PR workshop at Sevalaya

Sevalaya, a Chennai based NGO offers a wonderful service to the rural poor, by transforming their life for the past 24 years silently.  Inspired by Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekanada,  Mr Muralidharan, a software engineer founded this trust to take care of the really underprivileged and destitute children and old age people.

Now, they have entered the 25th year of operation. They are running a Higher Secondary School (Mahakavi Bharathiyar Higher School School)  in Kasuva village near Thiruninravoor (40 KM from Chennai) providing high standard education and moral values to 1650 poorest children. Every year, they get 100% results in the State Board Examinations of 10th and 12th Standard. 

In the past 24 years, a minimum 15000 children from 33 villages would have benefited by way of education.  They are running one old age home with 60 elderly inmates  deserted by their family members.  160 boys and girls are living in the orphanage.  Even 50 cows are taken care of the Goshala.

Interesting part is that all the services are provided free of cost.  Probably this is the only school in Tamilnadu with so much of children without any 'fee counter', but providing high class education.  (shortly we are writing about them in our site www.action2020.in).

Since they do not collect any money from the children or elderly people, they have to depend on the sponsors for the support.  Many good hearted individuals and corporates are supporting them silently   Shortly with the support of some of the corporates, they are going to start one Industrial Training Institute to provide vocational courses for the children, to make them employable.  This service also will be provided free of cost.

Their administrative office at Chennai has a small team to look after the public relations and sponsorship.  In order to improve the skills of this team, Prime Point Foundation arranged a one day workshop at their office to expose them to the professional handling of Public Relations.

I  conducted the workshop.  I was supported by Mr Nurullah (Senior Tamil Journalist), Mr Sakthi Prasanna (Senior PR Professional working in a PR Agency) and Ms Bhanu Gomes (Spokes Person of IAC and a Social activist).

The PR team of Sevalaya was trained to make use of Public Relations tool to project the image of the organisation and to get sponsorships.  

During the workshop, we called up Mr S Narendra of Delhi (Former Information Advisor to Prime Minister) and Mr Ananda Padmanabhan (Jaya TV) over phone.  They shared their professional views to improve the PR skills and to increase the sponsorship base.

Last week, I personally visited the School and the campus.  These children deserve support from the public.  Those who want to get in touch with Sevalaya may contact Mr Muralidharan, Founder and Chairman of Sevalaya at sevalayamurali@sevalaya.org

Photos of the workshop: