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Serving in silence
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Founded in 1973, the Madurai branch of Women's Voluntary Service runs a hostel for working women and a home for the aged.
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MUCH HAS been talked about various issues concerning women and their rights for several decades now. Several organisations are also striving for the cause.
On the other side, an equal number of organisations are functioning to cater to several regular needs of women, such as personality development, vocational training for self-employment, accommodation to employed women through their hostel, etc.
One of them is the Women's Voluntary Service (WVS), a brainchild of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, functioning all over the nation.
Founded in 1972, the WVS has branches in almost all cities across the country, including Madurai. The city branch of the WVS was started in 1973. With this year, the Madurai branch completes 30 years of yeoman service in the field.
It is also a practice that the Collector's wife will be the director of the district-level WVS. At present, there are about 55 members in the Madurai WVS, which is located on Race Course Road.
"Though the WVS renders several services for women in the city, the hostel for employed women and the home for aged are testimonies to its commitment towards women's welfare", says Savitri Devadoss, president-cum-assistant director, WVS, Madurai branch.
The hostel for working women, which is functioning on the WVS premises, was established in 1987. Around 45 persons are staying in this hostel, which can house up to 50 persons, at present, according to Ms. Savitri Devadoss.
"As an added service, a dormitory is available for the temporary visitors", she says.
For those, who want to rent rooms in the hostel, an amount of Rs.1,300 is collected as deposit, which is refundable, and another Rs.1,300 towards monthly rent, Ms Devadoss says. "A dormitory is run for visitors and is rented only for a maximum of 10 days. Those staying in the dormitory can also take rooms on a monthly basis in the hostel, depending on room availability. The basic requirement for renting a room is that the tenant should be an employed person".
As for timings, she says, "We are strict and the inmates should return by 8.30 p.m."
To start with, the old age home, which is a paid institution, has space to accommodate up to 6 members. "Actually we are planning to provide shelters for more number of elders", she says.
"A crèche is also being run by the WVS for the underprivileged children. Around 50 kids are taken care of in this crèche", says Savitri Devadoss.
The WVS has also expanded its services to other parts of the district by adopting a few villages such as Mela Panangadi, Kodimangalam and Erukalanatham.
"At Erukalanatham, near Natham, our services are in great form. We have helped some residents of the area to get jobs in some companies in the city. A few others have been provided with equipment such as weighing machines, sewing machines, etc., through which they can get some earnings. But these were provided only on easy repayable instalments. Such services are rendered only after ensuring their repaying capacity and for the LIG families", says Meherunissa, treasurer, WVS, Madurai branch.
"Similar gestures are rendered to the residents of other adopted villages also", she adds.
"For the children, we pay school fees, donate uniforms and notebooks. Some students of a few corporation schools in the city also get similar benefits from our forum", she says.
Apart from helping the poorer sections of the society in meeting their daily requirements, the WVS conducts several programmes such as personality development programmes, vocational training, etc., for its members and the hostel inmates.
Besides, they conduct classes on candle-making, incense powder production, detergents etc. Beyond the premises, the WVS also conducted educational and tailoring classes for women prisoners of the Madurai Central Jail.
On the recreation side, an indoor and outdoor badminton courts are available for the members to spend their leisure. "The organisation conducts treasure hunts, sells books on cookery, etc., which are part of their fund raising campaigns for their various services", says Ms. Devadoss.
"This apart, demonstration on kitchen utilities are being conducted for the welfare of the members", she adds.
To bring out the latent talents, different competitions such as quiz, mind twisters, rangoli, cookery, etc., are regularly held, the president points out
For the benefit of members, Ms. Devadoss says, "medical camps, giving priority to women's problems, are conducted at regular intervals. Doctors, experts and members will give lectures in an effort to create awareness on various health issues. Alternative medical treatments such as Rheiki and Pranic healing have also been introduced to the members".
Among our community services, Ms. Meherunissa feels, "the noteworthy project was the AIDS awareness camp for the higher secondary students a few years ago. Both students and their parents participated in the camp, which acted as a forum for a healthy interaction".
"Another important programme was a seminar organised in 2001, to mark the year for women empowerment, headed by TV fame Revathi Sankaran. It was a well-attended meet with an active participation by college students", she adds.
In other activities, the organisation makes it a point to visit the inmates of orphanages, poor children and the underprivileged, particularly during festivals and to give them gifts and clothes.
"Many other community services conducted by the organisation were stopped owing to poor patronage", regrets Ms. Devadoss.
Keeping in pace with the time, the WVS is now involved in the task of forming a self-help group to shore up its activities in this sector also.
"Any service-minded woman can become a member of this organisation and should pay Rs.250 as membership fee and an annual service charge of Rs.200", Ms. Devadoss says.
"As this year happened to be our 30th anniversary, we are planning to do a lot of services and something big for which discussions are underway", she concluded.
For more details, write to Women's Voluntary Service Office, No.9, Race Course Road, Madurai - 2 or dial 2525808.
M.R.ARAVINDAN
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