Foundation Isai Maiyam Children in India Pondicherry

Permanent shelter

At the moment we are permanently taking care of fourty children in the ages of 5 through 18 years. Hindu, Muslim – and Christian children live happily together in two adjacent houses in Pondicherry: one for the boys and one for the girls. The children share their sleeping quarters.

They are given shelter and healthy food, as well as good education, and financial and emotional support. During the day our children go to a community school in the vicinity, where they follow a basic education of twelve years. They are always brought and picked up to and from school.

Music, dance and study

Our houses have suitable spaces for practicing music, dance and to study. After school hours the children are supported daily in doing their homework, practicing computer skills and English lessons. When they have finished their school, we help them find continued education or work.

During the weekend the children stay at our Gaya House. This is a kind of ‘country house’ in the country village Alankupam, near Auroville. There they can play sports, play around, and have a rest from city life. Our Gayatri Art School is also located on the grounds of the Gaya House. Here the children learn to play music, sing and dance, and they can be creative in many other ways.

Pondicherry

Our children stay in Pondicherry during the week. They live there in two adjacent houses: one for the boys and one for the girls. The children share several sleeping quarters and have their own cupboard and toys. There are several showers and toilets. The buildings have suitable spaces for practicing music, dance and to study. During the week all children do their homework in the afternoon and are supported by a homework attendant.

Auroville: Gayatri Art School and the Gaya House

In the weekends and during holidays the children go to Alankupam, a tiny country village near Auroville half an hour drive from Pondicherry. Here they can clear their heads, play around, relax, play sports and be taught music, dance and singing.

The Gayatri Art School, where our children are taught music and dancing lessons, is also situated here. In the Art School we receive local children, who can’t come along at a regular school, during the week. We want to give them the chance of having music education too.

The Gaya House is next to the Art School. Here young adults live who have once been accommodated by us and are now teaching music, singing and dancing. The interns from the Netherlands also stay here, as well as guests who visit our project.