The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Focus on literacy, service organisations told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Focus on literacy, service organisations told

Staff Reporter

Project day fete of Rajasthan Youth Association Metro at Avvai Home

FOOD FOR ALL: V. Shanta, chairperson of Cancer Institute, Adyar, pins a foodbank label on poet Kanimozhi at a function held in Avvai Home and Orphanage to mark the release of `One Crore Meal' mark logo in Chennai on Sunday. — PHOTO: N. SRIDHA RAN

CHENNAI: Service organisations should give priority to education in the State and ensure at least 80 per cent literacy is achieved among girls, said V. Shanta, chairperson of Cancer Institute, Adyar, on Sunday. This would help to improve the socio-economic status of the country.

Only Kerala had achieved cent per cent literacy in the country while in Tamil Nadu women's literacy was less than 50 per cent, she said while participating in the project day celebration of Rajasthan Youth Association Metro (RYA) at Avvai Home.

The Home and the institute are sister concerns started by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, the first Indian woman medical graduate, she told the Club officials and their family members. Releasing the `one crore meal' mark logo, Dr. Shanta cited Tamil proverbs to explain to the child beneficiaries of the Home about the importance of the event.

"Health is wealth. What you do not learn at the age of five you will not learn at the age of 50. Teachers should inculcate in children values because they are the pillars of society when they grow up."

Poet Kanimozhi, who launched the posters of actor Prabhu Deva, the brand ambassador for the `One Crore Meal' scheme, lauded the organisation's commitment.

The RYA, launched on April 24, 1993, has so far fed over one crore needy people a meal. The RYA Metro Trust Food Bank is an ISO 9001 non-profitable voluntary organisation.

Dr. Shanta and Ms. Kanimozhi distributed rice bags to five charities.

Actor Bharath joined them to distribute sweets to children of the Home.

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