In the 70 years since its founding, Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust in Chennai has always worked towards providing care and educational opportunities for children. The institution, which was started by K. Kamaraj and Manjubhashini in March 1949, has been taking on multiple roles to help improve the lives of children in difficult circumstances.
A three-day celebration will be held from March 8 to 10, commemorating the 70-year journey of the trust. As part of this, a cultural centre will be inaugurated, which aims to sensitise children in Children Social Responsibility to become citizens with social responsibility who can play their part in transforming the country.
“As we move forward, we want to continue to be as relevant for children as possible, based on their needs. We have always been supportive of children with special needs and have joined hands with the Madhuram Narayanan Centre from 2018 as well to ensure that the support we offer is much more comprehensive,” said Maya Gaitonde, Honorary General Secretary and Trustee.
Schools, day care centres
While the main focus of the Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust started off with the Children’s home in Chennai, they have since then expanded to providing education through setting up schools as well as establishing a day care centre. The trust also went on to establish a girls home in Nagercoil. The Bala Mandir Vocational Training unit has been active since 1962 and in the future, aims to focus on skill training for children towards the improvement of life skills.
Ms. Gaitonde noted that one of the unique aspects of the children’s home in Chennai is the policy of taking in children below the age of 6. “The trust has always worked closely with various government agencies and the adoption programme as a part of our authorised adoption centre has also grown over the years,” she said.
The infrastructure of Bala Mandir took a hit in the devastation caused by the 2015 floods in the city. “The way the community responded to our needs and supported us was truly overwhelming. We have since then emerged stronger,” Ms Gaitonde said.
Logo designed for fete
For the 70-year celebration of Bala Mandir, a logo has been designed to reflect the journey forward for them. Aiming to play a larger role in the area of childcare and reach out to the larger community, Bala Mandir aims to encourage every child to achieve his/her potential, engage and share best practices with the community.