Marialaya works for the rehabilitation of street and working girls in the northern parts of the city of Chennai. It is a non-governmental organization (NGO) run by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in the city of Chennai.

Marialaya was founded in July 1990 with the objective of helping the street girls become responsible and respectable citizens by providing an atmosphere conducive for their growth and development. Marialaya works in 20 major areas of North Chennai covering 3000 street girls in 48 centers within the age group of 6 and 20.

Our Profile

The aim of M.M.N.M Social Service Society is

To restore human dignity by creating a conducive climate and offering necessary opportunities and facilities for the street and destitute runaway girls.

Nature of Street Girls

The girls due to the circumstances and conditions have become different from the ordinary girls of their age. They are

  • Street smart, spontaneous, independent, creative, lively, happy, loving and understanding on the one hand.
  • Indifferent, rough and tough, in discipline, suspicious, rebellious and disheartened on the other hand.

Street Reality

Denied of the childhood rights for education, play and recreation, protection, nourishment, health care and other opportunities for growth.

Surrounded by gamblers, thieves, drug paddlers, prostitutes and other antisocial elements.

Lack of parental care and guidance.

Young at Risk

Mariyalaya “We the daughters of Mary Help of Christians give our life to God becoming for young girls the sign and expression of His all embracing love (Constitution Art. 1).

The young adolescent period is a period of storm and stress. If they are not guided appropriately we the educators will surely experience the deviant behaviour of the girls. This problem will be more among the girls who are vagrant in nature, semi orphan and total orphans. So the activity of the YAR sector has focus significant areas that affect these girls and conduct activities that address these issues effectively.

Right to Information ACT 2005

To help the parents, social workers and everyone who are in touch with the youth and the society to know this act. There are many departments and Government programmes that are meant for the people. Because of so many factors people are not able to access the service available to them. By explaining about this, the parents, women and the care takers realize the welfare measures available for the youth.,  The village level watch dog committee to prevent children from vulnerable situations like domestic work, trafficking.

Counselling to Yar

Every child / young person faces problems during the development stage. But the environment and those who are close with them have to handle them carefully. If not the damage is severe. If so for ordinary children the Young at difficult situation will have severe trauma. To handle them as well as to help them to live with dignity on 26th Counselling skills in special focus with young at risk was handled. General coordinators of the province meet and they learn to respond to the problems of youth.

Training on PTID – Planning / Training / Initiatives and Development

To carry out the work for young at Risk, the educators need to have a thorough knowledge of the target group, a professional approach and the capacity to handle the children. So we conduct workshops on PTID with resource persons from the field. He conducts training to the sisters and the staff from all the non formal centres and lead us into concrete action plan to carry out the effective work with the YAR.

The glory of God is man and woman fully alive. If we want to have an integrated personality for our young girls we have to deepen the knowledge of learning, living and leading the youth towards a right choice in life. YAR sector focus as more on preparing personnel for this noble task.

The New initiatives of Marialaya, Chennai.

  1. New transition centres as second generation prevention programme for the children in the street and slum areas where Prostitution is high.
  2. New NFE and VTC centres in the Tambaram Area.
  3. Child line started at Tambaram, Guindy and St. Thomas Mount railway stations.
  4. Evening coaching classes for the children in Tsunami affected area.
  5. Counselling in the vigilance home.
  6. National child Labour Project started.
  7. Community College started this year.
  8. Vocational Training on Computer (DTP), Fashion Designing, Rexine Bag making are the main trades available for the girls.
  9. 700 Self Help Groups with federations are functioning.
  10. The federations have started their own shop in the Wahsermenpet area.