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2020

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A few weeks, before the pandemic lockdown, a French team came in Tamil Nadu to meet students and communities to talk about support schooling. Friendship was there. Unfortunately Covid-19 was there too and our association has been in standby. All our activities are canceled. But our will and our energy are intact and a new associative year is beginning.

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2019

Support schooling

 

This year 48 young people are supported by the association. 25 of them have a God parent. 15 of them are a member of Anawim program, 8 live in the Diocese of Palayamkottai. 15 girls live in Panchalam and 10 in Irrupukurichi.

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2018

Support schooling

 

Education and schooling are essential to help young people. Getting a degree and then, acceding to vocational training will enable these young Indian girls and boys to improve their living conditions as well as that of their families. ABH South India continues its work with school children in Panchalam, Irrupukurichi and in the diocese of Palayamkottai. 50 young people, mostly girls, from primary to high school, will be accompanied by the association.

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Sponsor the schooling of an orphaned or underprivileged child in Tamil Nadu

 

When you sponsor a child you enable him to be taught and educated in one of the schools in Tamil Nadu. Either within the framework of the ANAWIM programme set up by Bishop Paulraj of Palayamkottai to pay the schooling of young orphans throughout several public or private schools of the diocese, or to host children from poor families in the school held by the Sisters St Joseph of Cluny particularly in Irrupukurichi and Panchalam. A year of schooling, including boarding fees, school things and uniforms is 240 euros. You can benefit from 66% tax reduction. The sponsorship represents a real expense of 7 euros per month. You can contact the treasurer Roger Lassus.

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Fund the installation of desalination equipment at the university college of Tharangambadi

This University College for girls, built in 2016 and recently inaugurated, will be able to host more than 2000 students. Tharangambadi is a fishing village on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, south of Pundicherry. In this area groundwater is contained by seawater through porous rocks, which makes the water brackish. To furnish students with safe drinking water it is necessary to use desalination equipment. The students of St François Xavier school who will participate in the solidarity walk of march, 2018, together with the young people of InterAct Rotary club of Vannes and the association ABH South India, will help finance this project amounting to 5700 euros.

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2017

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This year’s programme

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Schooling boys and girls

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Paying particular attention to the situation of women, young girls and children in Tamil Nadu.

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Improving the sanitory conditions of the children in a primary school at Kalugumalai

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2015 - 2016

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Building of sanitary facilities in a school of RENGASAMUTHIRAM

 

The only primary school, for the eight villages in the area, receives 212 pupils. But it is without any sanitation, so Bishop Paulraj, of Palayamkottai, has appealed to ABH-South India to help with the financing of this construction. This project could be implemented thanks to the help of the young students of the catholic schools of Vannes  who participated in the solidarity race that took place last spring, on the initiative of  St François Xavier secondary school. Many thanks to them for their participation and enthusiasm.

 

 

Insisting on the schooling of young people and particularly girls

 

The new school year started at the beginning of June in Tamil Nadu. Together with the Christian communities of this state, the Sisters Saint Joseph of Cluny , the Sisters S.M.M.I. and the diocese of Palayamkottai, once more, ABH- South India concentrates its effort on the schooling of 38 young boys and girls from primary school to university. Some of them live in or around Palayamkottai, others are in Tharagambi,  Iruppukurichi and Panchalam. We wish them all a great school year and success in their studies.

 

Supporting widows : a population that is too often neglected.

 

ABH South-India, who is very sensitive to the difficulties faced by these women who lost their husband and whose living conditions are particularly difficult as they are rejected by their family and by Indian socitey, continues its work to assist them. This year again, the association will provide support to the initiatives of the Sisters SMMI of Tharagambadi who are mobilising to help them. Thus, these women can acquire training and recover hope and dignity by working in various areas. Some of them make very beautiful jewels, others raise goats or open a small flower or food shop. We wish them great success in their business.

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2014 - 2015

 

 

ABH-South India is still involved in schooling

 

The association has continued its efforts to support the schooling of 25 young boys and girls of Tamil Nadu for another year. Primary and secondary school students have all got to the next level. 11 of the high school students in the final year are accessing university for the coming year. What a success!

