Institute for Rural Community Service (IRCS) is a non-governmental and interfaith organisation. It was established in 1987 in Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu, South India. Throughout its history IRCS has improved the livelihood of communities by setting up and running two crèches amongst other facilities.
One of the main aims of IRCS is to build a just society. We believe such a society will be made possible through the provision of a good education, increased interfaith relations, and by raising awareness of issues such as gender inequality and children’s rights. We are a small NGO, but believe in true partnership and collaboration with like minded organisations and hope that by doing so we will make a difference among the marginalised people in South India. With a new vision and clear strategy, IRCS is now journeying ahead to help the marginalised in South India.
Our vision is to help to create a harmonious society in which the community feels empowered to address and improve their own health, education and economic development in a sustainable way.
Our mission is to build this harmonious society in which the whole community can live free from discrimination. Unfortunately caste, creed and religion have become barriers to peace and we hope that these can be broken down in favour of educational, social, economical and political empowerment, thus enabling the community to initiate the process of change towards a better quality of life.
Our approach is to support and start projects that respond directly to local needs in semi-rural areas. We aim to ensure that the community is involved and participates in the creation and development of our projects.
For more information about, to support or make a donation for IRCS please contact CA or visit www.ircs.org.in <http://www.ircs.org.in>
Little Elephants Pre-school: IRCS has set up the Little Elephant Pre-school in Thayyur under the guidance of Suresh and Christine Karuppiah. Thayyur is a group of 13 small villages near Kelambak-kam (near Chennai), Tamil Nadu. We conducted a survey in this area and found that there is not adequate pre-school provision. There are limited employment options and many women cannot go to work as they have to stay at home due to lack of child-care. Families are surviving on an average monthly income of just under 4,000 Indian rupees (about £55). Thus there is a real need for a pre-school in this area to not only provide childcare for these children but at the same time provide them with an education.
Little Elephants Pre-school will: ·Incorporate new ways of learning within a good pre-school education. ·Help children 1 to 6 years to grow and flourish socially, emotionally, physi-cally, morally and mentally. ·25 children 1 to 4 years will attend the pre-school. ·Little Elephant will then develop and 25 children 4 to 5 years will attend LKG and 25 children 5 to 6 years will attend UKG (Lower and Upper Kinder Garden). ·Children will be provided with a nutritious snack and lunch each day.
IRCS aims to freely provide (or whatever the parents could afford) an excellent standard of pre-school and Kinder Garden education for the children of Thayyur whom without Little Elephants would either not get an education or have a very basic, low quality schooling.
Little Elephant’s Mission: To promote, provide and support quality, sustainable and holistic early childhood development (focusing on education and nutrition) for children from 1 to 6 years within Thayyur.
For more information about, to support or make a donation for Little Elephants Pre-school please contact CA or visit www.ircs.org.in <http://www.ircs.org.in> Ruth and Subash Chellaiah: Ruth Subash and Subash Cehllaiah have been married since 2007 and have two children. They presently live in Lincoln. They are committed Christians and feel God is calling them to work in India.
Ruth and Subash have been involved with Christians Aware since 2007. Subash is a Trustee and they are CA representatives in Lincolnshire. Ruth and Subash hope eventually to be working, in South India, for the Institute of Rural Community Service (IRCS). They would be going through and with Christians Aware and would be CA representatives in India and Asia.
For more information about or to support Ruth and Subash and their work in India please contact CA or visit www.ircs.org.in <http://www.ircs.org.in>
