I am Selvarani Rajaratnam, W/o Dr.N.Rajaratnam (Cardio Thoracic Surgeon). 

Though I was practising Law, I always wanted to serve the needy people in rural area. To fulfil my dream and my Husbands wish, I reconstituted  “Sri Selliah Memorial Trust” to Trichy in 2006 and started doing Social work. Sri Selliah Memorial Trust is a non profit nongovernmental organization formed in 1993.  SSM Trust is working in Trichy and Perambalur drought prone rural area for the development of the rural poor, women, children, and Tribes. 

In 2009, when I visited a village to meet women self-help groups, I saw a mentally retarded girl tied up to a pillar in front of her house. She was standing with her skirt raised above her waist after toileting without knowing as what to do since her mother had gone to work as daily wager. The pathetic state of this girl motivated me to help Intellectually disabled children; hence “Sri Selliah Memorial Special School for Intellectually disabled  Children” was formed.

Baseline survey indicated that the parents of Intellectually disabled  children were not willing to send their children to school. These children were left at home without proper care, food and clothes. After a great struggle we were able to bring 10 to 15 children to school for rehabilitation.

Another problem faced by us was that the parents of these children were daily wage earners and had to go to work daily and they found it difficult to send their children to school by public transport as they are not accustomed to travelling in buses. So we have taken up the responsibility of transporting these children from home to school and back home free of cost.

At the outset, we found it difficult to give rehabilitation and therapyto these children, as they were not used to going anywhere and mingling with others. Our special educators and the support team interacted with the children for months to make them feel comfortable at school. Now there are 32 children in our school. They are taught daily living skills, yoga, games, dance, singing, crafts, gardening etc.

Since I am very much involved with the children, I am regularly contributing money for the development of these children from my personal fund. We also have some regular donors. The government of Tamil Nadu is giving salary grant for 2 special educators and a physiotherapist only. I am finding it difficult  to manage the wages of all the other staff from the support team, transport and medical care. We are running this school with great difficulty for the sole reason to make these little angels to lead a better life.

Your support will help these children to lead a happy and normal life within their capacity.

Please do help these little Angels.

Even small donations are welcomed as small drops make an ocean.