 

Helping widows, a particularly vulnerable population

 

Following last year’s experience and made sensitive to this problem by Armand DELICES and Manicaradje TANABAL’s conference dedicated to these women, the association has continued its action. This year, 36 widows have been supported under the responsibility of Sister KARUNA of Tharagambadi. This assistance enables them to open a small shop to sell food, flowers or ready meals. Some of them raise goats to sell the meat, others make jewels  hoping to sell them. Even though these activities are hardly enough to earn their living, these women recover their dignity, become responsible, make plans for their family. They usually have children to bring up.

 

Water for the school of KASAVAN KUNDRU

 

 

The school of KASAVAN KUNDRU, a country village near Palayamkottai, has just over 160 schoolchildren, boys and girls, from kindergarten to the 3rd year of secondary school. Having no running water, the teachers and their headmaster asked ABH SOUTH INDIA, through Bishop Paulraj, to help them drill an artesian well. Helped by the students of St Anne’s secondary school and the catholic schools of Quiberon and St Pierre Quiberon, the association could agree to their request. The work is ongoing. We are waiting for some pictures to show you its completion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 – 2014

 

Sponsoring 25 young Indians

 

Since June 2011 (beginning of the school year in India) ABH South India has been sponsoring the education of 25 young boys and girls in the south of India and this, for a period of 4 years. School fees, school supplies, boarding costs for some of them, new clothes once a year and the Christmas present are funded by the association

We sponsor 17 children, among them, 6 boys and 11 girls aged 12 to 19, from ANAWIM association of Palayamkottai in Tamil Nadu whose leader is Father Joseph Johnson; and 8 children, among them, 3 boys and 5 girls aged 7 to 22 selected by Father John.

The ANAWIM association was launched by Bishop Jude Paulraj, Bishop of Palayamkottai, who goes there twice a year to meet the children and whom we regularly exchange letters with.

At the same time, a letter exchange with 25 sponsors from France was set up so as to create friendly relationships with their sponsored children and to encourage them in their studies. There are two letter exchanges a year (in English): One at the end of the school year in April/May and one at Christmas time

Those orphaned or semi orphaned children are happy to go to school and do their best to make progress and train for a job which will enable them to support themselves and their families

 

Support for 6 graduate students:

 

Since the beginning of the school year 2013/2014 (June) ABH South India Association has been supporting 6 young people’s graduate studies, among them, 5 girls aged 17 to 18  and 1 boy aged 21, and this, for a period of 3 years. Their tuition fees, buying of books, transportation costs, boarding costs for some of them, are funded by the association.

These highly motivated young people were recommended to us by Father John, who has been following them for some time now, who knows their families’ financial difficulties and who wants to give them a chance to succeed.

 

 

 

 

2012 - 2013

 

 

Besides supporting 25 young people the association’s help was requested for several projects.

 

 

At the request of Sister Elsa, the headmistress of St joseph’s College of Cheyyur, the association contributed to the building of showers.

 

At Tranquebar school the point was to dig a 90 meter deep artesian well (see picture) to provide water supply to all the students.

 

Helped by “the stretcher bearers of Arvor” association of Vannes, we were able to replace and develop the rehabilitation equipment of St Anne’s centre of Palayamkottai who takes care of disabled children exclusively. 

 

 

2009 - 2012

 

 

During that period, many different actions were carried out in India.

 

 

The first project the association invested in was the participation in the creation of a nursing school and a specialized hospital who target women’s development in rural areas of the Catholic Diocese of Palayamkottai. This project could not be carried out in India because of political problems and attempted corruption. So, at the request of Bishop Paulraj, ABH-South India’s help was used to equip a female nursing assistant school with teaching materials and a nursing school, run by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus near Palayamkottai, with professional books.

 

 

In 2010, the association contributed to the purchase of school equipment and uniforms for the schoolchildren of Saint Theresa’s College in Tharagambadi, headed by Sister Karuna.

 

 

The tuition fees for 7 schoolchildren of Saint Joseph’s college in Cheyyur, headed by Sister Rosary were supported.

 

 

The association participated in improving everyday life for the seniors hosted by the Community of the Sisters SMMI of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu

 

 

Finally ABH-South India supported the nursery of Vidiyal that takes in abandoned babies.

 

 

In 2011 we started supporting the tuition fees and boarding costs for 25 young people staying in different institutions in the area. The association committed up to 4 years.

 

 

 

In 2012 we continued our work in aid of these 25 young people  and renewed our support to the 7 schoolchildren from Cheyyur.