Holistic Educational Approach Taps Inherent Potential In Children

Uma and Muthuram have transformed the lives of at least 50 odd students below the poverty line, with higher education. In addition to the same, there are 250 begging families who have been rehabilitated by the trust.

The couple met in school when they were in class 1 and had no idea that they would become soul mates in the future. Uma’s journey began when she was just 12 years of age. Her mother was a government school teacher, giving Uma a chance to interact with slum kids. A bright child, Uma started teaching mathematics to these kids. Muthuram and few other friends also pitched in in as a noble deed. By the time she was 16, Uma was deeply passionate about helping others. She would visit camps for cataract operations for the poor and elderly people, blood donation camps and those for accident victims. She attended to thousands of patients in such camps.

After a couple of incidents with young kids which changed her life (for the better) Uma registered an NGO, in order to help more children trapped in child labour.

With the support of her friends Suyam Charitable Trust in 1999 was registered. Muthuram and her shared a common passion and later married to help these kids together. In 2003, the Trust started the Siragu Montessori School for the same children, and in no time, the number of children enrolled increased from 30 to 300.

Under their wing, the Dhanrajs, the Jayavels, and many more such students are pursuing their college education. Students are in queue to clear their class 12 and hundreds are watching their alumni create a path for themselves. For Uma, when her children get free seats out of merit, she feels she did her best.

This Chennai couple have today sent underprivileged kids from the streets of Chennai to leading universities in the United Kingdom.