About us

About Us

Jeeva Jyothi was founded in 1994 by four enthusiastic social activists who came together to bring ethical changes in the lives of the children in difficult circumstances especially children in the streets and working children.

Initially, work started in a village called Kosappur where youth were motivated to become volunteers of Jeeva Jyothi and were sensitized about child labour. Jeeva Jyothi’s activities in Pammadu Kulam focused on the children of Rag picking community. The programme covered the
activities like supplementary education classes, Non-formal education classes, medical assistance, school enrollment, awareness programmes, Creative camps, Street theatre programmes, Home placement, vocational training, job placement, folk arts training and sports. More than 30,000 street and working children were covered in North Chennai through Jeeva Jyothi’s intervention.

Jeeva Jyothi has initiated a Children assistance booth at Perambur Railway station, through which many run away children were reached. These children were reintegrated with their families and the children who were not willing to go to their families were admitted in children homes.

Our Approach

Rights
based

Rights based approach is followed in all projects by empowering the rights holders who do not experience full rights

Integrated Community
Development

The whole community is involved and empowered to create changes within their integrated community development

Social
Mobilization

A process where people are organised in order to enable them to collectively think and act upon their development.

Child
Centered

The child is kept in focus when making decisions about their lives and working in partnership with them and their families.

Participatory

The community is involved right from the planning process before implementing the programmes and they are motivated to participate in all actions.

Our Mision

To be an organization to induce social transformation among the underprivileged children, women, youth, unorganized workers and other vulnerable communities by building their competence and involving them in the change process to accelerate equitable social, economical, cultural and environmentally sustainable development through thriving peoples’ movements.

To work for the total elimination of child labour in all forms and all sectors.
To support the marginalized communities in their struggle to get organized.
To be a catalyst in protecting and promoting the rights of the children at all levels.
To support the secondary duty bearers in the protection and promotion of child rights.
To support the differently-abled towards inclusive growth.
To gather the unorganized workers for their rights and dignity.
To develop sustainable social development intervention models.
To build alliances at the local, regional, national and international level for the better interest of the marginalized communities.

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Mission

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Vision

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Objectives

To work for total elimination of child labour in all forms and in all sectors
To support the marginalised communities in their struggle to get organised.
To empower women based on rights and all levels
To be a catalyst in protecting and promoting the rights of the children at all levels
To support the secondary duty bearers in protection and promotion of child rights.
To support the differently abled towards an inclusive growth.
To gather the unorganised workers for their rights and dignity.
To develop sustainable social development intervention models to work with the marginalised communities.
To build alliance at the local, regional, national and
international level communities and organisations in the
better interest of the marginalized communities.

Trustees

SUSAI RAJ

Founder and Director

ANDREW SESURAJ

Trustee

VIJAY KUMAR

Trustee

We Make A Future

Our History

Jeeva jyothi was founded in 1994 with 4 enthusiastic social activists coming together to bring some ethical changes in the lives of the children in difficult circumstances especially children in the streets and working children. Initially they started working in a village called kosappur.

Jeevajyothi and its employees were sensitized about the issue of child labour .i.e. Rag pickers, tea shop cleaner, hotel server, working in hazardous jobs in chemical companies, colour powder companies, working in cemetery etc as child labour.

Main focus was thrown on children in Rag picking at Pammadu Kulam. The children involved with the whole family in picking the rags. While picking the rags they meet with many difficulties dog bite, chased by the dwellers and other Local Rowdies. Our programmes and activities was extended at a large level to supplementary education classes, Non formal education classes, medical assistance, school enrollment, awareness programmes, Creative camps ,Street theatre programmes, Home placement, vocational training, job placement, folk arts training, educational spot etc.

Through these interventions we were able to reach more than 12000 children in North Chennai . Jeeva jyothi was one of the well known NGO in North Chennai for its committed, effective and concerted work among the NGOs working for street and working children. Jeevajyothi had been the Convener and co-ordinating agency for the CHENNAI NGO forum, TN NGO Forum for street
and working children and other networks. Jeevajyothi initiated a Children assistance booth at Perambur Railway station, through this booth we reached many children who ran away from their families. These children were reintegrated with their families and the children who are not willing to go to their families are admitted in children homes. Sometimes women were also been referred to us by the railway police at that circumstances we give counseling to the women and reunited them with their families and many
have been referred to NGOs working for women.

While working with children we came across many orphan children who are in need of proper care and support. Slowly we started a Children home in Perambur nearly 25 children were in the shelter home. All the children are enrolled in formal schools. Since the premises in Perambur was not spacious for the children with not enough for the children, lack of play ground etc, we moved the shelter home to Budhur in Sothupaakham Road near Redhills.

As we started working with the Migrant Bonded Laboure’s in the Rice Mills and Brick Kilns in and around Redhills area of Thiruvallur District, we identified many children who were working as child labourers along with their families. Thus started the intervention in Redhill’s. As we worked we started to address the needs of the Migrant Bonded Laboure’s. We understood that we cannot
ensure the rights of the children unless the parents are freed from the bonded labor situation. This has led to numerous legal interventions with the support of District administration and State Human Rights Commission. Bridge School for the Child Labourers, Children manimanram for the mainstreamed children, Child Rights Monitoring Committee for bringing together all stake holders together for the promotion of child rights, Day Care Centre for the Children of Migrant Labourers living in Rice Mills are some of the numerous interventions we initiated for the promotion of child rights.

We worked for the cause of environment protection and promotion. We have conducted many programmes and camps for the environmental issues including preserving nature and reuse and recycle. With this in mind, in 1999 we established a handmade paper Training cum production unit
at Kosappur, we are recognized by the Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The main aim is to recycle the used papers and to provide job opportunity for the women and the youth in
the local community.

Community Action for Health under National Rural Health mission was implemented through Jeeva Jyothi as a pilot project in Gummidipoondi and Minjur since 2008

Since 2012, we are appointed as the Support Organisation for Childline 1098 in Thiruvallur District. We have also started working with the differently able through Community Based Rehabilitation
Project for the Persons with Disabilities.

Apart from the above, on a regular basis we have planted trees in all the working areas, schools and given many street theatre performances on this theme.

Folk arts training, Street theatre was provided for the children and the staff.

Apart from Budur shelter home we have taken another shelter home -chennai corporation project in thiruvanmiyur.

We have undertaken community intervention programme -COVID-19 in madhavaram zone and Awareness programme in cholavaram and redhills areas.