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 projects for around 90 children. In addition, regular health care and well-being programs are provided at local schools and at work units/village centres for adults with a vision to promote health and well being for all.
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
Mathegramming Tournament with Sivaprasant
VII-Standard student : I went to Mathegramming for the first time. I found my teammates when I got there who were all from different schools. Then, the mentors came to their teams and asked one member of each group to take a card and this […]
Abishek’s Work Abroad in Germany
I am Abishek, I was a local volunteer at Thamarai and I have been working as an International volunteer in Germany for almost a year. First of all, I would like to thank Thamarai for giving me this wonderful, life-changing opportunity because I have always […]
Sriram’s AI Eye Project
By: Sriram My project name is AI EYE PROJECT. It is for people who lost their vision. This project helps people who lost vision to sense objects around them. They use the AI EYE to sense the object and avoid hitting the object. I made […]
3 Months at Thamarai with Viviana Tsosos
Now it’s already three and a half months since I arrived here in Auroville, a multicultural bubble in the southern tropical region of India. For those who don’t know me, my name is Viviana, I’m 20 years old and I am from Germany. I have […]
Alumni Testimonial- Swathi Gopi in Germany
I’m Swathi and I turned 21 a few months ago. I always loved to say that I stood for gender equality in my past, but now recently I have realized that I also stand for courage, love, and self-compassion. I’ve been living in Germany since […]
Banana Music with New Makey Makey Kits
During the Christmas camp, the students had time to work on new STEM activities. Aoife, who works with a youth development organization called Foroige in Ireland, came to visit during this holiday. Thamarai recently collaborated with Foroige Ireland to create a virtual exhibition. During Aoife’s […]