As a society, we interact with one another in our daily lives. We communicate, understand each other’s emotions and extend a hand to help those around us. Committing to larger cause bigger than oneself is said to be one of the most selfless acts of life. The future pioneers in the social work arena are in the process of building a better future and bringing bigger changes to the world.
The students from the Social Work department specializing in Family and Child Welfare of Karwe Institute of Social Service, Pune paid a visit to our organisation to understand the working and activities performed by Theruvoram, changes we have brought to Kerala’s society and thinking as well as the challenges faced by the organisation in running the shelter home.
Second Year students of MSW are intently understanding the functioning of the organisation
Aswathy T.V., our Social Worker specialized in Psychiatry explained the various activities and projects undertaken by Theruvoram, the strategies and practices employed by the staff and the achievements of the founder of the organisation Murugan S.
The batch of 17 2nd Year students of Masters in Social Work along with their faculties intently listened to the discussion and understood the depth of the work performed by the organisation. After a session of interaction, the students thanked the organisation and wished us best for our future endeavours.
The entire batch of students and faculties from Karwe Institute of Social Service alongside the staff of Theruvoram
Begging for alms for the reason of survival and life has been turned into a dangerous industry with earnings hitting millions by exploiting the downtrodden and the poverty-stricken people on street. In an attempt to fight this injustice, Thrikkakara Municipality decided to become completely beggary-free and to fight the social evil of begging mafia.
Being a central economic hub of Kochi, Thrikkakara becomes abode to migrant workers and consequently the begging mafia. Even their children are used in this huge racket to earn money from begging. In the arduous search to find beggars, shockingly on their first day 18 people alone were found in the premises around religious structures and places of worship.
Thervoram founder Murugan S. on a rescue operation to save a beggar
The reputation of the work done by our organisations continues to stand strong, but the recent enactment of the laws adds to the cause and change we would like to see in the society and adds a feather to our hat. Taking a huge step to eradicate a social evil lurking around us over the influence of an organization that works for the benefit of beggars, abandoned children and aged and the destitute by the authorities is an honour for our organisation and helps us to create a better life for the destitute and who needs our help. The street beggars identified from Thrikkakara was brought to our shelter home in Kakkanad for refuge and safety, where we rehabilitated the person and helped him to build a better life.
Article on Madhyamam about Thrikakkara’s decision to become beggary-proof
With no refuge, not a place to live and no access to sanitation and good health, the lives of the people on streets are unimaginable. Understanding what it feels like to be on the streets cannot be explained I mere words of a language. Theruvoram’s state long initiative with the help of a Catholic priest was to bathe and clean these ill stricken and foul-smelling helpless lives that passers-by would even dare to look at twice. With a mobile bathing vehicle and an ambulance, the duo Murugan S. and Fr. Philip Thaiparambil travelled the length and breadth of the state in search of people who needed care and gave them a bath, cleaned them and gave them new pair of clothes. Theruvoram extended a pair of hands to those who had no place to go back to a shelter to reside in Kochi. The pair started their journey from Kochi district and travelled to the north and reached the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram on the last day.
Mathruhumi’s article about the initiative take by Theruvoram and Fr. Philip Thaiparambil
As a part of this long and benevolent travel, people from various industries stepped in to collaborate with Theruvoram and offered help. Notable Malayalam dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi and City Police Commissioner of Thiruvananthapuram joined and bathed people on the streets among crowds to awaken and heighten their senses of emotional wellbeing towards the downtrodden as well as to make the citizens realize that the odour coming off their bodies can be removed and cleaned completely.
Article on Times of India’s Thiruvananthapuram edition about the initiative. Dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi and City Commissioner H Venkatesh alongside Theruvoram’s founder Murugan S.
As youngsters of today’s generation, the only act of kindness that enact is to publicize our picture on social media platforms to gain followers and likes. What we fail to remember as today’s so called “woke citizens” is that the people of street, helpless and nowhere to go also form the part of our society.
A shocking news broke out in the capital city of the state where a mother decides to give up her kids in order to feed them and give them a good future. In the poverty-stricken household, the six children were not well fed and the parents had a difficult time taking care of their children. With a heavy heart, mother gives up four of her children without her husband’s knowledge to child protection agencies.
This issue has stirred multiple debates and conflict of interests among the civilians. According to the mother, her son was found eating a bunch of rocks in order to satisfy his hunger. The mother felt sorry for the state she put her children into and decided to take up this option with both her arms due to her helplessness. The Social Justice department of Thiruvananthapuram stated that the family had almost no means of income and was in deep difficulty to find food just to feed the kids.
In the past 20 years of social service, Murugan S. has rescued over 5,000 children from the street and providing them with a better future.
