KOCHI: The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Ernakulam has had an eventful 100 years, growing from an initiative that provided shelter to women and supported students, to one that also cared for the elderly, fed the needy and assisted patients. Now, as it completes a century, the organisation and its members continue to uphold the values of compassion, dignity, service and social responsibility.
According to president Minu Anna Mathew, the Ernakulam YWCA’s journey began when Nina Brental, then general secretary of the organisation in Thiruvananthapuram, received a letter pointing out the need to start a wing in Ernakulam. “It acted as a spark.
The general secretary came to Ernakulam to meet a foreign missionary, Beatrice Kidgil, who was staying at the Church of England Zenana Mission Society Hostel in Broadway. Beatrice invited Rahelamma V Varghese, wife of Dewan Bahadur Dr V Varghese, to a prayer meeting. As days passed, the group of women attending the prayer meeting decided to link up with the YWCA,” she said.
Beatrice later formed a committee with Rahelamma and six other women. On October 26, 1926, the committee proclaimed the birth of Ernakulam YWCA. Rahelamma was its first president and Ammal Thariyan Varghese the first secretary.
“It was during this time that the committee came to know about the hardships faced by students and working women in finding safe accommodation in the city. So, the committee decided to start a hostel. The first hostel started with five students in June 1927 on a rented property at TD Road,” said Minu. After 10 years, in 1936, YWCA opened its Maternity and Child Welfare Centre in Kadavanthra. In 1938, a nursery school started functioning in YWCA’s rented facility, said Sheeba Varghese, former YWCA president. As news about the organisation, its facilities and activities spread, more women came seeking hostel accommodation, she said.
“In 1938, the organisation purchased one acre and 78 cents of land along with a two-storey building from Azhikkal Shenoy in Chittoor Road. The hostel was shifted to the new premises,” said Sheeba. According to Minu, it was a small setup back then and to tide over financial strains, the members had to rear cattle and organise crowd funding sessions at the Ernakulam boat jetty.
Today, the organisation boasts three women’s hostels, an old-age home and a guest house for women functioning from its Chittoor Road premises. “During the centennial year, the organisation is planning projects like ‘Aalayam’ (Home for homeless) for Women, ‘Annam’ (Food for patients and bystanders in Kalamassery Medical College Hospital), and a vocational training programme for caregivers with subsidised fees called Aaswasam,” said Minu.
Milestones over the years
1926 Formation of YWCA Ernakulam
1927 Starting of YWCA Hostel on TD Road
1936 Opening of a maternity and child welfare centre at Kadavanthra
1938 Purchase of one acre and seventy-eight cents of land for YWCA
1939 Shifting of the YWCA Hostel to the new premise and its inauguration by Lady Linlithgo
1942 Establishment of a nursery school on YWCA’s own premises
1945 Lady Wavell lays foundation stone for the association’s double-storied block
1948 Lady Edwina Mount Batten visits YWCA, Ernakulam
1951 Silver jubilee celebrations with Rajkumari Amrit Kaur as chief guest
1955 Visit of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
1976 Golden jubilee celebrations
1978 Acquisition of GCDA’s Working Women’s Hostel at Gandhinagar on a 10-year lease
1981 Opening of a retirement home for women (Jyothi Nivas)
1987 Opening of working women’s hostel
2000 Completion of ‘Salom’, a home for senior women citizens
2006 Purchase of Edakattuvayal property
2014 Construction of Yuva Jyothi hostel, a hostel for less privileged students
2018 Inauguration of the Community Development Project Building at Edakkattuvayal