Thiruverkadu is the focal point of Jeevan. A municipal town, Thiruverkadu is a semi-urban area situated 15 kms north-west of Chennai city and has nine surrounding villages. The region has a population of about 113,300 and 9,090 village hutments. Agriculture remains the main occupation for most while a few are also engaged in small scale industries. The famous ‘Sri Devi Karumariamman Koil’, a temple in Thiruverkadu attracts pilgrims from all over Tamilnadu. Approximately 5,000 devotees visit this temple everyday and even more during weekends. This floating population contributes to the socio-economic development of Thiruverkadu. However, it also puts the environment and infrastructure of Thiruverkadu under stress, causing spread of infectious diseases (which have a very high incidence).

Thiruverkadu’s Challenges

Almost 80% of the population here are migrants, struggling for their livelihoods. As a result, Thiruverkadu faces a number of challenges:

Education

A majority of the people are illiterate or semi literate and struggle to provide their children with everyday’s basic needs, leave alone invest in their education for a better tomorrow. Udavum Karangal has played a significant role by providing value-based education for the past 10 years. Hundreds of children from Thiruverkadu study in Udavum Karangal’s Ramakrishna Vidya Niketan, an institution that presently serves over 2000 students. It is worth noting that many toppers have emerged from the Ramakrishna Vidya Niketan and the school is today recognized as one of the best in Thiruvallur district.

Health
Thiruverkadu has limited health care facilities to cater to the needs of vulnerable population. The existing infrastructure is highly inadequate to serve the sections that have vital health needs but no options for affordable care.

Employment
As Thiruverkadu undergoes a rapid transition into an urban centre, the weaker sections find themselves poorly-equipped to find job opportunities.

Social Security
In the everyday struggle for livelihood, the most vulnerable sections are children (including special children), women and the aged. Their needs invariably take a backseat and end up being unmet.


Our Role in Thiruverkadu

Through Jeevan, we hope to contribute to the development of the neediest sections of Thiruverkadu. We aim to achieve this by creating a holistic social support system. This system will enable the old and special children in this region to be taken care of with proper care and dignity. Our initiatives will also equip the residents of this region with employable skills. Presently, these include a course in nursing, a computer centre to provide fundamental training in IT, and a driving school. We have also started the Jeevan Child Welfare Services initiative to sponsor the education of children in Thiruverkadu.