The Isai Ma(i)yam Foundation is a small Dutch private development organization
We give shelter to fourty (orphaned) children and youngsters in the Southeastern Indian city of Pondicherry and help them to get a opportunistic future. The children live with us permanently in a safe, caring and loving environment.
Additionally we supply day care for physically and mentally disabled children and young adults five days a week.
The name Isai Ma(i)yam means ‘centre of music’ in the Tamil language. This name shows that music is an important means to reach our goals. We teach music, singing and dancing to all of our children as well as to the village children from the surrounding villages.
Ivar Jenten is initiator of Stichting Isai Ma(i)yam
He has an advisory role and is a donor. Since September 2024 Ivar is also treasurer in the board of Isai Ma(i)yam.
Managing Trustees, Isai Ma(i)yam
Board Foundation Isai Ma(i)yam the Netherlands
Ivar Jenten
As far back as 1975, young Dutch Ivar Jenten went to India to take part in the ‘Auroville’ project, a universal city-in-the-make where occidental and oriental thought & way of living could be combined together. Auroville is located in Tamil Nadu, southern India, a few kilometres inland from the Coromandel Coast and some 10 km north of Pondicherry Town. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity in diversity.
Ivar came to Auroville because of Sri Aurobindo – Ivar stayed because of the Tamils and Sri Aurobindo. ‘While nobody is perfect”, he says, “Tamil people have by nature something in their psyche that I have hardly been able to glimpse in myself…., so what I cannot glean from reading and meditation, I hope to learn by being and living with them.”
As socially engaged person, Ivar soon became aware of the severe difficulties of the socially marginalised Dalit communities surrounding Auroville and began to reach out to them. With simple methods and means, he started various evening schools in the colonies and, in 1979, founded the first day school, ‘Isai Ambalam’, for the local kids. The school functions till this day and is since 1987 officially taken up in Auroville’s educational curriculum.
By working in the evening schools, Ivar was directly confronted with unemployment, the abuse of alcohol, overcrowded families, suppression of women, altogether not an easy way of living. He quietly and persistently started setting up several empowerment projects for women, enabling them to get their own salaries. From 1977 up till 1982, with the help of other Aurovilians and organisations, he developed 12 night schools for the children in the villages and colonies around Auroville, many of which in one way or the other are still functioning. Needless to say, quite a number of the youngsters benefitting from them are currently confident residents of Auroville.
Due to family circumstances in The Netherlands, Ivar had to leave Auroville in 1990. However, he never forgot his projects which continued functioning by trusted friends. One of them was Ms Brigitte Vink, a young and energetic Dutch woman, with the help of whom he founded after his return in 2003 the Isai Ma(i)yam Trust in Pondicherry, 10 kms south of Auroville. Isai Ma(i)yam means ‘centre of music’ and it includes a well running school for differently-abled children, an art school, a boys & girls home as well as various village projects.
In addition to Isai Maiyam, Brigitte and Ivar have founded a second organization in India under Auroville: Isai Ragam
The Tamil name ‘Isai Ragam’ means ‘Melody of Music’, and our organisation is geared towards educational development in the villages in Auroville’s bioregion. Long-term Aurovilians Ivar Jenten and Brigitte Vink, both originally from The Netherlands, have been working with village children for decennia and founded Isai Ragam under Auroville’s Auromitra Trust in June 2021.
The specific beneficiaries are very poor children from villages and Dalit settlements around Auroville.
Brigitte Vink
“In Nederland kwam ik Ivar tegen toen we allebei werkten voor een zorginstelling voor gehandicapten in Nederland. Al gauw kwam ik in aanraking met de stichting Isai Maiyam die hij had opgericht en toen nog in de kinderschoenen stond.
Vanaf 2005 werd ik secretaris van de stichting en sinds mei 2024 ben ik de voorzitter geworden. In de eerste jaren vanaf 2005 tot 2010 ging ik 2 maanden per jaar naar India naar Isai Maiyam maar vanaf 2010 ben ik in India gaan wonen en werd ik daar projectleidster.
