MSS In Action
Education Scholarship Scheme
Since 1985 we have been giving scholarships on a means-cum-merit basis to deserving boys who have passed PUC, for graduate, vocational or professional courses such as engineering, medicine, computer, nursing, B.Com, Biotech, Airhostess, MBA, ITI courses etc. The scholarship covers tuition fees. This project helps financially deprived boys and girls to reach their potential and settle down in life with dignity. Since inception, 857 scholarships have been awarded, as on 31st March 2010. Needless to say, the quality of life of these students and their families has improved considerably.
-Donations to this Scheme are eligible for 50% tax exemption under Sec 80G of the IT Act.Mid-day Meal Scheme(Nutrition Programme)
Malnutrition is one of the most serious problems affecting the well-being and health of young children, especially those from the slums. The MSS started a scheme in 1987 that arranges for the provision of hot and nourishing mid-day meals for 50 school children. The numbers have now risen to 2624 children in 16 schools as on 31st March 2010.
With the incentive of a mid-day meal, the children are drawn away from anti-social activities and the influence of gangs who may induct them into thefts, drug-pushing, prostitution or child labour.
Enormous improvement in their health, vitality, performance in studies and attendance has been reported by the school staff. There are many more children desperately in need of support, whom the MSS is trying their level-best to reach out to.
-Rs.1000/ would cover the expenses and incidentals for mid-day meals of one child per year.
Medical Health Care Scheme
Started in 2001, when the voluntary service of a doctor became available, this scheme seeks to remedy the ill effects of poverty and malnutrition on the health of children coming from slum areas and studying in our Nutrition Scheme schools. These health problems lead to poor academic performance and lower physical, mental and functional ability in the long term.
Over 5175 children in 12 schools have been medically examined so far. The data is recorded and analysed. The children are first de-wormed and the necessary remedial supplements for Iron, Calcium and Iodine deficiencies are given. First Aid kits, Paracetamol tablets, tablets for colds and cough syrup are also given to the schools.
This scheme has proved to be very beneficial to these children, improving their overall health and academic performance.
The approximate cost of the programme is Rs 70/- per child per year. It is estimated that 6000 more children need to be medically examined in the remaining 6 schools. Donations to this worthy cause are earnestly solicited. The MSS appeals to doctors who are willing to spare their time and effort to offer their services in order to help implement this scheme.
Mathrudhan Social Housing Project
There are a large number of persons in Bangalore, reasonably well educated, employed in lower level salaried jobs, who find it a great struggle to own and live in decent houses in view of high cost of living. As the MSS had received land from the Archdiocese of Bangalore on the outskirts of Bangalore, it conceived the idea of providing low cost housing to this category of persons who do not own houses. Battered women, widows and their families are given preference. The land is a gift from the Archdiocese to the beneficiaries.
Sanctioned plans from the BDA have been obtained for development of 50 sites and 2 Apartment buildings with 9 flats each. One block of 9 flats has been completed, and the flats allotted are occupied. The foundation has been laid for Block 2.
The roads, drains, sewage lines, electrical connection, bore wells and other development works have been completed. The sites have been allotted and registered in the names of the beneficiaries.
Senior Citizens' Home
There is urgent need for Homes for the elderly, due to rapid urbanization, the disintegration of the joint family, resulting in a shortage of space.
Aware of this need and due to personal pleadings of many desperate people, the MSS decided, in 1992, to build and set up a Home for the Aged at Rest House Road, Bangalore, on a property bequeathed to the MSS by a brother-sister couple - Dr. Francis Pinto and Ms. Bernadette Pinto. Plans were approved and the front portion was completed in 1996. Further construction was stalled due to litigation involving eviction of tenants on the property and subsequent claims to the property by vested interests. These matters were ultimately resolved in 2005 and 2006 respectively, through formal legal procedures.
The various legal and financial constraints forced the MSS to start building the Senior Citizens' Home on a portion of the land at Krishnarajapuram, which was earmarked for future development, placed at our disposal through proper legal processes by the Archbishop of Bangalore.
The cost of this project involving an outlay of at least Rs 4 crores will be met from the proceeds of the sale of the land at Rest House Road, after due legal processes.
This Home will meet the needs of large number of middle/lower middle class elderly persons requiring care and shelter due to the shortage of homes for the aged, the neglect of senior citizens sometimes by their own family members and the lack of physical and psychological support for them. The plans for the building have been submitted for sanction.
The home will be run professionally by persons experienced in geriatric care. A Manager-cum-caretaker will look after the day-to-day functioning. The main facilities provided, besides food and shelter, will be physiotherapy, laundry, library, security, maintenance and general staff, counselling, medical assistance, elevator facilities, recreation rooms, etc. The Home will be linked to a hospital, general store and pharmacy.
The MSS is committed to set up an ideal home for senior citizens through its dedicated services and the support from donors and well-wishers. Volunteers in any capacity are welcome.
North East Scholarship Project:
The Northeastern states of India today lag far behind their counterparts in the rest of India in overall development. The perceived neglect by the Centre coupled with paucity of infrastructure, limited higher educational opportunities, unemployment and endemic poverty have fuelled sub nationalism that has led to vicious insurgencies in Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam.
The turbulence in the region together with the lack of development and poverty has led to a large number of dropouts in schools and colleges. These youth then join thousands of other unemployed men and women whose frustration does little to improve the already vitiated atmosphere.
These factors lead to high levels of discontentment which in turn directly result in youth straying into drugs, alcohol and petty crime. This may be one of the reasons for high incidence of HIV/AIDS infections in this area. In fact, the incidence of the disease in South Manipur is amongst the highest in the world. Worse still, many youth are drawn to join the ranks of militant separatist groups to obtain easy money and power.
Realizing that affording educational opportunities to students of this region would be a major step in promoting national integration, the MSS initiated a scheme to identify and assist financially deserving students meeting specified criteria. Eight students from Mizoram have been helped so far and one has already refunded the amount. The Corpus Fund is being slowly built up. This scheme is administered by the MSS, using experience of the ongoing scholarship scheme for local students.
Implementation of the North East Scholarship project would render dividends far beyond providing education to individual youth. Its contribution, however small, to the process of healing the insurgency affected areas of the North East and to the process of national integration are other major reasons for its implementation.
Sponsor-a-Child Scheme
Maria Seva Sangha through this scheme welcomes sponsors to choose and sponsor children from a list of deserving, financially needy children, provided by the school. They pay for the education of the child from Std IV through Std X. The amount given includes fees for the academic year, books and uniforms. The money can be given yearly or as a one-time donation for all seven years. The sponsor will then be responsible for financing the education of the child till high school education is completed. The details of the child will be sent to the sponsor every year along with the two semester reports and photographs if so desired.
There is also the option of giving a donation towards the project, which will go into a corpus, the interest of which will be used to educate children in school.
-83 Children have already been sponsored as on 31st March 2010.
-Donations to this Scheme are eligible for 50% tax Exemption under Sec 80G of the IT Act.
