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Surya-Chandra Foundation
Surya-Chandra Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. Contributions made to Surya-Chandra Foundation are tax deductible to the extent permitted by US Tax Laws.
Mission: To stop violence against women, and empower underprivileged women to rise above poverty and inequality.
We started by helping six deserving young girl students pursue college education in Chennai, India. We have partnered with ANEW (Association for Non-traditional Employment for Women) (https://www.anewindia.org/) and Sarva Vidya (https://www.sarva-vidya.org/) -- both organizations helping young women -- to educate and empower girls from very low income families and distraught segments of society. Since inception, we have supported the education and empowerment of thousands of girls and women over eight years.
My mother and my sisters were instrumental in shaping my views on women starting at an early age of 6, subsequent to my father's untimely demise. My mother got married at 16, became a widow by 40, and raised us on her own with no marketable skills. I witnessed the ordeal of suffering and numerous sacrifices made by them for the sake of my welfare. None of my sisters were able to complete high school given the pressures of the family and the need to work at odd jobs singing and dancing at weddings and other social events of friends and neighbors. They worked very hard and long hours to earn much needed money to sustain the family in the absence of the traditional father figure. I believe that millions encounter similar tragic situation as a result of complete dependence on the male head of family. I felt that educating and empowering young girls is the only way to make a difference in the lives of many unfortunate, disadvantaged and underprivileged segments of society.
Programs
Home Nursing Assistants
Home Nursing is the first course with which ANEW was founded in 1997, with 10 students in a garage. Underprivileged women who have completed middle school education, are eligible to train as nursing assistants at ANEW. The Home Nursing program encompasses learning basic skills in caring for patients and in providing geriatric and paediatric care. A full time teacher, who is a qualified nurse engaged by ANEW, conducts regular theory classes for three months and oversees practical classes at various partnering institutions for an additional three months during the program. English speaking and life skills training are an integral part of the course, as it helps in personality development and enhances the candidates’ employability and sustainability skills. On completion of both theory and practical training, ANEW helps the beneficiaries find placements at homes or at nursing homes.
Education Support for Victims of GBV and their children
Objective:
To ensure uninterrupted educational support to women and child (primarily girls) survivors of violence through a secure fund.
Anticipated Outcome:
Short-term:
Financially supporting the school and undergraduate education of child (primarily girls) survivors of violence
Enhancing the employability of women survivors of violence children who have had to discontinue education through vocational training and non-formal education
Long-term:
● Children from unsafe and/or unstable environments completing their formal education with reduced financial insecurity and social distress
● Enabling improved career and social prospects for survivors of violence
● Providing a financial safety net for children to complete quality formal education without finding themselves and/or their primary caregivers in vicious cycles of debt and/or abuse
Needs Assessment:
Over the many years of striving to support the educational and developmental needs of children, PCVC has encountered many challenges and found it difficult to provide adequate financial support to every child in need.
Debt-trap: Women who leave abusive situations and rebuild their lives without a significant support system often lack the resources to attain financial stability in a short period of time. In order to ensure that their children complete their formal education, many of our clients have repeatedly borrowed money in the informal lending market. Accumulated over time with high-interest rates, this causes clients undue stress and even led to court action being taken against them in extreme cases.
Challenges due to CoVID-19: Many single mothers have been laid off due to the CoVID-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns. The crisis is particularly acute for women who had moved out of abusive households close to or during the pandemic. Unable to financially support themselves, many of them consider going back to the perpetrators - a step that would be particularly risky during lockdowns. They are also at risk of falling back on similarly abusive families or relatives. Sudden medical expenses, taking care of other dependents and emergencies during the pandemic have worsened the stability of many newly-rebuilt families. Virtual classes during the pandemic have adversely affected children who lack the resources - laptop, internet, technical support - and some of them are set to repeat school years.
Discontinued education: Heavy financial burden, the stigma around non-remittal of fees, poor quality of education have led to child survivors of violence briefly or permanently discontinuing their education. Moving homes in the middle of the school year and changing schools fearing contact with the perpetrator result in children losing a significant part of their school year.
Redressal:
PCVC has been able to partially support the education of children so far. A comprehensive fund that is open for use in the following ways to support as many girls and women survivors of violence would function as a safety net for clients in need.
Complete fee support: Full payment of school and college (undergraduate programmes) tuition fees unless the client asks for partial payment
Educational resources and infrastructure support: School transport, books, stationery and school supplies, gadgets and internet set-up
Vocational training: Skill and employability training for women survivors of violence
Non-formal educational support: Out of school tuition expenses to address unique language challenges and support for children with learning disabilities, developmental delays and special needs
Alternative learning opportunities: Camps, workshops, skill-building and creative activities primarily benefiting children at PCVC-run shelters and students who have had their school year disrupted.