TIRUCHY: She has no office of authority from which to change people’s lives, nor the power of the government post she once coveted. What she has built instead is a bridge between vulnerable communities and opportunities that often remain beyond their reach. From goldsmiths weighed down by debt to children struggling at school and transgender persons seeking financial independence, her work has crossed boundaries that few social initiatives attempt to span.
The woman behind these efforts is M Padmavathi, a 54-year-old from Olaiyur in Tiruchy who holds an MA in Economics. Born into a goldsmith family where higher education was uncommon, she once aspired to become a collector so she could help people in need. Though that dream remained unrealised, she found another way to pursue the same purpose through her NGO, the Community Renovation and Organisation Advancement Trust (COROAT).
After her dream did not materialise, Padmavathi joined a private NGO in Tiruchy and worked with 10 non-profit organisations. In 2006-07, she became an assistant project manager under the Vaazhndhu Kaattuvom Project at the Tiruvarur District Collectorate.
She founded COROAT on April 6, 2009, to help marginalised communities access opportunities and become self-reliant. One of its first initiatives focused on goldsmiths struggling with debt and financial insecurity.
“Many goldsmiths had borrowed money from private lenders and were struggling to repay it. We wanted them to move into other businesses without depending on private loans,” she said.
The trust helped goldsmiths secure loans totalling Rs 46 lakh to establish alternative businesses. N Balasubramanian, a goldsmith from Tiruchy who benefited from the initiative, said Padmavathi brought members of the community together, counselled them and helped them obtain bank loans to start businesses.
Padmavathi also served as a member of the Juvenile Justice Board in Tiruchy from 2014 to 2020. Her work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds grew during this period.
In 2014, COROAT began supporting children from disadvantaged families, particularly those of sanitation workers, street vendors and daily wage labourers. The trust initially visited the homes of sanitation workers and provided their children with evening tuition. Over five years, around 1,000 students benefited from the initiative.
Between 2015 and 2020, the trust expanded its educational activities to government schools, providing coaching to around 4,200 students after regular school hours. Around 40 teachers were engaged to teach Tamil, English and mathematics. The programmes were discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2024 and 2025, COROAT expanded its educational initiatives to Ariyalur district, introducing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities at two government middle schools.
Since June 2022, Padmavathi has extended her work to transgender communities across TN, focusing on livelihood opportunities, access to government schemes and social acceptance. Around 60 transgender persons, including 28 in Tiruchy, have received assistance to access government loans and start small businesses with the help of this trust. The trust has also helped six transgender persons in Tiruchy and 18 in Pudukkottai district obtain driving licence. The trust has also helped two transgender entrepreneurs secure assistance of Rs 5 lakh each through the StartupTN scheme.
A key part of the initiative has been helping transgender persons access housing. The trust helped 228 people obtain government land allotments. Of these, 98 beneficiaries from Tiruchy and Pudukkottai districts have built houses under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme, according to Padmavathi.
In February 2026, Padmavathi launched an application called Manasu to help transgender persons reflect on their thoughts and emotions. “Many transgender persons face a lack of livelihood opportunities and social acceptance. Although the government has introduced several schemes, many people still struggle to access the benefits. Without stable employment and support from society, they find it difficult to build a secure life,” she said.
Dr N Hassana Fathima, a transgender person from Tiruchy, said the trust had helped members of the community access housing, Aadhaar cards, mental health training, skill-development programmes and educational support. “Society should recognise transgender persons and support them in finding sustainable livelihoods,” Padmavathi said.
The trust runs on donations from individuals and well-wishers. Padmavathi said the aim was to ensure that marginalised communities could access the support needed to improve their lives. “Many people from marginalised communities have the ability to improve their lives, but they lack proper guidance and financial support. Government schemes are available, but not everyone knows how to access them. Through our trust, we try to connect people with the support they need and help them become self-reliant. Our aim is not just to provide immediate help, but to help them build a better future for themselves and their families,” she said.
(Edited by Dinesh Jefferson E)