Origins of Puvidham. Bought and registered 12 acres of degraded land in the dharmapuri district.
The only resource on the land was small stones. we used them to make crescent bunds.
Made field bunds and planted some 2000 trees. Finished building a mud and thatch house to be able to live on the land to protect it from grazing and poaching. Bought two cows to help improve the fertility. Grew nitrogen fixing crops
Built a cowshed and nurtured the trees. Grew millets and pulses organically for our food and fodder for the cows.
Saplings began to grow and natural vegetation returned to the land.
The learning centre started with 7 children 2 of Meenakshi’s own children and 4 school dropouts.
The school ran from the house. We wanted to follow MARIA MONTESSORI’S Methodology. But the material was too expensive, so we prepared our own hand made material with cheap local wood based on the principles described in her books. We also included MAHATMA GANDHI’S NAI TALIM , or work as a medium of instruction and RABINDRANATH TAGORE’S ideas on open learning and self-motivated learning with a large component of art and craft and co-operative sports.
A need for constructing a new building arises as the number of children increases to 17.
The Mud and Thatch building made with local materials and the architecture find their way into "Education for Sustainable living" Curriculum
Puvidham gets registered as a school with local authorities.
Rotory Club of Hosur recognizes Mrs Meenakshi's efforts and confers The "Best Teacher Award"
Puvidham becomes home for 50 children and time to construct a new building which goes on to become our architectural trademark
We were also fortunate a acquire 3 acres of land with a well. This enables us to do irrigated farming.
The land gets regenerated into DIVERSITY center with 30 different species of trees, home for 50 species of birds, Hundreds of insects and butterflies.
A new Hostel Building. Home for 20 Girls and 18 Boys.
Having got Organic Farming and Architecture into the curriculum of Sustainable Education, Time for Arts and Crafts.
Puvidham was getting recognized through out india and started getting awards for education and rural development.
Puvidham becomes home for 102 children with 35 of them in hostel
With support from Asha for Education, AMM Foundation, Udhavum Ullangal, Puvidham Support Group in Columbia and London, Puvidham gets progressive.
A new hostel gets constructed with financial support from friends and wellwishers.
Our dream project "Science for Sustainablity Park" makes a beginning with support AMEF Foundation Chennai
Was humbled in receiving MAA BABA Award for reviving Gandhian Nai Talim Education System
Aval Vikatan recognizes Mrs Meenakshi Umesh as one of the Top 10 women in Tamil Nadu - 2016
Healer Bhaskar makes a full documentary and recommends our education model. He even confers the title "Mother of Alternative Education"
We now have students of parents who prefer our no exam, no stress type of learning process.
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