Our Mission


Since 2006, Thamarai Community Education Projects have provided educational services in the most marginalized sections of the villages next to the international township of Auroville in Tamil Nadu, India. Our current projects support children and youth from these villages, through after-school programs of sports, homework support, integrated, health and body work for around 90 children daily and during weekends and holidays we focus on technology, ecology, crafts and cultural activities. In addition, we have close connection with local schools, parents and the local community.
Challenge
Over the years, Thamarai has worked to counter low literacy and income levels. We also work on social issues such as health and addiction – a major problem, leading to other difficulties such as debt, domestic abuse and children discontinuing education due to lack of finances. Academically, many parents are challenged with low literacy rates, they send their children for homework support, we aspire to respond to their needs as effectively as possibly using technology and extra curricular activities to continually enrich programs.
Solution
Access to educational resources and opportunities change lives. Our after-school project supports children and youth with their academics as well as personal growth. Programs include English classes, digital literacy, leadership, arts and health activities along with homework support under the guidance of volunteer facilitators. Our well being programs empower people to be more informed about their health and to adopt life enhancing practices. RTL leadership programs develop agency in people and the ability to design and implement projects that support improving their own lives and the full potential of their community.
Long-Term Impact
Our projects have been running for the past 18 years. The children who once attended our after-school projects are now college graduates and back as volunteer youth facilitators on the current Thamarai programs. The health programs have and will continue to improve the conditions of the villages as people become informed about health and well being. The programs help to reduce alcohol consumption and instead focus on building agency, community development and education.
News

Puppet theatre with Mereille
Mireille, a puppeteer from France, worked with the children to teach puppetry. The sessions were held on Sundays and sometimes during our summer camp. In this class, students were learned to make their own puppets using art paper and sticks. They had so much fun drawing […]

The Impact of Storytelling
A huge congratulations to the young people of the Foróige BEY project, Ballyhaunis, Ireland and Thamarai, Tamil Nadu, India who were awarded a 2025 Youth Excellence Award for the publication of the International Storybook. This is a prestigious award given during the #ETBWeek 2025 Excellence […]

JOY, WELLBEING & SELF CARE for Educators and Children by Om Lalita Yoga
I am Lali. I come from Argentina. I visited Auroville ten years ago and fell in love with it. Many synchronicities brought me back to India by the end of 2024 making Auroville a must-visit.This time, my primary focus was to explore holistic educational institutions […]

Visiting the seed festival in Auroville
It was a warm Sunday morning, and students arrived one by one at Thamarai with permission slips signed by their parents. By 9:40 AM, everyone had gathered. There were 23 students and 6 facilitators, we sat in a circle, clapping to rhythmic beats created by […]

Christmas Holiday Camp
Magic Show with Juergen on Christmas-Eve! German volunteer Oscar invite Magic-man Juergen to perform a show for the Thamarai students and community. It was a non stop extravaganza of magic with the audience laughing throughout and excited to find out how Juergen created the tricks. […]

Telling compelling stories with Action-Cams, Smartphones and Tabs
Manu Bahuguna has brought his skills of commercial filmmaking to support youth with career opportunities beyond convention with a film making and communications course with the aims of 1) providing life-skills to young people to take-up film making as a profession or use it as an […]