En dat ben ik met veel plezier tot op heden!
Ik ben woonachtig in Auroville en ben in 2018 bewust alleenstaande moeder (BAM) geworden van Daniel.
Wat mij zo aanspreekt in het werk is de diversiteit. Daarnaast het werken met kinderen, jong volwassenen en gehandicapten en dat allemaal in een totaal andere cultuur! “
Carmen van der Linden
In 2008 ben ik in contact gekomen met Ivar Jenten en heb ik gevolgd hoe hij aan het bouwen was aan de Stichting samen met Brigitte en andere betrokkenen. Jaarlijks ben ik bij de stichting op bezoek geweest en heeft het mij veel plezier gegeven te zien hoe kinderen vanuit een kansarme start, zich bij de stichting kunnen ontplooien tot volwassene.
Graag wil ik hierbij ook een positieve bijdrage leveren door in het bestuur (secretaris) deel te nemen en dit verder op de voet te volgen.
Zelf ben ik werkzaam in de Jeugdzorg en de Vluchtelingen opvang. Woonachtig in Nijmegen ben ik moeder van 2 volwassen kinderen. Ik wandel, lees en luister graag naar muziek. Ik heb een vrolijke inborst en ga graag met anderen om. “Leven is verandering” is mijn motto.
Wat mij aanspreekt bij de stichting zijn creatieve lessen bij The Art school de dans, zang en muzieklessen geven kinderen mooie mogelijkheden tot ontplooiing. Ook de Engelse les, computervaardigheden de huiswerkbegeleiding dragen hierbij omdat het thuis niet kan.
Sponsoring van de vervolg opleiding(en) zijn mogelijk en de vergoedingen voor de benodigdheden zijn onmisbaar. Als basis krijgt men een gezonde maaltijd aangeboden bij de stichting en is er aandacht voor het kind. Een goede basis daar sta ik achter. Van waaruit start je…
De gehandicapten school van de stichting geeft de kinderen met een beperking een waardige daginvulling. Zij zijn regelmatig bij muziek/yoga wedstrijden te zien. Ook zingen, muziek spelen en puzzelen, Sporten handwerken en tekenen zijn gewilde bezigheden. De producten worden
kleinschalig verkocht en dan is de cirkel weer rond.
Willem Jan van Andel
Lawyer and partner at 'Wijn en Stael Advocaten', father of three children.
Willem Jan was on the board from 2006 to May 2024
Managing trustees Isai Ma(i)yam Trust India

Mr. M. Ganesan
Ivar Jenten, the founder of the Isai Ma(i)yam trust, came across my life in 1980. Mister Ivar attracted in many ways because he was helping the needy people by giving them good education and music lessons along with providing hygienic snacks. As well as employment, especially to the poor people. He also made them aware of the dangers of alcoholism.
All his activities encouraged me to work for the poor and needy people.
So since I started my own workshop in 1991 in manufacturing artistic leather work, I was able to settle down with my wife and two daughters and have a good life. That’s why I can give my free time to the Isai Ma(i)yam Trust.
I am happy to work for this good cause. My attitude is nothing is impossible, everything is possible.

Saga Devan
I am the manager of our Gyatri Art School and I teach guitar.
As a teenager I came to the Isai Ma(i)yam Trust in 2004. Soon I started helping out with the younger children. Within a few months I found myself playing music with Brigitte and Ivar. To make music with them made me so happy, so I started to teach music to the children in the Art School.
Later I founded our Isai Ma(i)yam Music Band. We play traditional Indian music and Bollywood songs, as well as popular western music. As I wanted to do more for our project, I recently became a trustee.
With this responsibility, I am sure I can support the children and other people who need help.
I am happy with our team and will give all the energy I have to our wonderful project to make it a success.