Charity Mission
The Mahalingam – Mariammal Manivizha Charitable Trust was constituted in the year 1983 at the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Buildings, Coimbatore.
Under the aegis of this trust and with the guidance of Arutchelver, Dr.N.Mahalingam a number of charitable institutions are been run and looked after by Dr.M.Manickam, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Sakthi Sugars Limited and Mrs.Gowri Manickam.
True to the Gandhian Ideals the Institutions situated inside the Kasturba National Memorial Trust are reaching out to more people every day, extending their help to destitute women, children and the socially neglected and down-trodden individuals.
The following establishments are being run by the Trust:
Kasturba Gandhi Oral School for the Hearing Impaired, Varadarajapuram, Coimbatore
The Kasturba Oral School for the Hearing Impaired was started on the Gandhi Jayanthi day 2nd of October 1996. Dr.M.Manickam, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Sakthi Sugars Limited and Mrs.Gowri Manickam together have taken up this initiative for children for whom the school has given a new ray of hope in life. The unique feature of this school is that teaching is done by Oral Method wherein much importance is given to speech and lip-reading.
In the year 1996 the school was started with a modest strength of 3 boys and 2 girls. At present the strength of the school is 74 students (with 34 boys and 40 girls), studying up to 10th Standard. In April 2008, 4 students passed out of the school with 93% marks in the SSLC Board Examination i.e. a 100% result which holds due significance considering their inherent difficulty in learning. The Tamil Nadu Government has granted recognition for the school for classes from Pre KG, Ist to 10th Standard.
On the 2nd of February 2002 a beautiful new building inside the school campus was inaugurated by Thiru. Muruganandam, The honorable Collector of Coimbatore District. Built within an area of 4000 Sft. the building has 11 class rooms /office rooms.
Pursuing its distinct feat of care and supportive learning, today the Kasturba Gandhi Oral School is functioning as a dedicated day school for the Hearing Impaired with 10 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff. The school also uses a learning software called 'You can voice' which supports lip reading in 8 regional Indian languages to teach the children.
Dr.M.Manickam has provided the "Behind the Ear Model" – hearing aids for 27 students of the school. The school also provides hearing aids to selected set of students every year.
Kasturba Gandhi Memorial De-addiction and Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Coimbatore.
The De-addiction Centre was started in the year 1994. Nearly 80% of the patients who underwent the De-addiction program have given up their drinking habit and turned a new leaf in their lives. Presently the center has 25 beds and a full- fledged medical team of, Medical Officer, Psychologists, nurses and other supporting staff operating under an Honorary Medical Director.
The medical team attached to the centre is also visiting Industrial Establishments, Colleges and rural areas for creating awareness about drug abuse.
Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Siddha Hospital and Research Institute, Varadarajapuram, Coimbatore.
For those who seek nature cure, better recuperation and a surrounding that will help them heal quickly the Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Siddha Hospital and Research Institute was started in the year 1991. The Hospital has been built with adequate facilities and is located in a serene environment amidst abundance of nature wealth. It also has another center in the foothills of Siruvani. A great variety of medicinal herbs have been planted around the hospital and Siddha doctors visit the hospital daily to treat the patients.
At present 3 doctors are working and about 150 varieties of medicines are being prepared here under the Siddha Medicinal System using herbs, foliages and other natural ingredients.
The hospital attracts people seeking alternate ways of medicine and also those who seek cure for treating various common ailments. There is fairly good response for the treatment given in the hospital. The hospital runs extension centers in and around Coimbatore and an herbal plantation at Siruvani for growing rare genre of medicinal plants and herbs.
Mahatma Gandhi Museum
The Museum was inaugurated on the 14th of November, 1993. The museum has a thematic visual biography of Gandhiji portrayed enchantingly using historic photographs and paintings, thought-provoking quotations and vintage replicas of the articles used by Gandhiji.
The hall located at the centre of the Museum is used for conducting important meetings and prayers. Days of National importance like Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanthi and other National events are being celebrated here in a grand manner with the participation of Gandhian Scholars and Eminent Personalities.
The Museum also hosts an exclusive library with more than 700 books on Gandhiji and his teachings. These handpicked collections of books provide facts on history, inspiring real life stories and knowledge that are ever useful to general visitors, researchers and scholars.
Suicide Prevention Counseling Centre
No misery lasts forever. In moments of despair all we need is the right wisdom, courage to face life, a hand of support and words of reassurance. It will calm one's mind and avert impulsive decisions. Even those in the brink of perishing their lives can still be saved by timely counseling and support.
The Suicide Prevention Counseling Centre helps those who need counseling and remedies to reject suicidal thoughts. Counseling is given by phone to persons seeking guidance. The Telecom Department has allotted a Special phone number – 106 –for this purpose. Even research students from various colleges are visiting the De-addiction Centre and the Suicide Prevention Counseling Centre for research purposes.
Sakthi Thiranalayam (Sakthi Skills Development Centre)
With the motto of "Disabled is differentially Abled', Mrs.Gowri Manickam, wife of Dr.M.Manickam took up the cause of the 'differently-abled' by starting Sakthi Thiranalayam in the year 1987. The centre which was started with training now provides both employment and training for blind women. It engages them in tasks they can take up and help themselves. Here they make Agar Bathis, Phenyl, Envelopes and Wire Knitting to chairs. Seemingly simple, the tasks give them the much needed assurance in life that they too are capable of earning their livelihood.The center currently employs 15 differently-abled individuals.