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Changing Lives, A Rural Development Project in South India

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Contact Us

Posts by Hugo Welsh

Newsletter November 2019

By Hugo Welsh | October 28, 2019

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

1 week ago

Dear Friends,Welcome to our latest update from your rural development project in Southern India.We are pleased to report that Venkat is in very good spirits, just back from visiting his new grandson. “I am a very lucky man”. He reports that all the distinct arms of the project (the school, healthcare, farm and nutrition-based activities and general support for the needy in the area around Mettupalayam) continue to provide a tremendous service – all thanks to your support and generosity. We thought that we would focus this pre-Christmas message around two stories that speak to the personal impact your project has made over the years and continues to make today.Rajeshwari. We first met Rajeshwari when she was about 4 years old. She was born profoundly deaf, but with the broadest smile you can ever imagine – she was (and is) such a joy. Living in Mettupalayam village, her mum was also deaf, and her father who is blind because of working as a welder without suitable eye protection. Her prospects looked bleak. Working with Venkat, we started to look for opportunities. Through a chance encounter at a Soroptimists event in the UK we learned about a boarding school, the Rangammal School for the hearing impaired, not very far from our project in a town called Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Contact was made and a place was found for Rajeshwari. We well remember going there with her and her mum. It was an emotional time; mum and dad were hugely thankful, but leaving little Rajeshwari there was tough. During her time at the school, we made regular visits to meet her and check on her progress. Two UK Friends’ children even went to stay and work at the school with her for a short period. Rajeshwari did very well at school and upon leaving at age 17, managed with our help to secure a place at the prestigious Presidency College in Chennai which runs a special degree programme for those with hearing disabilities. Here she met Santosh a student on the same course. They both graduated successfully last year and in September they got married. It was a wonderful day, a very happy milestone on a remarkable journey that simply could never have happened without your support. Amutha Valli Not all stories are as dramatic as Rajeshwari’s! Talking to Venkat recently, I asked him if we could talk to one of his team to get a bit of background to their connection with the project. He put me in touch with Amutha Valli. She told me that she had been a pupil at our school in Mettupalayam from age 5 to 10 yrs. She then went on to the local high school and subsequently gained a B.Ed at training college.She now provides administrative and accounting support for the project and tells me she is delighted to be back at our school, this time not as a pupil but part of the team. She hopes to develop her teaching skills and says it has been wonderful to be warmly welcomed back. She has a passion for English and Tamil so would like to be able to focus her support in these areas. She particularly emphasises the supportive team atmosphere she has encountered at the Crakehall school.Hers is the story of someone who benefited from her early education at our school and is now giving back to it. We plan to maintain our link with Amutha Valli and to talk to others who have been touched by the project in future newsletters. We hope that it gives a new insight into the difference your support makes.Future PrioritiesYour Trustees are meeting before Christmas to review priorities. We are very aware of the pressures on everyone’s finances and we will aim to ensure that your support is directed to where it matters most. In support of this, Francis is visiting the project again in January and we look forward to giving you his report in the new year.We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our Friends whose donations enable the project to continue and we are happy to send out a newsletter to any friends of Friends who may wish to help.Once again, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and happy 2026. Venkat sends his personal best wishes and thanks to you all.Contact us:Adele Eldridge Francis and Rosie Muncaster Hugo and Jean Welsh07484 709155 07491 948878 07802 641073[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

3 weeks ago

My birthday celebrations in Mettupalayam.Some of the children came into school to help plant the 600 trees, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Utheramerur. A new orchard of rosewood, teak and mango trees. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

4 weeks ago

Wow, just . . . Wow!It's not every birthday that you have 600 trees planted for you.I hope to be able to post photos tomorrow and look forward to seeing the plantation when I visit in January.Thank you most sincerely Venkat. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

1 month ago

Second saturday of the month, so a school holiday. Venkat takes some children to the beautiful painted temple in Wandewasi. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

1 month ago

Following the monsoon, at last there is enough water to prepare some paddy fields.I look forward to seeing these fields dressed in a carpet of green when next visiting in January. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

2 months ago

A very happy Diwali to all our Friends, wherever you are. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

2 months ago

From little acorns, or perhaps better described as seedcorn, big things grow.During a visit, some years ago, through Friends of Mettupalayam, Lee gifted around £100 to a married couple, who are both blind, to enable them to start to have built a proper house. Their two sons both came to our Crakehall Primary School. The second source of help came from rhe couple's church, where the congregation rallied around and donated further funds to progress the building, finally enabling the balance of the cost to be provided by the prime ministers housing scheme. Yesterday, Venkat was present at the blessing of the new house!The eldest son, Rajesh, is now in his final year of college in Vandevasi.We are often asked about what local people and the government do to help those in need in their community, due to either health problems or disability, and this is an example of how a little help from outside can trigger much more assistance. So, to all our donors and supporters, a huge thank you. Your help is so much valued and achieves so much. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

2 months ago

The start of the school's second term. New textbooks are handed out to the pupils, with parents asked to come in to participate.I do think that this is an excellent way to involve the parents in their child's education. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

2 months ago

To celebrate founding trustee Adele's birthday, the school children have planted 59 fruit trees on the land adjacent to the multi purpose building. These cost of the trees was donated by Nagarajan, trustee, son and daughter.Such a nice way to celebrate a birthday, and hopefully a permanent benefit with fruit for the school in years to come. ... See MoreSee Less

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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust

3 months ago

A wonderful day. We have known Rajeshwari since she was 4 years old and provided funding each year to enable her to go to a special school for the Hearing Impaired. IRDT/ Friends of Mettupalayam then continued support by covering the cost of her degree course at the most prestigious university in Tamil Nadu- the Presidents College. She has now graduated and has married Santosh, a former classmate at the special school. To all our supporters, your donations have made this difference, giving Rajeshwari and Santosh a wonderful future together. Tonight I am thinking of her parents, Rada and Ehrlumalai, who couldn't have dreamed of this all those years ago. As parents ourselves, we share in your joy. ... See MoreSee Less

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