Presently, we are focusing on selected villages of Gudalur Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. Gudalur is situated in the border of both Kerala and Karnataka. It is situated 50 km away from Ooty, which is a well-known tourist centre in Tamil Nadu. The main villages in Gudalur Taluk are Devarshola, Gudalur, Mudumalai, Nellakota, O’Valley, and Srimadurai. Poor living conditions clubbed with alcoholism and drug abuse is a main setback of these villagers.

After doing some initial study of some of the interior villages in Gudalur, we have narrowed down the most essential requirements as medical and educational needs in the society. Since this villages are inhibited by tea estate laborers who earn very meager wages, their living conditions are very much below standard. Most of them travel about 25 – 30 km to get to Gudalur for any proper medical treatment. This journey becomes riskier during night hours due to the possibility of wild animal attacks on the way. We are looking into opportunities to work with the local community and the primary health care center in the village to improve the medical facilities over there. This is a very urgent need to which we must pay immediate attention. 

The second important need we felt in the area was lack of proper educational support. The percentage of dropouts from schools are very high in this area. Children from a very young age are falling into the trap of alcoholism and drug abuse. To meet this need, they go for labor work from a very young age and thereby dropping their studies. Students must travel about 25-30 km to Gudalur to get to good schools. The conditions of the schools in these villages are very pathetic. The Ambilimala School in the Seaforth area of the O’Valley panchayat had no benches and desks for the last 13 years since the inception of the school. The students were sitting in the floor. The school authorities and the village authorities approached us with the request to provide benches and desks for the children. Christ AG leadership acknowledged this request and understanding the dire need of proper furniture, provided 10 benches and desks for the school through Ray of Love Development Foundation. This was the fulfillment of a long-time dream of the villagers and the school authorities. 

In that school they also want to start a Nursery, LKG & UKG classes and hire a teacher for that. We would like to help them with this project. 

We are currently conducting 4 children’s clubs on weekends in the different areas of O’Valley Panchayath. A total of about 175 students are attending these children’s clubs. Moral values and life discipline lessons are taught using a well-structured syllabus. We look forward to starting more children’s clubs in other areas of Gudalur Taluk.

Doing all what we can to improve the living conditions of these villagers would be an effective way for us to demonstrate the love of Christ. Please consider prayerfully to stretch your hand of support for this worthy cause.