Activities

ARDRA Charitable Society

ARDRA Charitable Society — the official charitable outreach wing of Malankara Orthodox Church has just launched a highly transformative and benevolent project to eradicate hunger, aptly titled as ANNADAANAM’. The project aims to identify and adopt the neediest 1000 families in God’s own country and provide them with food supplies to keep them well fed. It could be a family where wife has to look after her perpetually sick husband or a widow struggling to provide for the needs of her differently abled daughter or a family where all the members are ailing or family struggling to raise children who are mentally retarded. There are innumerable instances like this around us whom are living at the mercy of others. They shouldn’t be living at our mercy. But they deserve our compassion. It is our responsibility, obligation and Christian mission to lend them a helping hand.

   ANNADAANAM is a humble effort to feed the needy around us The project aims to distribute food items to deserving families every month. The project will be spearheaded by committee members of ARDRA Charitable Society in different parts of Kerala. The criteria for selecting the households will be strictly followed. We are committed to ensure that your generous donations reach the most deserving people. This is a dream project of Malankara Orthodox Church and we seek you earnest cooperation for the successful running of this project. By feeding the hungry and delivering it in the name of Christ’s love, you are joining with ARDRA Charitable Society to help change people’s lives for the better, for the future and for eternity. Through offering nourishing meals for children facing starvation and families ruined by misfortunes, you are giving many the chances to live a full life.

 

ARDRA HOMES

“ARDRA HOMES” is envisioned as an open-ended project to provide shelter to as many destitute homeless families as possible, who are marginalized and left out of other housing schemes. The project shall be managed by ARDRA Charitable Society, the charity arm of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. In an ever-evolving social-political scenario, where a shelter above the heads remains a dream only for many unfortunate homeless families, it is believed that finding and helping such people, who are left out of the main stream is nothing but the most basic act of Christian love and Compassion in Action, which is the motto of ARDRA.

 

THE HOME 

Each ARDRA HOME shall be built on safe residential land of size 3-4 cents in rural (Panchayat / ViIIage) area, where there is no scarcity of drinking water. It is expected that road access is available for transportation and construction purposes at the site. It is taught to be ideal to build two houses in one-plot of land to reduce expenses. The homes being built are to suffice the immediate basic needs of a small family of 4 members, with provision for running water, electricity and sanitation, having an area of 500-600 square feet. A common architectural plan shall be developed and implemented all through the project. Each housing unit shall be gifted to a selected family, with imposed restrictions on sale or renting out, for a period of at least 10-15 years. ARDRA may try their best to provide her-res near to the current locality of the beneficiary, keeping in mind that their livelihoods are linked to the area. Cooperation of the Vicar of the Orthodox Church in the area and Panchayat Ward Member nay be solicited for the smooth flow of the project implementation in the specific area.

ELIGIBILITY

Beneficiaries of ARDRA Homes shall be determined strictly on a stipulated criteria for eligibility. It is to be ensured that ARDRA Homes shall be allocated only to financially downtrodden families, who does not own house or land of any kind. They should not be beneficiary to any other housing schemes by Government or NGOs. Families of above category, currently living in a certain area (locals) shall be given due priority, while considering for award of homes in the same locality. It should be determined with adequate documentary proof that they do not have the financial capacity to buy or build their own house. Priority in housing allocation shall be given to Widows with minor children, physically handicapped, sick/bedridden, aged persons and members of the Orthodox Church, fulfilling the financial criteria as set forth above.

MODE OF APPLICATION  

Eligible applicants shall apply in the prescribed Form duly attested by Vicar of Orthodox Syrian Church in the area of the applicant. All supporting documents must accompany the application

FUNDS & MANAGEMENT

Necessary land and funds in cash for the project are to be raised from Donors, Well Wishers and CSR Sponsors. Donors who come up with either land or Cash for the project shall agree to fully abide with the stipulated selection norms for beneficiaries. All legal issues connected with the Project are to be studied in depth and resolved separately prior to commencement of the project. A specifically nominated subcommittee of Office Bearers and Members of ARDRA lead by a dedicated Project Coordinator shall be responsible for the implementation, management and day to day running to the Project. A Project treasurer shall be responsible for the upkeep of finances of the Project and a proposed land Bank for Ardra Homes. A separate Bank Account shall be maintained by ARDRA to handle the finances of the Project Necessary authorization and approval are to be obtained from the Patron and President of ARDRA as required.