Relief work carried out by Auxilium College of Arts and Science and Auxilium College of Education, Gandhi Nagar, Vellore

Students, Staff and Management of Auxilium College, Vellore were quick to respond to the needs of the victims of flood in Tamil Nadu and rose to the occasion immediately. We started collecting funds and material to be distributed for the immediate and subsequent rehabilitation of the affected people and families.  Everyone was well motivated to contribute generously, to curtail their personal needs and expenses in favour of the poor victims of flood. The Principal, Vice Principals and the Heads of Departments and student representatives had a meeting to discuss about the kind of help to be offered to the affected people.

Immediate home needs like blankets, clothes, towels, bed sheets, plastic pots were purchased for Rs. 3,50,000/-  from the contribution collected by way of cash besides the materials contributed such as food, clothing, soaps, detergents, toilet, sanitary and house hold articles. The Management contributed 100 bags of rice.  The Members of the College Committee worked on the modality of distributing the relief material. After studying the situation in the various flood hit areas and net working with the FMA communities present in some of these areas we identified two places for our assistance: Cuddalore District and Mannivakkam in Chennai.

On 09.12.2015, a team comprising of 10 sisters, 4 staff members and 18 students of UG and PG courses of Auxilium College of Arts and Science and Auxilium College of Education visited 5  villages on Vadalur – Chidambaram highway  in Cuddalore district – Vadakku thittu, Therku thittu, Pillairpatti, Keerapalayam and Agaramangalam and distributed the relief material. These villages are situated close to Vellar River and any time the river floods the water gushes into the villages. Each of the above villages consists of about 250 families. Most of the houses are made of mud and eventually they are severely gutted and the occupants are rendered shelterless. Fr. Yesu Marian SJ an advocate coordinated the entire programme excellently.  What has been distributed is very little compared to the needs of the people and what has been lost by the villagers in the flood.

In the wake of this natural calamity, the Sisters, Staff members and Students expressed their solidarity with the victims of the flood by deciding to cancel all the expenses involved in the Gratitude Day and Christmas Celebrations and contribute the savings to the rehabilitation of the flood victims and their families. Continuous prayers are offered throughout the day by all the inmates as individuals and as groups in adoration in the chapel. Constant appeal is made to the students to express their solidarity with the suffering people in ways which each one can.

Another team is getting ready to reach out to the victims in Mannivakkam, Chennai.