Rotary Club of Madras - DISTRICT 3230

Boys Town

The background:

Imagine a young boy, with stars in his eyes, growing up in abject poverty. Imagine a household with the father indulging in wife beating or a parent taking to alcohol, thereby neglecting the boy.

More often than not, the boy’s education is the first casualty. The boy is pulled out of school, shattering his dreams.

A frustrated young man grows up taking to anti – social activities to vent his ire. This frustration, combined with easy money from illegal activities, fuels many young men to a path of self destruction. There is a huge burden on the society and on the nation to reform such young men. Perhaps, reformation is too late. Perhaps, the boys are beyond redemption.

Intervention:

The answer lies in early intervention. The answer lies in nurturing his dreams of a better tomorrow.

To provide a second chance to boys from broken homes or from very poor homes, a Boy’s Town was envisaged during 1989 by Rtn. Dr. S.M. Diaz. The Boys Town commenced in a small rented accommodation in Red Hills, North Chennai, with 5 boys. (check this figure). With support from International Children’s Trust, UK, the Boys Town grew from a non – descript centre to a sprawling 35 – acre project at Gummudipoondi and one acre centre at Selaiyur, South Chennai.

Rtn. PDG. Benjamin Cherian, who later spearheaded this project, and looks back with pride at the stupendous growth achieved by Boys Town over the past twenty years. Today, Boys Town provides food, clothing, shelter, education and vocational training to over 120 boys from disadvantaged sections of our society. Hundreds of boys have found a firm footing and a reason to live.

Typically, boys in the age group of 9 – 12 years are admitted to Boys Town with the sole aim of providing them a firm base to build their lives.

The facilities include:

  • Nutritious meals
  • Comfortable rooms and beds
  • School Uniforms and clothes to wear
  • Cycles to enable boys to reach their schools.
  • Free Education
  • Private Tuitions
  • Extra – curricular activities, such as, yoga, karate, cricket, table tennis, volleyball, chess, etc.
  • Spoken English courses and personality development programmes.
  • Scholarships to study further and obtain college degrees.
  • Vocational training in air – condition & refrigeration, welding, computer courses, screen printing, etc. Some boys are trained as farm hands so that they may return to their villages and assist their families in agriculture.
  • Placement of students who have successfully completed a degree or vocational training courses.

Success stories abound amongst the boys who have passed through the portals of Boys Town. Sample this:

Gopi: Born to a “coolie” (a worker who carries loads on his shoulders), Gopi was born in an environment with no hope for the future. The family sustenance was in doubt with every passing day. A Good Samaritan suggested that Gopi enrolls himself at the Boys Town. Rest, as they say, history!!

Gopi dedicated himself and seized the opportunity offered by Boys Town. He studied well and inculcated healthy habits, thanks to his mentors, his teachers and to the Rotarians from Rotary Club of Madras. Today, Gopi is a successful entrepreneur, chasing his dreams – photography!! Gopi has turned into a professional photographer and videographer, having worked with film production companies for some time. Gopi owns two studios and covers social events in his community.

Paranthaman and his brother were born to a cook, who lived in a shanty. Their mother worked as a domestic help in the neighbourhood. One would expect the two boys to go wayward and waste away their lives.

As with the case of Gopi, Paranthaman’s father wanted to provide a new lease of life for his two sons. He heard about the good work being done by Rotary Club of Madras, through Boys Town. He enrolled both his sons in the Boys Town. Paranthaman is a successful entrepreneur who employs six women to manufacture corrugated boxes for use in packing snacks & savories.

Lo behold! Two young men from Boys Town went on to being elected as local Councilors, defeating veterans of leading political parties. The community held them in high esteem, thanks to the grooming imparted at Boys Town, Gummudipoondi. The boys are grateful to their alma mater and visit Boys Town to inspire others to make a difference in their own lives.

The Boys Town, at Gummudipoondi and at Selaiyur, is managed by dedicated young men, who have witnessed the growth over the past 20 years.

For more success stories,
Call + 91 44 2859 1029 or Send an e-mail to rotaryclubmadras@vsnl.net

Boys Town is an integrated approach to building a strong future generation. It is the only answer to impoverished young boys, who dream of a better life for themselves & their families. With focus on overall development and on imparting marketable skills, Boys Town ensures that students walk tall after completion of school. They are given counseling and scholarships if they choose to study further.

Boys Town is about transformation of an entire generation. Boys Town is about providing a second chance to hapless boys, who find themselves in unenviable situations.

The Rotary Club of Madras invites you to make a difference in the lives of such young men. You may sponsor a young boy for just US $ 300 per year, the cost of providing board and lodge amenities to one boy. Under the $ 100 x 3 x 3 programme, you may choose to pay US $ 100 every 4 months to the Rotary Club of Madras Boys Town Soceity for a period 1 to 3 years.

The Rotary Club of Madras Boys Town Society is registered under the Societies Act and has obtained exemption u/s. 80 – G of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for donations made to the Society. Also, the Society has been cleared under the FCRA, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, for accepting donations from patrons overseas.