Pudiyador ‘A New Beginning’

Transforming impoverished communities One child at a time

Pudiyador…A non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of children living in poverty through education and social support

… provides poor children with a balanced education similar to that available to the privileged class

… gives underprivileged children the opportunity to interact with positive role models on a daily basis

A glimpse into Pudiyador Activities

Ensure children attend the local school

Keep them off the streets and out of trouble

Provide additional academic help after school hours

Other activities such as music, dance, yoga, sports, crafts, similar to that available to more privileged children

Provide nutritional food/supplements

Cover medical needs under Group Insurance

Status of Pudiyador today…

Computer Engineer

Karate Master

Astrophysicist

SculptorMusic director

Pudiyador coordinator!!

Professor

Social entrepreneurPhotographer

Choreographer

Rocket Scientist

Pudiyador Ramapuram, the oldest initiative is now well established. Ramapuram is the “model” location that the other centers are trying to emulate. Academic performance has improved greatly, the children exude increased self confidence, their individual talents have been identified and nurtured and their continuous exposure to positive role models has inspired them to envision better futures.

Pudiyador Urappakkam has been functioning for 2 years now. Although not where Ramapuram is, this center is functioning well. Children are very interested in coming to Pudiyador and the parents have now accepted its presence in their community. It is developing steadily, with both support from volunteers and cooperation from the community.

Pudiyador Vannandurai was established this summer! Supporting around 30 children, this center is established in the heart of the city. This is the first “urban” center and is growing fast. The elders in this community welcomed the very idea of Pudiyador, as their city life had given them exposure enough to understand the importance of education. Their willingness to cooperate, and send their children to Pudiyador, coupled with the fact that resources (teachers/volunteers) are readily available in this center due to its central location, have already led to this Pudiyador functioning almost on par with the other Pudiyadors!

A detailed look at Urappakkam…

Urappakkam is a village on the GST Road, near Chennai. This is a community of soothsayer, living in abject poverty. The elders go into the city, to public places like the beach, and earn their living. The government school atUrappakkam offers very ppor quality basic education, with the teachers neither particularly enthusiastic, nor actively dispirited. The children typically drop out as soon as an extra hand is required for work at home, one important reason being that the parents see little improvement in their children due to the school education. Socially, this community is still many generations behind the rest of the city in terms of health and education. Womenfolk are not employed and poverty takes on an entire new dimension here – these people do not even have enough access to basic amenities like water, electricity etc!

Demonstrate a need for educationEstablish trust in the community

Inspire hope and confidence Build personal rapport with families

Pudiyador was established here in 2005. This slide shows Professor Narayanan addressing the entire community and presenting his ideas to the community leader. The community leader then talks to the people and makes them understand the importance of education, in a language that they understand better and are more willing to listen to. Manickam is seen talking to the children and inspiring them, showing them what promise the future holds for them! Volunteers are also seen interacting with the women folk and the families as such, on a more personal level, thus making them feel more comfortable and willing to entrust their children in Pudiyador’s care. Today, this Pudiyador supports 31 children.

Pudiyador Urappakkam – How it all began…

Urappakkam today…

The children have started going to the local school, come to Pudiyador every evening, finish their homework, and then study further, or practice their singing, dancing, arts or crafts. Volunteers from Crescent Engineering College and several paid staff, along with the center coordinator go there every day, and spend 3 to 4 hours with the children. On weekends, there are programs scheduled for the whole two days. The Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandir conducts regular yoga sessions for both the children and their parents. Children learn folk and classical music, karate and tailoring. All of them learn arts and handicrafts, to make small decorative items for their houses, to make their own cloth bags for school, etc. The children get healthy snacks every evening, “sundal” cooked by one of the ladies in the village. On weekends they are given breakfast before starting off their various activities of the day.

A Typical Weekday at Pudiyador Urappakkam :

M/W/F: 5:30-7:30AM: Music, AcademicsT/Th: 6:00-7:30AM: Karate Classes

5:15 PM: Children come back from school5:15-5:45PM: Practice Yoga5:45-6:00PM: Snacks6:00-6:30PM: Library reading session6:00-8:00PM: Academics

(Staff and volunteers assist the children with home work, preparation for exams andhelp with concepts that were not properly addressed in school)

Weekends…!Saturdays:8:00-8:30AM: Breakfast9:00-11:00AM: Music Classes11:00AM-12:30PM: Creative Workshops

(Photography/ Origamy/ Fun with Math,Science etc)

12:30-2:00PM: Lunch Break2:00-4:30PM: Tailoring ClassesSundays:8:00-8:30AM: Breakfast9:00-11:00AM: Yoga Classes (KYM)11:00AM-12:30PM: Indoor games(Scrabble/ Chess/

Pictionary/ Checkers etc)12:30-2:00PM: Lunch Break2:00-4:30PM: Arts and Crafts Classes4:30-6:00 PM: Outdoor Activities

(Cricket/Badminton/Frisbee etc)

Also…!••

••

Coming up…!

Celebration of Diwali, Pongal, Independence day etcEncourage hands-on learning by taking them on field trips to themuseum, zoo, planetarium and book fairsFree monthly medical camps for the children and their parentsMedical awareness program for adults

• Adult literacy and vocational training programs • Encourage small start-ups using the self help groups in the community• Alcohol rehabilitation program for the men-folk• Children are growing up slowly and require specific career guidance,

teenage counseling and other services

Apart from working with the children, Pudiyador sees the necessity to start programs that would ultimately lead to this center becoming self sustaining. So adult literacy and vocational training programs are the first steps in this direction. ThePudiyador team is working closely with the women self help groups that already exist in this community and is trying to come up with more ideas to propel Pudiyador in this new direction.

Management

CORE Group (based in Ann Arbor, MI)

CoordinatorValli, based in Chennai

VolunteersStudents from

Crescent Engineering College

Directs

Monitors Motivates

Interact

Decision Making

Implementation

Provides perspective

StaffKalyani: AcademicsSuren: KarateKYM*: Yoga Instruction Ezhil: Fine artsNirmala: Tailoring

*Krishnamachari Yoga Mandir

Finances – Breakdown:

OPERATING EXPENSES (Monthly)• Full-time staff (1) : $ 200.00• Additional Staff (3) : $ 100.00• Breakfast and Evening snacks : $ 100.00• Stationery : $ 50.00• Total : $ 450.00

SOURCES OF CURRENT INCOME (Monthly)

Alumni from Crescent Engineering College and private donors : $ 275.00

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

• Facilities (in the order of priority): – Restroom : $ 1000.00– Roof : $ 2000.00– Computers : $ 1000.00– Books and Digital Media : $ 200.00– Total : $ 4200.00

Contact…

• For more information, please visit www.pudiyador.org

• If you have any questions regarding this project, you can write to Manickam Narayanan & Swapnaa Jayaraman (pudiyador@umich.edu)

• If you have any questions specific to this presentation or require any clarifications in any of the material presented above, write to Divya Srinivasan (sdivya@umich.edu)