Activity
1.1 Health programs for the Lepers
This is the principal activity of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society. Right from inception, we conduct biannual training programs to the lepers and non lepers on the nuances of leprosy. The causes of leprosy and the treatment that one could be given are dealt with in these seminars and awareness programs. The participants are embedded with knowledge and we have made several attempts to prevent leprosy over the years. Glad that we have considerably reduced the leprosy counts in our block and we have treated the leprosy patients with respect. With the help of the government doctors, health inspectors, nurses, we are controlling the spread of leprosy and want to create a leprosy free society.
1.2 Support programs for the leprosy patients
Through the varied programs for the lepers, we are delighted that the lives of lepers are kept improving. We distribute a bag of rice to the poorest lepers every month. We offer them medical support. We give them tablets and bandages so as to help them treat their wounds. We help them frequent the clinic specially set for them at the villages and at the premises of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society. The lepers are given free treatment in these clinics. Thus we see the improvement in the health conditions of these lepers
1.3 Additional support to the families of lepers
We are happy that educational support is given to the children of the lepers. The children are freely given notebooks, stationery, bags, uniforms and the other necessary things so as to instigate and trigger interest and help them continue their studies amidst all these struggles. Over the years, we have considerably reduced the dropouts in the families of lepers and help them thirst for knowledge.
1. 4 Initiation of SHG
Self dependency is the principal motto of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society. We have initiated Self Help Group in all the villages with a view to creating positive changes in the lives of these poorest women. The attitude of saving and thriftness is encouraged. The women are helped to become deciding members of the family. They are helped to participate in the decision making of the family. Gradually we wish that these women become agents of change in their respective villages. To this end, St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society has been organizing awareness programs on the importance of the adoption of self-help principles in day-to-day life. St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society has motivated the rural poor women to become members of self-help groups of women and engage in saving and credit practices.
1.5 Promotion of Girl Education
Right from the inception of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society, It has been focusing its attention on the development of the women and giving its prime priority to girl education. They have been motivated for higher education and professional education in this highly competitive world. They have realized that the only way to come up in life to educate the parents on the significance of education and motivate them to educate their children. Annual training and awareness programs are conducted to the parents on the significance of QUALTIY of PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION to help their daughters to sustain in their lives. In view of this realization, the staffs and committee members of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society continue to motivate the families to provide for the education of their children. During the current year, the committee members of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society have been bearing the expenses involved in relation to the cost of books, notebooks and other stationeries, dress materials to all the deserving girl children.
1.6 Special school for the CP/MR children
St. Joseph’s principally works towards the rehabilitation of the downtrodden, outcaste, disabled, Cerebral Palsied and Mentally Retarded children where drop out children from the poorest families serve our principal focus. It has a soft corner for the CP/MR, the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) from pitiable family conditions with special reference to the young, children and the women who form neglected sections of the human society. So to offer these forgotten masses so called “CP/MR, PWDs, ”, poor and the segregated sections and to offer a new life and to care for these uncared children, we organized various programs. One such is Special school for the CP/MR , the DAY CARE CENTRE. We are delighted that we have been organizing various programs since 2012 to rehabilitate the broken families, youth, children and women from various social, economic and political situations. We have left no stone unturned to mainstream each section of the society and today it has won laurels. Right from the start, we are organizing various Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme with appropriate strategy. We have collaborated with the Government of Tamilnadu in various programs for the PWDs and the CP/MR. We have helped as many PWDs as possible to get ID cards and all government concessions. We have made all efforts to support PWDs. It started Self Help Groups for the Poor, separate Self Help Group for PWDs and separate SHGs for the women in order to get their rights and raise their cries against all atrocities and injustices. We have organized various regular awareness programmes to help the disabled to trap government resources the disabled ID card, disabled rights in various departments & in various places.
1.7 Survival services to the needy
During these years we are happy that survival kit have been distributed to the lepers and the disabled with special reference to the children and the women. We peridiocally distribute a bag of rice to the needy PWDs, lepers and those uncared by any one. . Such families’ every need is, continuously take care of by the board of St. Joseph
St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society distributes clothes, medical supplements, to the needy and those in need. As it is a common practice of many rural families to postpone treatment of any illnesses that occur to them, the ailing patients are strictly made to check and undergo treatment. One of the many reasons for postponing seeking treatment from qualified medical practitioners is lack of money to spend on the expenses involved in treatment. It is the common sight that poor families seek qualified medical help only when the problem becomes very serious. Under the circumstances, St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society provides free treatment of all. Further, every year, St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society distributes MCR footwear to all the lepers on free of cost.
1.8 Organization of Eye Camp
St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society organizes Eye Camps in all the interior rural villages. Sufficient publicity is made to make people know about the event. The staffs of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society go in an auto rickshaw with the Public Address System and make announcements. The need for this publicity is to make people in the neighborhood to avail the services. We are delighted that on follow up, all of them are found to have recovered completely and have eye sight.
1.9 Tree plantation
The organizers of St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society believe that it is important for people to realize the importance of planting more and more trees, as this is the only way in which people could contribute in safeguarding the eco system and the environment. Hence in view of this realization, the St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society continues to plant seedlings of shade giving and fruit giving trees in public places every year. During this year , the trustees have arranged to plant 250 saplings in 10 villages of the service area. Each program was preceded by recital of messages on promotion of trees and against cutting of live trees for making money. In addition to this St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society arranged for education programs for school children in primary schools, middle schools and high schools and follow up with the distribution of tree planting and shade giving tree saplings to all school children for planting them in their houses.
