St Joseph's School for the blind

Über uns

The St Jopseh’s School for the blind was founded in 1972 by the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows, Servant of Mary. The Order is working in the fields of education, health issues and poverty in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
In general people with disabilities, especially from economically challenged background are not properly taken care of in India which is even worse in rural areas. When the first sisters of the Congregation arrived in the city of Madurai blind children begging in the streets made them found a center to help those. They started with two children. The diligent and continuous effort towards the betterment of blinds for the past 40 years brought up a residential school for children with visible impairment located outside Madurai.
Now 94 students from all over Tamil Nadu get supported by St Joseph’s School for the blind, 55 boys and 39 girls from I to VIII standard. They are offered formal education according to government standards. Furthermore vocational training, computer skill tutoring and physical education equip them with valuable skills. A special focus on arts like music and crafts shall provide an opportunity to explore their talents and will be helpful in their future lives.
Many excellent facilities can be used by the children. They stay in a pleasant environment and enjoy good care, quality food, proper sanities and medical services.
To enhance their skills they can use Braille computer labs including a Braille printer , a specialized software serving their needs to operate normal computers, the ‘talking library’ with Braille study books also available as records they can listen to, different kinds of instruments which they play in regular sessions, a playground, a stage for the cultural programs they perform.
A strong connection to the parents is maintained, they are invited to regular meetings. The children staying in the school are very well taken care of, furthermore the outreach of the center aims to benefit as many blind children as possible through the awareness events and community programs including eye camps etc.
The school is run and maintained by six nuns of the Congregation, teaching and caring for the children. Three more visiting teachers come for lessons, two of them being former students of the institution.
The school aims to form independent and confident individuals. As many children as possible are referred to higher studies in other places after finishing and shall lead a self determined life.