• The expected expenses for a girl is Rs.600/- (13$)** p.m., in free boarding and lodging.
• The Government gives ( subsidy ) Rs.150/- (3$) & 200/- (4.5$) p.m.
• The balance to be met by Gurukulam trust is Rs.450/- (10$) & 400/- (9$) p.m.                      

What is the Plan ? All these years the trust has met the excessive balance expenses from the income of its landed properties at Vadapathi near Tiruthuraipoondi and Kariyamangalam near Kilvelur in Nagai District.

What happened now ?
Due to last years flood and this years drought we lost about 3000 bags( 200 MTs ) bags of paddy, the fodder for cows, worth Rs.2 Lakhs and also agricultural initial operational expenditure of Rs. 5 + 5 lakhs = Rs.10 Lakhs.

What is the new plan ?
We are on the look out to find new philanthropist to support this poor feeding project, by way of matching grant.

Only poor feeding?
Apart from poor feeding Annadhanam ( charity of food), Kanyadhanam (charity marriage and settling a girl in life with a right life partner), we are doing Vastradhanam ( charity garment ), Abhayadhanam(charity refuge ), Aushadhadhanam ( charity medication ), Vidyadhanam ( charity of wisdom ), Sastradhanam ( charity of ecumenical wisdom of virtues ), all for swasini (the unmarried girls are reverentially called so) poor, destitute girls. These are all considered to be highest order of charity and kindness by all religion.

Do you have some one already supporting ?
The Government gives staff grant and subsidy to the inmates under home for the destitutes scheme, Adidravida (once the so-called untouchables)and Backward class welfare departments. The subsidies are only upto 25% of actual expenditure.

Any other support ?
Yes. Income Tax exemption 80G for donations to Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam.

Income Tax exemption under 10 (23 c) IV for trust earning meager profits from the training cum production centres.

Exempting certain provisions of factory act.

The Government of India's permission to receive foreign contributions under FCRA vide no. 075960069

Sales tax exemption for what all produced and sold by Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam Training-cum-production centres.

Allow direct cultivation of the trust owned lands by the trust exempting from tenancy act, since all produce is going for poor feeding.

And exemption from asking competitive quotations by the Government departments while they place orders for purchase of materials from the Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam women welfare organization’s training-cum-production centres.

Support for feeding of poor girl children
Few have created endowments for supporting various kind of activities. Some 10 girls are supported by Japanese friends.

Currently around 19 girls are supported by 'Focolare' movement founded by Madam Chiara Lubic and Madam Natalia.

Some support has been promised by 'Ajai Adi' French movement presided by Mr Michael Piednoir.

Euro 25,000 is the support from Irish Embassy at New Delhi, through H.E. the Ambassador of Ireland, Mr. Philip Mc.Donagh, for setting up of a training center to train poor girls in bakery and confectionery trade.

Thopputhurai Singapore muslim friends have donated school building to house 9 class rooms.

Some trusts help to renovate our 50 yr old buildings and also in some endowments created for school. exam fees and for dress.

Thanjavur Ponnaiah Ramajayam College have extended help to support free college education for 10 poor, orphan girls with free boarding and lodging, every year.

Karur Saradha Niketan College has extended similar support for 2 girls.

East London College, London has promised similar support for few girls.

What do you want us to do actually ?
We request your benevolence to create a fund in any nationalized bank of your choice in the name of Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam to maintain atleast 25 girls, as your share of poor feeding at Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam to match the expenses which is to be met by the trust over and above the Government subsidy, it is in a way of matching grant from your prestigious institution. We earnestly request your goodself to support Rs.300/month/girl. So per month 25 girls x 300 is Rs. 7,500/-pm. As low as Rs. 7500, a paltry sum in your name, 25 girls will be supported by us with food of 4 times a day for a whole month. A sum of Rs. 13 lacs is deposited in any nationalized bank in our name, the interest earned by the deposit amount is used for this purpose. And the interest alone is required for this noble cause to support 25 girls for 10 months in a year and we assure you this will go a long way and continue for always, in your name and with your kind gesture.

We assure that this kind of support of your goodself will be extended to only poor, single parent girls. Those girls who lost father or mother or both parents will be supported in this programme. If she is totally orphan, the entire care of her for the whole year of 12 months will be supported by the Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam trust.

This year’s new admissions
If the support is not coming we may have to curtail the new admission in place of out going girls, this year say about 70 poor girls are completing their studies here in the higher secondary level and leaving for higher study, from dormitory, the halls of residence.

Then who will be affected ?
The possibility of grown up girls getting affected is expected, by curtailing new admission. They have problems of going to far away places, and has to travel and mingle among grown up boys. Even at home all the members of the poor family will be going out for earning for the day and in such case are the grown up girls find it difficult to remain at home, alone, so they are badly in need of safe homes with school.

Oh! Ok, where from the girls come ?
The orphan girls come from courts, magistrates and from poor families. Aged grandparents admit them as they want the girls to be taken care after their lifetime. The girls also come from far away places, skipping 2/3 girl schools. They try to get admission here, lest they prefer to stay back at home, not wanting to continue their studies elsewhere. Ironically they may face going for a job for making some or any money. Mostly get married, well ahead of the stipulated age, to find secured life, to lessen the burden of their parents.

We have taken up the entire care of around 55 Srilankan refugee girls from Mantapam refugee camp. Some of them were earlier admitted in another school where they could not continue their studies and after getting admission into gurukulam they felt comfortable and all of them have studied well and completed their studies here.

Still there is a deficit even after our support ?
Yes. But we shall try to match the gap from our own resource.

Why come to us ? After maintaining this kind of charity for the past 63 years, since 1946, we faced this problem only since 2 years because of natural calamity. We know your laudable services to the community, especially for the down trodden and under previlaged. Your institution holds a high place in the society. Your generous heart and acts of philanthropy are legendary. The plan is for one time only and bear fruit continuously. There is a proverb in Tamil ( No man is without mercy and No victory is impossible ). We know about your kind heart and being the chief of a great institution we earnestly besiege you for the support of the noble cause. We know that you are very much interested in supporting the suffering brethern, hence the request.

Narrate an incident
A person, braving the life without left hand and left leg, came to Gurukulam on 13-5-2003, with two clutches, by name Shri.M.Rajendran,Nadutheru(!), Saliperi-Post, Nannilam Tk, Tiruvarur district wanted to admit his daughter Selvi. R. Sathya into 9th standard at Gurukulam. Selvi. R. Sathya used to score first rank in her class and her mother is blind. If it is last year we some how would have accommodated her. But this year we are also limping like her father, for want of support. Your support will certainly go a long way to help the poor girl students, now the limping institution, the limping father, and alike.

Kindly support us, a national and international award winner rural charitable women welfare organization to support inturn the poor girls of numbering atleast 25, If you decide to support any number of girls more than 25 also, is very much appreciated and we welcome it with joy, by way of matching contribution. May all your endeavours flourish. Thank you.

- A. VEDARATNAM,
Managing Trustee,
Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam and all poor girls.

Our Major Needs include

Buildings, Printing Machines, Transportation, Modern Books in any language (Science, History, Maths, Computers, etc.),Audio, Video, Equipment needed for Equipment Boarding Homes (Tables, Chairs, Almirah, Benches)