The Neem Tree Trust » SCHT Success Stories

Arumugam’s Story

rich — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:30:02 +0000

Arumugam is a boy who was affected by polio as a child and grew up at the Boys’ Home. With the help of the Neem Tree Trust he now has his own tailoring business, “Alex Tailoring”, and when Kathy visited him he proudly welcomed her to his new shop. He is a fine tailor, is building up a good customer base and has recently been commissioned to make sets of clothes for all the girls at St Luke’s Leprosy Hospital, Peikulam.

Arumugam outside his tailoring shop

With the help of his friend Kannan he makes many of the items we sell at our NTT stalls, and is also training up new boys. With money he has earned he has bought himself a specially adapted motorbike with stabilisers which he uses to transport himself and friends about.

Arumugam and Maharaja

Alagurajan’s story

rich — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:11:35 +0000

Alagurajan lived at the S.C.H.T. Boys’ Home for most of his formative years, from the age of six to eighteen. Like the majority of the boys at the home, Alagurajan had suffered from polio and came from a very poor background. He was nonetheless a very happy boy, growing up in the company of the other boys, benefiting from the guidance and support of Dr Karuna Chelliah and the wardens and learning essential skills which would help him in later life. Like the other boys resident at the home, he was given the opportunity in his spare time to learn many things including woodcarving, cycle mechanics, music, drama and dance. He was educated at school in Palayamkottai and after which he attended college where he completed a tailoring course. During Kathy’s annual visits to the home he was one of the first boys who enthusiastically helped her make the bags and cushion covers which she would later sell back home in the UK for the benefit of all the boys.

In 2003 when Alagurajan reached the age of eighteen he left the boys’ home and returned to his village to live with his family who have a small farm. On the day of his departure he was presented with a sewing machine donated by The Neem Tree Trust, and he now works from his family home stitching clothes for the women and children in his village. He earns 500rps (around £6) a week and stitches about 8 sari blouses a day. There are more than eight tailoring shops in his village which has a population of approximately 500 inhabitants. It is much cheaper for people in this part of India to have their clothes stitched by tailors than it is for them to buy readymade clothes. In the afternoons he helps his mother on the family farm. They have a few cows and sheep and supplement their income by selling the milk from the cows, and selling the lambs after six months.
Alagurajan has grown into an independent adult, living a dignified life, able to earn a living as well as making a contribution towards his family. This has been made possible because he was given a chance by Dr Karuna Chelliah and the Board of Directors, who run the S.C.H.T. Boys’ Home in Tirunelveli. The Neem Tree Trust feels privileged to be able to help the doctor achieve his aim of enabling every boy to live a self-sufficient and rewarding life once they leave the home and return to their villages.

Essakimuthu’s story

rich — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:10:14 +0000

Essakimuthu was affected by polio when he was young and lived at the boys’ home for most of his life. He was educated at school in Palayamkottai, and in his spare time had the opportunity to learn music. He has now returned to his village and is living a productive and happy life. He runs a small shop as well as playing the tabla at his church. He is just one of the many boys who have benefited from the support given to them by Dr Karuna Chelliah, the Board Members and the wardens of the home.