This is not just the state of one family in Kerala, but thousands of migrant families, abandoned children, aged men and women are found to be in a similar state of destitute in various parts of the state. The state of poverty doesn’t seem to recede any time soon and it is affecting a lot of lives. As an NGO that works for the rescue and rehabilitation of people on the streets and child welfare, we feel it is a social obligation to help those in need and extend our arms to pull them from their helpless state.
Molly Vetter, an exchange student from US studying at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences interned with Theruvoram last year
Theruvoram’s long standing reputation for the service to humanity and downtrodden has earned recognition throughout the country. The sheer hard work done by Murugan S. out of love for mankind and mutual understanding of difficult situations and atmospheres of living makes one realize the potential each one of us hold to make a difference in somebody’s life.
Last year, a selfless soul beyond the borders of our country visited Kerala to extend her arms into helping the destitute with Theruvoram. Molly Vetter, a student of School of Social Work in University of Maryland came to our organization on a hartal day to help the homeless and downtrodden in Kochi. Currently studying as a an exchange student at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Molly had been a part of various rescues around Kochi where she rescued the destitute from premises around railway stations and in Palarivattom. Her work in rescue extended to around Kerala in districts like Alappuzha and Kollam since the time she has joined the organisation. Being a part of Theruvoram and rescuing people on streets of Kerala has helped Molly understand the vast differences between those on the streets in India as well as US.
Vetter with the proud pink police of Cochin City and Theruvoram’s founder Murugan S.
Without biases and differences, a 27-year old came all the way to God’s Own Country for the sole purpose of service to those who are in deep need of it. In the dire state of helplessness, the notions of class, race, and religion do not matter. A simple act of kindness and compassion can transform a person’s life.
Read more into Molly’s stories and her experience with Theruvoram NGO below:
The aged man was found sitting in front of a shop for the past few weeks. A local contacted the organisation to shelter the man.
The life of an aged-man abandoned by his son was rescued by a phone call. Helpless and nowhere to go, this aged man was found on the streets of Kochi sitting by the veranda of an old shop by a localite and an auto driver of Palarivattom. The man suffers from a chronic disease leading to a bulge in the neck that stops him from eating and even breathing normally. He can only eat food items in liquid or semi-liquid forms. Initially an orphanage was contacted to take him in, but refused over the fact that he has a home to go back to. He was long gone and nowhere to be found when the locals went over to the same spot the next morning. After hours of searching, these localites contacted the Collector’s office for help to be sent to this man.
The Collector’s office was quick in their actions and communicated this grave matter to the Social Justice Department, who in turn contacted Theruvoram for the rescue and rehabilitation of the man. Since Theruvoram is known for their efforts made towards the betterment of people on the street, the organisation’s members went to the locality to save this man. Upon reaching the place the members understand the dire situation the man is in. He is inquired about his name and how he reached here. He reveals the fact that his son abandoned him and is not ready to take care of him. Theruvoram forwards with the legal procedures and claims the responsibility of the intake of this man into the organization. After the procedures were completed at the Palarivattom Police Station, the man was brought to the shelter home to help him start a new chapter of his life. He was cleaned and bathed and medical care was provided as and when required. The man suffers from a chronic disease leading to a bulge in the neck that stops him from eating and even breathing normally. He can only eat food items in liquid or semi-liquid forms.
Creating a life for the innocent souls with a bright and colorful future to look for ahead.
The day of Children’s Day is meant to be special for all the little precious ones we have in our life. 7 years back on this very day, Murugan received the National Award for Child Welfare, being the first to gain one from the state of Kerala. For the past 20 years, his work was to save those we consider insignificant beings on the streets of Kochi. He was given the award by the Former President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi’s Rashtrapati Bhavan. Providing mental and emotional care for these lives, Murugan has touched the lives of many with his simple heart.
Started off as an auto driver
with sheer poverty circling around his premises since childhood, he never
wished for worldly pleasures for himself. His only intention was to ensure his
brethren was protected from incessant rains and sweltering heat. The early
realization only the passengers in his auto were being protected, but by the
streets he whirred by, a lot of them looked staring into infinity without a
cause or call for help. Thus started the organization ‘Theruvoram’ meaning By
the streets for the empowerment, rescue and rehabilitation of those souls
living by the streets.
The tiny butterflies who are
rescued by the organisation are given better opportunities and chances through
the medium of education and giving them a chance to fly higher with educational
scholarships. They are introduced and welcomed into better lives with
counselling and donation to the parents in the form of groceries and other
educational items. These cumulative efforts are taken in the hope of spreading
a light of goodness into these young minds, so that they can soar high and
reciprocate the same later.
Murugan S. receiving the prestigious National Award from the former President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee
It is indeed an honour to receive one of the highest recognition for the hard work from the most important person in the country. But these recognitions cannot meet the necessary objectives the organisation has to meet in order to keep it running. Very few individuals and organisations, almost negligible amount are donated for this cause.
