Sri Arunodayam Charitable Trust

This programme aims to impart training to children with developmental delays, it is named the Upanayan programme and has been developed by Madhuram Narayanan Centre following the curriculum developed by Vijay Human Service and the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped.

Customised interventions have been developed to identify developmental disabilities in toddlers, these interventions include physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, sensory and adaptive training. Special educators using interactive activities encourage the children to become more fluent and self-reliant.

The programme is broken into pre-primary, primary and vocational with pre-primary teaching the children very basic things like standing, lifting their heads and manoeuvring their bodies, primary being more focused on academics, reading and writing while vocational through Prayatna imparts employable skills to the children and youth.

Prayatna is the Trust's effort to empower persons with disabilities and integrate them into mainstream society. It provides employable skills to youth above eighteen years of age.

It is the organisation’s vocational training centre which teaches the youth life skills like good character, respect, concern for others etc. along with skills which can enable them to earn an income like tailoring, wire basket weaving and general weaving.

The youngsters are given monthly stipends that are credited to their accounts, allowed to take part in motivational talks and given weekly workplace feedback.

The Special Mom Forum aims to bring together mothers of specially-abled kids allowing them to interact with each other and be a support to one another.

Special Mom awards are given to deserving mothers who brave odds in bringing up their specially abled children despite being misunderstood, discriminated and judged by society.

The Forum also acts as a knowledge hub and creates awareness about the world of specially-abled children and their issues and provides appropriate information.

Is the Trust’s new residence cum rehabilitation home for neglected girls with intellectual disabilities. Besides providing safe shelter the home is equipped to provide physiotherapy along with special education classrooms.

It further features water therapy pools, a vocational training centre, dormitories, restrooms, a centralised kitchen, a pantry, dining rooms, a garden and a recreation space. The home overlooks a small lake and is set in a beautiful location to provide intellectually disabled girls with a life free of anxiety and fear.

For over 21 years, Sri Arunodayam has been providing a safe and caring environment for abandoned children with intellectual disabilities in Chennai, India. These children have been abandoned in hospitals and in crowded public places such as railway and bus stations. At times, even in dustbins! At our home they are welcomed, nurtured, fed, rehabilitated and loved. We try to give these children what they have lost – a home and a family! There are over 115 children at our home today.

For over 21 years, Sri Arunodayam has been providing a safe and caring environment for abandoned children with intellectual disabilities in Chennai, India. These children have been abandoned in hospitals and in crowded public places such as railway and bus stations. At times, even in dustbins! At our home they are welcomed, nurtured, fed, rehabilitated and loved. We try to give these children what they have lost – a home and a family! There are over 115 children at our home today.