In December 2007, President of the Coventry North Rotary Club, David Robinson, together with his wife, Bernice and another Club member, Ashwin Kanabar, visted SARC, now renamed Anbaham, to see the project and to see how the grant from the Coventry North Rotary Club had been spent.
Here is their report on this memorable visit.
26th December 2004 is a date most people remember. As well as being Boxing Day when families get together to enjoy the Christmas period, it was the day of the dreadful Tsunami. Members of Coventry North Rotary Club, ably assisted by their Inner Wheel Club were soon motivated into action and on New Year’s Day, were allowed to do a bucket collection at the Coventry City Football Match. Their collection was used as part of a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant to fund a vehicle, six sewing machines, six computers and other facilities for the St. Adrian’s Reachout Centre in Muttom, Tamil Nadu, Southern India. This centre was the idea of Sister Selvi, a catholic nun whose family lived in Muttom. With the aid of the Bede Griffiths Charitable Trust from England, she was able to set up a home for poor and disadvantaged children affected by the Tsunami. Many children come from very poor families, some having lost one or both parents and other members of their families. Most families, whose income came from fishing, lost their homes and their fishing boats.
As an Inner Wheel Club, we were only too glad to support our Rotary Club, but felt we wanted to contribute something in the name of Inner Wheel. As President, I emailed Sister Selvi to ask what was needed. It was decided to buy all the curtains for the centre, plus mosquito nets for the beds in the guest rooms. We wanted to buy clothes for the children as well, so with monies from a raffle at our games evening, and a generous donation from one of our members, we collected enough money for those as well.
On the 28th October 2007, PDG David Robinson, Past President Ashwin Kanabar, both members of Coventry North Rotary Club and i flew off to India, via Dubai, to see the project for ourselves.
After an overnight stay in Dubai, and a wonderful half day city tour (need to go there for longer next time, not enough time for shopping!), we were off to Trivandrum, Southern India.
Sister Selvi, and Jill Hemmings from The Bede Griffiths Charitable Trust met us at the airport. We then travelled to Muttom in the vehicle purchased by Rotary.
After a three hour journey, along unlit, potholed, dirt roads, and with a stop for fresh coconut juice (still in the coconut), we arrived at the centre. It was now 11.25pm. All but three of the children had managed to stay awake to greet us. After being presented with garlands, the traditional scarves, and a welcome song from the children we entered the building. It was a beautiful place, all the floors were tiled and the walls painted cream. Inside was a courtyard garden. Our rooms were not five star but very adequate for our needs. Each guest room had an en-suite shower room with toilet. The children all slept together in one room on the floor on sleep mats.
The next morning we were woken at 5.30am to the sound of the children singing. They have prayers, yoga and breakfast before going to school.
The centre has plenty of land and it is being tended by Tatha the gardener who is growing fruit and vegetables.
During our stay, we were taken to see the memorials in Muttom and the next village Colachel, to the victims of the Tsunami. They were inscribed with the names of the dead and missing from the Tsunami disaster. Hundreds of people from a few months old to the elderly, lost their lives.
The children were wonderful. Even though they could not speak English we managed to communicate with them.
On the second evening, Father Arul the local priest came to hold mass at the centre and to bless the items from Rotary and Inner Wheel. This was a very moving evening. The children were all in their traditional Indian dress. They looked beautiful. After supper the children put on a display of singing and dancing.
Our shopping trip next day, to buy clothes for the children, was quite an experience. The girls all wanted long skirts with blouses to match. The boys weren’t so particular. The centre is basically for girls but the two boys had such sad pasts that Sister Selvi has allowed them to stay for a while.
We went into Nagercoil, the main town in the area, to a large clothing store. It took about two and a half hours to get all our purchases. The children were so excited when we gave them the clothes. We had some money left so we bought new sleep mats as well.
The children themselves were a credit to the centre. They live there from Sunday evening until Friday evening. They then return to see their families. It is hoped that they will pass on the hygiene and cleanliness they have learned at the centre to their families, to make their lives better. These children are from the poorest families in the village. They are beautiful children, happy and contented at the centre and at school.
The centre also provides for the women of the village by holding sewing classes each day. This is bringing new ways to support their families.
On the fifth day of our visit we moved to stay with Rotarians and Inner Wheel members. Nagercoil has eleven Rotary Clubs but only one Inner Wheel Club. David and I stayed with the Inner Wheel Secretary, Anitha. We had a wonderful time. The Inner Wheel ladies really looked after us. These were our sightseeing days. We went to the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Tirparappu Waterfalls and to Kanyakumari, the most southern tip of India. Ghandi’s ashes were kept here in a monument, and they were then scattered into the sea. It is here that the Bay of Bengal, The Indian Ocean and The Arabian Sea meet. All around this area was affected by the Tsunami.
We were also taken to visit a girls’ refuge and a boys’ orphanage. All these children had been affected by the Tsunami. I am afraid the facilities were nowhere near as good as St. Adrian’s, but the children had a place to live, good food and an education.
On our last night in India, a Deepavali celebration was held. The ladies of Inner Wheel presented me with a sari to wear. I felt so elegant. After speeches by Rotarians and Inner Wheel members, me included, we had a delicious supper.
On our last afternoon our hosts took us back to St.Adrian’s to say goodbye to Sister Selvi and the children and the staff. There were many hugs and kisses and a few tears as well.
This was my first visit to India and I cannot wait to return. I hope we can continue to support the work of the centre. At the moment it is only one storey but as I write this, I have had news that the next storey is being built. The only snag is money.
This article is only a taste of all we did on the visit. If you would like to hear more, I am very willing to give a presentation to clubs, please contact me at: bernice@david190.orangehome.co.uk
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