KOCHI: Tucked away in the heart of Kochi lies a quaint building that has for many women who flock to the city become a home, an oasis of solace, a springboard to chase their dreams. Passage through Chittoor Road is not without a glance at the YWCA building and its storied legacy.
TNIE sat down with a few members of the association — Rajamma P C Varghese, Sheela Kora, Susheela Thomas, Susan Kuruvilla, Maya Marcose and its president Sujatha Thomas — to learn about the institution’s journey.
YWCA or the Young Women’s Christian Association, a worldwide phenomenon in women’s leadership and empowerment, took its first steps in India in 1875. In Ernakulam, the association found its footing about a century ago — in 1926; thanks in part to the actions of Rahelamma V Varghese, who was the wife of the then Diwan Bahadur of Kochi at the time.
From the very beginning, the institution has been instrumental in rolling out charity initiatives and programmes to foster the social empowerment of women.
“The YWCA’s affairs were managed from a rented building in Broadway to begin with,” recalls Susan, a former president of the association.
In 1938, the association moved to its current building on Chittoor Road. “It was the ancestral home of Azheekal Shenoys. Shortly after purchasing it, the then authorities of the association converted it into a women’s hostel. It was a small set-up back then and to tide over financial strains, the members had to rear cattle and organise crowdfunding sessions at the Ernakulam boat jetty,” Rajamma recounts.
Later, with the advent of war, it was converted into a boarding for female nurses, Susan adds.
Today, the association boasts three women’s hostels, an old-age home and a guest house for women functioning from their Chittoor Road premises. Its guests have included esteemed women such as Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, a politician and activist, and the former prime minister, Indira Gandhi.
The association’s other projects include palliative care services and monthly care visits for patients in need, community development centres like tailoring units in Edakkattuvayal for creating employment opportunities for women, an elderly care home, and much more.
“The tailoring unit we set up in Udayamperoor is very special to me,” says Rajamma. “It functioned for a good 20 years. During this time, a whole community of women were mentored and employed.”
“Besides this, we had successful projects like the Nurses-Aid programme, Meals-on-Wheels, a teacher training programme,” says Sheela Kora, who was president in the early 2000s. She points out that all these had a positive impact on the society. “By doing them, the institution too flourished.”
Now, as it zips into its centenary year, the institution is mulling even more projects. “One of the proposals is to see a home built for AIDs patients in Edakkattuvayal,” says Susheela. Celebrations too are afoot. Indeed, the YWCA Ernakulam Annual Sale kicks off on Saturday with much splendour and warmth.
Annual Sale
What to expect?
The event will feature about 40 stalls offering a variety of items, all by women entrepreneurs.
Highlights: Textiles and garments, handmade jewellery and crafts, food stalls offering delicious snacks, cakes, wines and other items, organic cosmetics, exclusive stalls for homemade Christmas decor, etc.
This year, the event also features stalls from four charity organisations including Smrithi School for Children with Special Needs and Sradha Special School. Art and accessories by differently abled children will be showcased here.
When: November 30, 10 am to 6 pm
Where: YWCA Ernakulam, near Shenoy’s Cinemas, Chitoor Road
Free entry