“We are not an orphanage, Rescue is our mission. We save old people, mentally unstable, children under child labour and begging mafia.” The main aim of Theruvoram is rescue and rehabilitation of these lives. Theruvoram is a temporary shelter home unlike old-age homes or orphanages that function around the country. People on the streets increasing day by day and help are barely reaching these helpless souls. With these deficient funding, getting them to help would make it increasingly difficult for the organisation. As a fellow human being, a creature co-existing in this universe it is our obligation to contribute to make the lives of our brethren easier and contented.
Kochi: Theruvoram NGO has been working towards the betterment of the people who find themselves on the street. These people are offered a shelter home at the NGO’s centre and taken care of by the officials of the organisation. This includes food provided to them all the time, a place to sleep, hygienic requirements, etc – basically anything and everything required by a person to live a good life. The NGO gets its funding by generous donors as well as an amount allocated by the government for this project. Although it is not enough to sustain for a whole year, the NGO has found its own ways to use the resources, which are often considered to be waste by the others.
Interns and inmates helping out for Theruvoram NGO
Kerala is well known for its tropical climate and unbearable heat during the months of April and May. In a state, with its abundance of coconut trees, people find solace by drinking coconut water, which is the most affordable resource to cool down the body after a long day in the sun. The NGO has asked a local coconut water seller to give the organisation the waste generated in the form of coconut shells, which will then be used as a fuel resource for the organisation. Not only coconut shells, but materials like sugarcane waste as well as dry, waste wood from the furniture stores are given to the organisation. This waste is used as fuel for the kitchen, in which the food is prepared for all the inmates there. This way of using the resources has helped the organisation save a lot of money which would otherwise be used up as ‘gas money’.
Taking coconut shells in Kochi.
The organisation is trying their level best to recycle as much as possible. The founder of the NGO, Murugan S says that, “These materials are often thrown away by the people and not looked back upon. We on the other hand are using them up like this and I am sure we are ending up saving a lot of money as well as resources. Today, when the world is getting devoid of its resources, it is important to notice one’s day to day waste and its potential. I believe we are contributing towards the environment in a good way by continuing this.”
The front yard at Theruvoram NGO.
Not only that, the volunteers in the organisation are also giving their hand to serve these inmates. This fuel-waste was cleaned up by the volunteers as well as the inmates, which was then used as fuel for the kitchen. The officials themselves indulged in the cooking of food for all these people and everybody enjoyed a hearty meal together. The NGO is trying its best to sustain with whatever resources are available to them and has been successfully doing so for six years now.
Theruvoram NGO has been working for more than twenty years now. Working to save the destitute in and around the state of Kerala, this post is dedicated towards the recognition received by the organisation from across the country.
Theruvoram NGO founder, Murugan S receiving the National Award for the welfare of street children from the then President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. He was the first person to receive the award from Kerala.
Receiving the “Amazing Indian” Award presented the Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi, awarded by Times Now Network.
Sri Sri Ravishankarji recognises the services of Murugan S to the welfare of street children by giving him the award in 2013.
Government of Kerala, Department of Social Justice awarded Shri. Murugan with the Special Appreciation for Social Service 2012 Award in recognition of the valuable services he has done for the community in the field of Social Services. The award was presented by the then Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Oommen Chandy.
A P Aslam Pratibha Puraskaram, 2016 was presented by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan at Muscat Hotel, Thiruvanathapuram.
Murugan S was presented with the Hope Award award for his outstanding work for underprivileged orphans and women at the Theruvora Pravarthaka Association.
Murugan was awarded with the Limca Book of Records.
Mary would have never thought in her wildest dreams that she would be suffering a life of a dying animal or much worse. Mary was an native of Molanthuraty and owned 17 cents of land which she dreamed once of building a house. All her dreams came shattering down when the contractor cheated her of her money and land and when her second daughter left the home due to disputes. Mary’s first daughter was married off and for past seven years she stayed along in a three walled room. She was unable to earn for herself and she usually crawls her way into the neighbour’s homes for the meal of the day.
As days passed by she fell sick and was unable
to make a move and for weeks she lay on her bed without food and water.
Mary turned to bones and worms started feasting on her flesh. It is only one
day when she screamed out of pain, the neighbours noticed her condition and
called up the Theruvoram NGO members and explained the situation. Murugan
S the founder of Theruvoram NGO came to her rescue immediately while the
members of the Kudumba Shree provided the primary healthcare for Mary.
After which Murugan S took her in his auto to the hospital for further medical
treatment. The contractor that cheated claims to be guilty and wrote of
10 cents in Mary’s name.
NGO THERUVORAM, KOCHI 