Sumangali Seva Ashram (SSA) is a social service organization based in Bangalore city in the state of Karnataka in India. It has been working since 1975 to provide shelter and support to orphaned, single parented and abandoned children and women in and around Bangalore city.
The organization is distinct and unique in the sense that it is run by a huge army of women headed by Smt. S.G. Susheelamma who has been working cogently since three decades to make a difference in the lives of people who are afflicted by pain and suffering and helping them become self reliant. SSA is staffed by a dedicated team of over 450 full-time female volunteers, who are those who once benefited from its services.
SSA’s activities are carried out through grants received from the central government as well as financial and material assistance from international aid agencies and individuals who have been touched by the stories of SSA residents.
Activities:
1. Educational Initiatives:
The Ashram runs two schools for children from all walks of life (Basavananda primary and upper primary school in Bangalore city and Sumangali girls high school in Adugodi). These schools have been recognized by the Department of Education, Government of Karnataka.
The Ashram also runs a residential school known as Premananda Makkala Kuteera which has strength of 114 children, aged 5 to 16 years. This hostel provides free education to children up to matriculation. The preference of admission is given to orphans, single parent and children below poverty line. Another hostel named Vatsalaya Makkala Kuteera has been established for slum children below poverty line.
The Ashram supports needy aspiring girls of their schools to complete higher studies by arranging sponsorships or through their existing funds. For girls once their studies are completed, they are wedded off with a suitable match searched and fixed by the Ashram.
2. Rehabilitation programs:
Rehabilitation Program for Rag Pickers and Child Labourers: Children who spend their day by collecting rags are encouraged to attend a non-formal school run by SSA. Along with education, children are provided nutritious food in the afternoon and vocational training in tailoring, embroidery, twisting of silk yarn, etc. with a stipend to compensate their daily earnings. A total of 4,500 children have benefited from this program right since its inception.
Shakti Nagar: The Ashram has adopted Kuprajbande slum, in which fifty-six shanty dwellings have been rebuilt by volunteers, and a number of awareness campaigns have been conducted on health, sanitation and against alcoholism. Today, the slum has been renamed Shaktinagar—the City of Strength. Volunteers claim that their drive against alcoholism has been so effective that almost 80 percent of the inhabitants of Shakti Nagar have become teetotalers.
3. Shelter Homes:
Souharda Shelter Home: Women who are in search of moral and emotional support along with basic food, shelter, clothing and medical support approach the Ashram either by themselves or are referred by individuals or sister institutions. These women are provided shelter, proper food, clothing, education, livelihood enhancement trainings, medical care, soci-psyhco counselling, hospitalization, outings, cultural retreats, etc. Once these women are confident enough to lead a peaceful life with dignity, they start moving out of the Ashram premises to their own place of stay as independents or to their earlier homes if they have patched up with their family. Nearly 50 women are always housed in this shelter home.
Old Age Home: The Ashram also runs an old age home named ‘Sri Punyakoti Vanaprastha Ashrama’. This old age home provides shelter to deserving deserted poor senior women citizens who approach the ashram. The home houses fifty elderly women with two caretakers, two helpers, a cook, a resident supervisor and a weekly visiting doctor. The residents are provided food, clothes, medical care, hospitalization, counselling, excursions to temples and heritage sites, old age benefits from Government and other sources as per availability.
4. Nutrition and Health Programs:
Sumangali Seva Ashram runs 25 crèches, under the Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme.
The ashram also runs 130 Anganwadi Centres of the Integrated Child Development Services program under contract with the State Social Welfare Board.
The Ashram maintains two medical Centers, i.e., Primary Health Centre, Cholanayakanahalli, and Urban Family Planning and Welfare Hospital, Palace Guttahalli, under public-private partnership with Government of Karnataka. These two hospitals are self-managed centers funded by the Government and partially funded by a private donor.
The Ashram also operates a mobile van providing preventive and curative services for communities in remote parts of urban and rural slum areas of Bangalore. Services include health check ups along with free medicines, laboratory tests and hospital referrals.
Some reputed hospitals namely M/s. M.S. Ramaiah Hospital, Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Ganesh Nursing Home, Victoria Hospital and Columbia Asia Hospital provide their services free to patients referred by the Ashram.
The Ashram also organizes several nutrition and health awareness programs, campaigns, rallies on nutrition and health education as well as broader social issues such as anti-dowry laws, gender equity, etc.
5. Entrepreneurship:
The Ashram has activated and supports 50 self help groups in slums close to Ashram. They are trained in various home-based entrepreneurships and provided small credit for micro enterprises.
6. Capacity Building of Social Workers and Grass-root Level Institutions:
Sumangali Seva Ashram provides a one-month theory cum practicum residential training to poor needy socially conscious women. These trainings educate and train these women in spiritual values, serving the needy, depressed and isolated persons, including home nursing skills.
The Ashram also plays a distinct role in formation of district-level networks which are again brought under one umbrella patroned by SSA. One such network ‘Coordinating Council of Voluntary Agencies’ comprises nearly 250 not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) functioning all over Karnataka. These NPOs are equipped with relevant governance systems, need-based projects and brought onto a single platform by hosting and organizing periodic trainings, conferences and workshops.
7. Small Grants and Donations to Needy Persons:
There are certain genuinely needy persons, with relevant health, education, family or girl child related problems who approach the Ashram at times of emergencies and crises. The Ashram supports such victims with the needed contributions/donations in cash or kind. For newly formed grass-root level NPOs, the Ashram provides some seed capital to support them till they are able to mobilize resources on their own and work.
Sumangali Seva Ashram's distinct style of functioning based on the principle of Gandhism has made it a well-respected and well-known organization, both at State and National level. Its achievements have won it many laurels as well. For example, it has received the State and National Awards in 1985-86, the Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar Award for handloom in 1991 and the Rani Kittur Chennamma Award in 1998.
Contact Person
Smt. S.G. Susheelamma, President
Postal Address:
Sumangali Seva Ashram
SSA Road, Cholanayakanahalli,
RT Nagar Post,
Bangalore-560032
Karnataka (India)
Office Phone: +91-080-65301395. +91-080-65301388
Email: sumangali_ashram@rediffmail.com, lalitha.krishna@rediffmail.com
Website: www.sumangalisevaashram.com
Last Updated on February 18, 2009