Program Highlights 2025

Environmental Stewardship

The first home built with “green” principles was completed and has been rented. Construction has begun of a second home, also for rent.The income from the properties will be used to help support programs.

This year the Environmental Stewardship Program has continued it’s commitment to build networks: with neighbors, local government, schools, and with the National Government’s “Clean India” movement.

Periodic cleaning of refuse around the Girivalam Path. Shantimalai approached the local government about sharing a “Corporate Social Responsibility” fund that was established by a local corporation.
Environmental Training. 35 members of regional education departments focusing on the theme”Beat Plastic Pollution”.
Green Earth Mission. To celebrate World Environmental Day, 10,000 tree saplings were dontated to two local districts, Tiruvannamalai and Velore.
Green Housing. The first home built with “green” principles was completed and has been rented. Construction of a second home for rent has begun.Rental income from the properties will help support programs. Solar panels and rainwater recovery will be a feature of both homes.

New Cow Shed. An airy cow shed now houses the growing number of milk cows.
New initiatives. Planning is at the beginning stages for the creation of a new retirement community for the destitute. Shanthimalai has already begun preparing a site and is looking at architectural plans.

Sponsorship & School News

Students in the Joyful Learning Program, led by Ms. Kanimozhi are thriving. Parents have enthusiastically expressed support for this child-centered, activity-based approach to Early Learning.
6 Joyful Learning teachers attended an intensive four-day training in May.

Sri Ramana Maharshi School has begun implementing the CBSE curriculum, offering rural students an equivalent education to students in much wealthier areas.

The CBSE curriculum, set by the Central Board of Secondary Education in India, has a nationally recognized curriculum and is widely admired for its rigor, and its use of experiential, project-based learning. This is a big step for the Shanthimalai schools.

For 30^th Anniversary Celebration, a lively play was performed by students and staff, expressing deep gratitude to Anne Maier, who founded the school with her late husband, Dr. Hugo Maier.
58,600 midday meals were served over the school year. 81% of the students at the elementary school and 38% at the SRM school participated in the free lunch program.
The Shanthimalai Skill Development Program (SSDP) is actively working to assist students with post-secondary and career planning. A career guidance session and special training session on industrial skills was held in April 2025. Weekly Sunday Training Sessions began at the end of June and will continue through the school year, focusing on communication skills in English.

The Widows Project

In January, The Om Shanthi Widows Home opened an after-school Computer Center for students from the surrounding villages. For many, especially the girls, this is their first access to digital education, otherwise available only in the cities at high cost. Locating this center in the garden of Widows Home has resulted in wonderful exchanges between the young people and the elderly widows.

2025 Financial support for younger widows and school age children:

140 children received uniforms, shoes, and school supplies at an educational camp in May.
35 primary and secondary school fees were paid.
8 fees were paid for college and paramedical courses.
13 of the widows’ children received medical aid.
7 bicycles were provided for girls needing transportation.
7 working women received medical aid.
2 widows were given a cow and calf worth about $500 each.
3 of the widows’ houses received major repairs in 2025. (40 houses have been repaired and and 25 small new houses were constructed since 2015.)
100 new sarees were given out to working women.
2 widows received counselling.
Employment was found for 6 young widows in restaurants and bakeries.

2025 Support for elderly widows in the Om Shanthi Home:
The Home provides loving refuge for elderly, abandoned widows in an assisted living, end-of-life community.

Health care for all residents. In addition to routine health care, 60 women participated in an eye clinic, including staff, residents, and local village women. Treatment included cataract surgery for 6 women and glasses for 23 of them.
End-of-life care. The Home offers loving support and – when the time comes – traditional burial with Mr. Manoharan taking on all the responsibilities of a true son, so important in Indian culture.
Opening of the new Computer Center. Located in the Home’s garden, the Center offers opportunities for wonderful, healing exchanges between young people from the surrounding villages and these elderly widows, most of whom were ostracized from their communities. With 5 computer stations and a dedicated teacher, students learn essential computer skills. For many, especially the girls, this is their first access to digital education, otherwise available only in the cities at high cost. A total of 80 students have already received Certificates in Basic Computer Training. The first group graduated in April 2025; a second group graduated in August.
Installation of new solar panels on 2 of the 3 houses in compound. Now all 3 buildings are solar powered.
Construction of a new solar powered kitchen was completed in October.
Joyful celebrations include distributions of new clothing and sweets to celebrate holidays throughout the year.

Handcrafts Update

Aruna Designs is in transition and is currently unable to place the orders that Premalaya has relied on for many years. Click to read A New Chapter for Aruna Designs. Orders from Europe have also tapered off this year. At the moment, the artisans at Premalaya have very little work.

Premalaya Handicrafts has been a FairTrade member since 2001, since the inception of FairTrade Forum – India.

Premalaya has offered training and work in traditional handicrafts to approximately 105 – 210 women/year, many of whom are widowed or were previously destitute. Over the past 25 years, the project has provided training and jobs for thousands of local women.

Some of the women work at Premalaya; others take piecework home. They produce beautiful handwoven goods, exquisite hand-painted greeting cards, joyful block print robes and accessories, hand-embroidered children’s clothing, baby quilts, and charming decorative soft sculptures.

New tariffs here in the States and increased international shipping costs have made importing goods from India much more expensive.
Premalaya is currently trying to expand the local market for their handicrafts and to find new companies within India that recognize and value the high quality of their products, but this is not easy.

Past donations to the project have funded eye exams for the weavers and eyeglasses for many of them, occasional purchases of equipment and raw materials, annual school supplies and uniforms for children of the women, workspace improvements, etc.

We understand how difficult it is these days to make choices about donating funds. Please know how very much your help means, and how deeply your contributions are appreciated.

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