1.10 Organization of Special Programs
As an annual feature, St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society arranges for the celebrations of national and international days like World AIDS Day, International Women’s Day, International Children’s Day, World Environment Day, Independence Day, Republic Day etc. As part of these celebrations St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society arranges for rallies, exhibitions, debates and public meetings for creation of awareness on the subject and sensitize the general public about the need for and importance of celebrating these national and international days.
1.11 Monitoring works of SJLPS
Monitoring is an important thing we have to do while carrying out any operation/ project. Of course, regular follow up and evaluation are must for any project. During this lockdown, we defined our monitoring project plan, we constantly reviewed with our project committee and staff, and we created a folder of data and developed our strategy for evaluation.
1.12 Conclusion
What we have done looks very small. In terms of the number of activities, indeed, what has been done is only small. We are slow but are steady. We have always wanted to pay attention to the quality of whatever we do. In this respect we are not lagging behind for we have done things to the satisfaction of our conscience and to the satisfaction of the people. St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society takes this opportunity to thank all those who had extended monetary help to St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society to implement the above-mentioned programs and activities and these include international as well as contributors at the local level. At this juncture St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society places on record its sincere and heartfelt thanks to the staff for doing their level best in implementing all the above-mentioned programs. St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society thanks all the formal and informal leaders, leaders and members of self-help groups of women, teachers and children in the area schools and youth groups in the villages for extending cooperation and support to St. Joseph’s Leprosy Patients Society’ staffs and program.
1.13 Vote of Thanks
I feel totally happy and thrown in high spirits. I imagine if everyone in the world sacrifices and thinks always in welfare of my fellow brother/ sister in need LIKE YOU, we would not have another war, disaster and another struggle for sustenance. Fantastic dear donors, the world goes on, is because of GODLY persons like you.
During this reporting period, much has been done for our lepers and special school children and several children and women. We humbly acknowledge the enormous sacrifices of you donors. We owe much to the benevolent board members of various donors across the world, who understanding the difficult circumstances in which our children are placed, sanctioned for us the various educational and medical support. We are thankful to the board members of various organisaiton both within the country and outside the country for helping us reach out to the unreached children,lepers, disabled, and the poorest. Your timely support is really appreciable!. We are much indebted to the government of Tamilnadu for their continuous support towards our children.
We record our sincere thanks to the State Government for enabling us to continue to organize the Special School for the Mentally Retarded and Cerebral Palsied children. We thank all those contributed both monetarily and morally to undertake charitable and welfare activities for the benefit of the people in need.
As I conclude, may I humbly request all of you to join in this journey of making this world, a sweet paradise for all. Every one’s joy is important. It is our goal and let’s work together to realize this truth in the world and let’s give what is due to my fellow brethren. While I thank the selfless works of my donors, I request them to continue their fullest support in the coming year too!
May God’s plan prevail in this world!
Educational Sponsorship Program
STJLPS Continued to do its level best to extend help to the education of children of the leprocy affected and other disabled and children from the poorer categories of the population .SJLPS had helped the children by bearing the cost of books,Notebooks and other Stationeries , Dress materials Etc . Some of the Other needs of the children like cosmetics ,casual wear , and inner wear and pocket expenses etc were also met through the organization . More than 300 children were given the help during the financial period. It is to be mentioned that 40 of them are disabled children .
Scholarship For Education of the Disabled children
In 2012-2013 ,SJLPS Has helped 60 children in securing government scholarship and other benefits for the children of leprocy affected and disabled persons and this is in addition to the direct help it renders to the children .
Maintenance Grant for the Disabled
SJLPS Has also been working with the government departments to help the leprocy affected and the disabled in securing all the benefits available for them through government schemes.In the Year 2012-2013 ,SJLPS Has helped 360 disabled persons to secure Rs 1000 Per Head Per Month as Maintenance Grants .
Fulfilling the Basic Needs –Charity Work
STJPS Has the realization that no individual or community should become dependent on any outsides but should become as independent as possible . But, the Organization also has the realization that there are individuals in communities whose basic needs have to be fulfilled only with outside help . Therefore SJLPS Has been Supporting these individuals in meeting their basic needs. SJLPS Provided Food , Clothing , Footwear and other essentials for these individuals.SJLPS has also has provided regular supply of rice,dhal and other essential food items to 136 persons.5 families in which at least one person is affected by leprosy have been living in the campus of the organization.
Medical help
SJLPS has found that many people under its care are so poor that they cannot spend on medical expenses.Lack of money necessitates many people to postpone seeking proper medical help from qualified persons.SJLPS realizes that postponing treatment could result in serious complications to the individuals. Hence,SJLPS has been rendering timely help to persons with health problems so tha they get cured as early as possible.In 2012-2013, SJLPS has helped 35 persons to undergo treatment as soon as they were found sick.
Organization of the special school for the mentally retarded children
SJLPS has been organizing the special school for 30 mentally retarded children receiving continued help from the government.The four special teachers in the school have been rendering their services with total dedication and commitment. The committee members continue to provide all the cooperation and support that are needed for the teachers and children.
Vazhi Kattum Thittam
The Tamilnadu government has selected the SJLPS to implement a government program for the Differently abled people.This selection is based on the good work done by SJLPS.The program known in the regional language as “vazhi kattum thittam” simply means “a program that shows the way”.This program is in effect since 2011.
The government has provided 45 field staffs and a project coordinator for this program.The salaries of these staffs are paid by the government.Through this program ,differently abled people are enabled to access facilities and schemes provided by the government for the differently abled people without any difficulty with the field staffs making regular home visits of all families in their respective villages.Through this program it han become possible that a good data base is available to the government about the differently abled people in the state so that the government could plan suitable programs for the benefit of the differently abled people in the state.