Sivananda Gurukulam. Serving the needy since 1945.

Our Work

About Our Work

"What good did the creature of the earth do to the clouds that pour the rain? So indeed should you serve society seeking no return. There is no pleasure in this world or in the other world equal to the joy of being helpful to those around you. Do not lose the opportunity for this rare pleasure."

-Thirukkural 

(THIRUKKURAL is one of the greatest poetical composition of antiquity written ever in Indian Literature)

Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram celebrated its 75th year anniversary [Platinum Jubilee] in 2020.

Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram is a national awardee non-profit organisation with the primary objective of protecting orphans, destitute women, children with special needs, and the elderly. Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram is based near Chennai with more than 75 years of recorded services to thousands of poor orphans consistently providing them not just food, education and shelter, but also instilling morals to help our children grow, learn and eventually become independent. Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram is providing a hygienic environment, balanced nutritious food, clothing, shelter, education, morals, basic family values, culture, and above all the true value of love and affection for more than seven decades. One of the major advantages of Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram is that all children have the support of the senior citizens who themselves are neglected by their kith and kin. In return, the senior citizens get love and affection from the tiny tots when they need it the most. Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram runs accredited primary and high schools, which benefit the orphans and thousands of rural children in about 50 villages in this area. In addition to taking care of the physical health by having Doctors, Nurses, and Ayas to support thousands of human beings within its premises, Sivananda Saraswathi Sevashram also take cares of mental health needs such as counselling, outdoor activities, keeping the environment clean with greenery and so on thereby resulting in upbeat perspective of life for everyone.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES

Child Welfare:

New children are admitted to our Gurukulam periodically. We normally admit kids who have lost both their parents. Overall strength of our Gurukulam residents usually range between 300 and 350. Inflow of children is balanced with the outflow of children that graduate from 10th class every year. Generally, children who have one parent alive are not admitted, but our board makes certain exceptions based on their poverty levels etc. Pure orphans are our first priority.

We provide a hygienic environment, balanced nutritious food, clothing, shelter, education, morals, basic family values, culture, and above all the true value of love and affection.

We get an un-explainable sense of satisfaction by serving these children.

Old Age Home:

The idea of starting an old age home was proposed by His Holiness Sankaracharya of Kanchee Mutt when he visited our Gurukulam. A home for the aged was started in the year 1993 and inaugurated by Shri. R. Venkataraman, former President of India.

One of the major advantages of our organization is that all the orphaned kids have the support of the tens of (usually range between 70 and 100) senior citizens who themselves are neglected by their kith and kin. The kids do not feel that they are born as orphans and they can select one or more of the tens of senior citizens as their father, mother, grandma or grandpa. In return, the senior citizens get love and affection from hundreds of tiny tots when they need it the most in their life.

We currently have approximately 40 employees helping take care of the Gurukulam and the old age home + other daily chore activities, who - most of them - came to us seeking rehabilitation themselves.

Healthcare:

The Gurukulam has a dispensary in which a Doctor takes care of not only the kids & elders of the institution, but also the needy in the surrounding villages. In addition to taking care of the physical health by having Doctors, Nurses, and Ayas to support thousands of human beings within our premises, we also take care of mental health needs such as counselling, outdoor activities, keeping the environment clean with greenery and so on thereby resulting in upbeat perspective of life for everyone.

Schools:

We run both primary and high schools (six of them in total) accredited by the State Government, which benefits the orphans and thousands of rural children in the surrounding villages.

Total number of children in all schools = ~4000 

Total number of staff in all schools = ~300 

Total number of villages served = ~50

As a donor, if you are interested in absorbing our costs for each child's education or elderly care, for a short term or a long term, we have various donation plans (annadhanam, kalvidhanam, anbudhanam i.e., Sponsorship and Endowments) through which you can support us. Please click here for more details and we thank you wholeheartedly. Your support through such Sponsorship and Endowment plans will lessen our burden to provide food, education, and shelter - apart from medical, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Food Facilities:

Starting early in the day with sathumaav kanchi (multigrain porridge), every day we provide food with nourishment ensuring healthy growth of our Gurukulam children and fitness of our elders. All meals are usually served in the dining hall. Around 8.30 a.m., for breakfast, we usually provide a tiffin like dosa/idly/upma/pongal with milk (tea/coffee for elders). Lunch is served at 1.00 pm. For lunch, we usually serve rice, sambar, rasam, buttermilk, curry or kootu along with a sweet (usually payasam/kheer), vada & appalam/pappad. Evening, snacks are served to the elders and protein bars alike to children. We ensure nutritious & balanced food is provided at all times. So even while giving a snack, we ensure it is either a kadalai mittai/chikki/peanut candy or fruits. Dinner is served around 8 pm. For dinner, we usually provide items like chapathi, kichadi or variety rice. Sick and diabetic residents are served food according to their requirements. Special care is taken to cook quality food to keep elders and kids in good health. On festival days and special occasions, children, elder, and staff are provided with special meals served on plantain leaves. As a donor, you can absorb our daily cost of food as a cosponsor for all our children, elders, and caretakers (e.g., during any special occasion of yours/loved ones like birthday, wedding day etc). For providing such food (annadhanam) to all our children, elders, and caretakers, please click here to first book a date/preferred time of your choice: BuildHope.org/food and we will get back to you with availability details almost immediately (during working hours).

SOME OF OUR NOTEWORTHY UNIQUE INITIATIVES

A Seminar On Promotion Of National Integration And Mass Feeding :

We wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to sanction grants for conducting 5 Seminars during 5 National Festivals of our Country. The Government accepted his suggestion for a seminar and mass feeding for thousands of villagers for five festivals. Due to his initiative the organization conducted seminars on promotion of national integration and mass feeding by inviting key individuals and Ministers. Thousands of villagers attended the seminar and got benefited. This approach resulted as a very good platform for the villagers to understand the reality of life, create sense of Unity, and promote National Integration. 

Rehabilitation Of Srilanka Orphan Children:

The riots in Sri Lanka was a rude shock for everyone as the people from Indian origin were badly affected. When the trouble started, we wrote to the Government of India that we were prepared to admit 50 orphan children who are parentless or helpless in the Gurukulam and try to rehabilitate them. Our ex-chairman late Dr. S. Rajaram proceeded to the refugee camp in Mandapam near Rameswaram and worked in the relief camp for a week along with Shri Ramakrishna Mission. He identified the children and fulfilled all the formalities and gave asylum to 50 orphan children at Sivananda Gurukulam. 

HOW TO DONATE? We have all easy options from NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/UPI(Google Pay, PayTM, PhonePe, BHIM, Amazon Pay etc)/WIRE, Netbanking, Debit Card, Credit Card to Cheque, DD and Money Order in both domestic INR (Indian Rupees) and ALL foreign currencies. Click here: BuildHope.org/donate. Please note that your donations are exempted from Indian Income Tax as per the norms under section 80g of IT Act. We thank you wholeheartedly.