting for 2007-08

The first meeting was held at Hotel Connemara and Varadarajan conducted the Club Assembly in style. All Directors made their presentations and we have now a close to 7 million Rupees worth of projects that are to be taken on. A prospective member was introduced to the Club by Secretary Rahul and Karthik introduced Muthukumar as a propsective member. As we keep moving I feel that we will be able to reach our target of 40 members this year, initiative taken by Karthik in moving our club meeting place to Connemara will pay dividends and so also the efforts being put in by all members towards bettering every sphere of activity. Resources are important and we are lucky in this.

Start of a New Rotary Year

We have started another New Rotary year, Rtn Varadarajan was installed as President of the club with a powerful team of office bearers. Plans have been made for the year and they include, water treatment plant for Kovalam village, support to Chip Ross Centre for Learning, Helping Hands continues with more support from Strathcona Sunrise, provision of sleeping koits to conservancy workers and more. Many members of the Lodge went to Pondicherry for a weekend of brain storming soon ater installtion and have returned with renewed commitment, energy and enthusiasm. This being the 10th year for RCCK will be an important milestone in which the Club hopes to build steps leading to the top. Thanks to all who have been helpful and interested in us.

Chip Ross Learning Centre

Rtn. Mohan Roy on hearing the story of Sarada immediately wrote out a cheque towards te centre and we all thank him for his generosity. Mohan did not think before he sent out a mail stating that he would be glad to support such a great cause. It is a privilege to have a member like Mohan in RCCK.

Water treatment project

A few clubs form California and RCCK are joining hands to provide safe drinking water to people in Tsunami hit areas and the project is shaping up nicely. Things are hotting up and there will be more news on this front soon.

Sarada helped

Sarada comes from a village located South of Chennai in the interiors of the State of Tamilnadu. She is disabled and finds it difficult to move around her house. With great difficulty her parents have pooled in much of their resources and have sent her to school and she managed to come up to the 10^th when they gave up due to lack of funds.

Confined to her house, in a village with a population of about 1500, she is unable to stand the loneliness and the prospect of a bleak future. Unable to study in a school nor able to take on any work due to lack of skills and opportunities Sarada slipped into depression. Her parents try to talk to her but this is of no help and the condition worsens. Life becomes unbearable.

In a couple of months Sarada who is unable to study, go out to play or get herself a job hears of a computer centre in the city of Chennai which provides free training for disabled girls and to make it even better she would get a place to stay and food for the six months she has to stay in Chennai for the training. She talks to her parents and enrolls.

In the next batch at the centre Sarada registers and her training on computers commences. To Sarada everything is a new experience, Chennai a metropolis with a population of over 8 million, the vehicles, the traffic, the lights so different from a sleepy village which has 2 streets and no street lights, no cinema halls and only one resident has a car. It takes her 2 weeks to come to terms with her new surroundings.

The next six months at the centre is heaven for her, she has made friends with the other girls, she is now able to talk as an equal with other people and participates in discussions. Her time at the computer centre not only teaches her new skills but also develops her personality and opens hitherto unknown opportunities for her.

Then comes the sad day, the day when the training is over and Sarada finds that she does not want to go back home. She does not want to go back to a home where there no people who will treat her as an equal, a home where even a smile is difficult, happiness is difficult, though her parents her not to blame they will never be able to duplicate the experience she had at the centre.

Luckily at the graduation ceremony her prayers are answered, a business person interviews a few of the girls and then shows her willingness to offer three of them jobs in her factory. Sarada’s life has changed and today she is a dedicated worker and is now confident of her future.

What made this possible was the Chip Ross computer Centre at Andhra Mahila Sabha sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk.

Make a difference to a disabled girl’s life for as little as USD 200 per year.

Contributions in USD :

Pay:American Express,Bank New York;Swift code :aeibus33

Contributions in UK Pounds:

Pay National Westminister Bank;Swift code: nwbkgb2l

For the credit of Indian Bank, Overseas Branch, Chennai ;Swift code :idibinbbmas

For further credit to :S.B. Account No. 27162
Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk Charitable Trust - Foreign Contribution Account.
Indian Bank,
Kilpauk Branch,
New Avadi Road,
Chennai 600010,
India

Water tretament plant in Mahabalipuram

In collaboration with RC of Dublin, Trivalley in Califirnia RCCK will work on a matching grant application for setting up a water treatment plant in Mahabalipuram a town close to the city of Chennai. The water treatment plant will primarily serve a fishing hamlet close to the town. It is expected that this plant will over time serve over 4000 people, providing them with clean potable water. The fishing hamlet was wiped out during the Tsunami and is now being rebuilt. More information will be posted here as the project prgresses.

Physio therapy equipment

A set of equipment of donated under the banner of Helping Hands to Bala Vihar, an institution for special children. This equipment will help these kids stand and walk and Rotary would have taken many many steps forward by helping these children.

Giving away of tricyles - Helping Hands

Over 20 tricycles and 14 wheelchairs were handed over to an NGO to be given to beneficiaries living in backward areas of Villupuram District. Much of the work on co ordinating this was done by PP Sreevatsa.

Subbu takes over as President

N. Subramanian a Chartered Accountant by profession takes over as President of the Club for the year 2006-07. The installation function was presided over by the Incoming Governor J. B. Kamdar.

Not in order

The next few posts may not be in any particular order, in fact the order will be assigned by my remembering the events, the first event I remember will get posted first and so on. I may not even be able to give dates of happenings. I shall however post most of what has happened in RCCK which can be shared.

It's been a long time

Almost a year and no posts. Geeez! what have you been up to, so busy that you can't keep your club's blog updated? This and that has kept me going with the updation of the blog going down on priority, I know its not right, not right all, so let me get this thing started again.