Paripally, Kerala
Amma visited Amrita Children’s Home in Paripally, Kerala to celebrate 30 years of caring for the orphanage. A large gathering of alumni was also held to honor the occasion.
“At a time when we witness a deterioration in basic human values, such a get-together would definitely set a good role model for society,” said Amma.
“Good action is always essential for spiritual solace and the unity and friendship among the alumni members can be seen as a divine intervention.”
In 1989, the orphanage administrators came to Amma and confessed they were out of funds. They said that before long, they would have no choice but to turn their 500 children out on the street.
Amma diverted the money that had been saved to build her ashram’s first prayer hall and used it to assume care of the children. With this, Embracing the World began its first humanitarian project.
Over the years, these children – many of whom came from homes torn apart by alcoholism and severe domestic violence – found a place where they were given the love, education and support needed to become adults with stable and successful lives.
“Most of the children came from the Attapadi tribal area, where they had no means even to eat a full meal,” explains Suresh, an alumni of the orphanage.
“Amma brought us all here, educated us until high school and even supported us after school if we wanted to study further. It changed our lives, or rather gave us a life itself.”
During the event, alumni shared stories. The tale of two sisters, Radhika and Revathy from Konny was shared. They were were orphaned after their father brutally killed their mother, and disowned by the society.
Nanjan, who came to this abode of letters, from a poverty-ridden Attapady village, narrated his journey of life under the care of Amma to become an engineer at KSEB.
Mahesh, who is now a company executive at Baharain, shared how Amma helped him achieve his goals in life through his residential study at Amritaniketanam.
Amma also blessed 30 saplings arranged as part of the event and handed them over to the Alumni members.
Amma also handed over financial aid of ₹ 25,000 (US $300) to students.
