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Friends of Mettupalayam Trust
Registered Charity No. 1054673
C/o David Eldridge, Director
The Coach House, Bainbridge, North Yorks, DL8 3EE
Tel 01969 650618 E Mail dave@eldridge.demon.co.uk
Charity website address www.irdt.info
It’s been an exciting start to the year. Our long standing friends
Martin and Susan Sands have made a visit to Mettupalayam and have once
again returned with a most useful report. Much of this newsletter draws
on information that Martin and Susan have provided.
Education
The school continues to offer a good quality of education
for the children. As always there are some staff changes but other teachers
remain, like Gana Sundari who has been working at the school for nearly
ten years. We were interested to hear that Venkat had taken on a male
teacher called Murugan, and of course we wish him every success. We are
also delighted to hear that we have taken on a PE specialist, whom the
children adore. He visits weekly and the school has done very well in
local competitions since he arrived.
It
is a delight to find out that the children’s playground (sponsored
by Bedale School North Yorkshire), is bringing great pleasure and the
merry-go-round is eagerly awaited!
Health
Once again Venkat has sent news of further health camp activities.
This time he arranged for a dentistry camp. This is a system that brings
health care to people who otherwise would have little access to
medical facilities. The school is to be provided with toilet facilities
for the first time. Two units for the boys and two units for the girls.
Venkat has the plumbing materials and now needs to organise the implementation.
Agriculture
The Chicken farm is up and clucking! This is a facility that has
been supported by Bedale and Colburn schools in North Yorkshire, and individual
friends. It is great to be able to see international children’s
contact slowly developing, we hope that this is maintained and that it
grows. The hens (around 160) are laying 700 eggs per week. About
300 are consumed in the school and the rest sold. Martin
has indicated that organisation of the end product still needed some
improvement. We hope that by now Venkat will have been able to
obtain some industrial trays for storage. It is too early to say
how successful this aspect of the project is going to be, but the early
signs are encouraging. We would hope to expand this venture when its
viability is proven, subject to finance being available.
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This photo shows local people constructing the chicken shed. The
bricks are locally made by hand. Friends of Mettupalayam provide
the funding for labour costs. The chicken farm should be self-sustaining
and make a significant contribution to the school children’s
diet. |
This photo shows the chicken shed developing further. The straight
timber is an item that has to be bought in. We have named the project ‘The
Bedale – Colburn’ chicken farm. These are the two schools
in North Yorkshire, where children have raised substantial funds
for the chicken project. |
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The carpenter looks as happy to be building the shed as we are
to it being constructed!
The employment the project provides is a very important aspect, when
helping the community. |
| We currently have 160 hens. If the economics work out, we envisage having
500. This is something we will research in August, when six Friends are
planning to visit for a month. |
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At the moment about two acres are being devoted to mango, coconut and guava
trees. Unfortunately most of the limes died due to drought, but it is hoped
to get them established once the rains come... Of the other twenty acres
or so 60% is groundnuts, 20% sugar cane and 20% fallow. At this time it is
not possible to irrigate more land. It is expected that most of the
land now fallow or in groundnuts will be planted with padi later.
The
tractor continues to be invaluable, and is being regularly serviced.
We continue to provide seasonal labour to a significant number of people.
Susan and Martin have kindly contributed a portable diesel pump set mounted
on a wheeled frame, which is being used as required for all three wells.
Social
Development
The meals for the old people are naturally very popular, they
are provided free to approximately 22 people in the village and 3 from a
nearby village. These meals cost approximately 4p per day per person. Thus
the cost to us is around £12 per person per year. The meals for the elderly
will need to be monitored carefully as there are probably upwards of
500 people who could fit the criteria in the wider local area. Currently
we focus on Mettupalayam due to financial constraints. It might be that
we would not wish to extend the programme beyond Mettupalayam. We would
appreciate people’s comments with regard to this aspect of the
project.
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This is a lady receiving dinner on the first day of the midday meals
provision programme for elderly people. |
The new kitchen has been built. This is a concrete room, rather than a dilapidated
hut, and this has improved both the health and fire safety situation. The
stove is still to be fitted and will be powered from the bio-gas plant which
is nearing completion.
Accommodation has also been developed within the multi-purpose
building. This
comprises two bedrooms with attached shower and western-style toilets, a
training room, kitchen, small dining area and an office for Venkat.
Uniforms. Tracey McNab, mother of a child at Sydenham High
School, for Girls, in London, Susan’s old school (!), has collected
up redundant summer school uniforms which Susan and Martin delivered to the
school. Many
thanks Tracey and Mrs Risk, Head of the Junior School, and all the donors – they
were much appreciated, even by the boys!
www.irdt.info
www.irdt.info is
the web address of our web site. We have a gallery of interesting photos,
that are accompanied by some simple background notes. There are copies of
our most recent newsletters. There is background information and a visitor’s
book. Also in the top left hand corner of the screen there is a ‘contact
us button’. I hope that the site will develop and will be of interest
to people. There are always challenges to overcome with technology but this
is an exciting move forward and is not costing us anything as Rob Ives kindly
does the things we can’t do ourselves! Again ideas of what supporters
would like to see would be welcome. I have noted that some people find it
difficult to access the photo gallery and yet others find it a speedy feature,
again more feedback welcome. I hope to be posting up some new photos shortly.
Fund
raising
Fund raising continues to be effective. We’d like to say a really
big “thank you” to all of you who provide monthly standing orders.
We are now able to meet the monthly running costs with these payments. Gift
aid by standing order is an extremely efficient form of donation as we can
claim an additional 28% in tax rebate and it enables us to plan with greater
certainty.
We raised £500 on a snowy day in February shaking buckets at Catterick
Racecourse Sunday market. Francis was responsible for collecting about £499
of thisJ
We also
have a new fund raising venture; we are about to start printing our own cards
to sell on stalls and after evening talks. We are very grateful to Jill Wann
who designs, paints and produces the cards and who has set this particular
fund raising ball rolling.
Our leaflet about the school has recently been updated and reprinted too.
A message from Martin and Susan.
It was a pleasure to see how the health and happiness of the children has developed over the last few years. The dental surgeons commented on their unusual confidence and vivacity when they came – a tribute to improved diet and Venkat’s teaching. It was also nice to meet some of our old friends who are now doing well at secondary school.
For the Trust to have provided some accommodation on site and better facilities for Venkat, is a real achievement. Until now he has been sharing his office and domestic life with piles of rice and eggs and numerous other things that need storing.
Due to various initiatives by Venkat the gipsy community has become much more integrated and provides some of the brightest children.
Our occasional visits to Mettupalayam are always enjoyable, for the openness and welcome we receive, and the tangible evidence that Venkat’s tireless endeavours, with your support and encouragement, have made a huge difference in this small rural community.
David
Eldridge
(Director FOM).
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