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In the previous three parts of this series we looked at the exemplary services rendered by the Ashram in the fields of education, agriculture, water conservation, medical aid, and services to elderly men and women in villages. All of them are designed with a purpose and trying to attack the root cause of the problem rather than providing succor at the superficial level. In this fourth and final part let us go through some of the Ashram activities in boosting self-confidence amongst youth (both men and women) in the rural and backward areas of nearby villages by installing a sense of entrepreneurialism amongst them. These are totally aimed at uplifting their family economy thereby creating an economic vibrancy in the whole area. 

To uplift the poor village women who are below poverty line, Ashram has started “Self Help Groups” in many villages and this is known as Sarada Dhanavarshini Scheme. Through the ‘Micro Credit and Savings Scheme’ the village women are trained gradually to conduct self help group meetings and maintain the account books. They are trained in vocational skills and motivated with the spirit of entrepreneurship to come up to a better position economically and socially. By this way, a light is shown to earn at least Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 per month. No doubt that this strengthens the rural economic condition too. 

Life in villages is a difficult venture and the condition of poor women in the clutches of intoxicated husband is pathetic. The poor rural women are trained in Vocational Training Centre to help increase their daily income. The women are trained to prepare pickles, sweets, snacks, jam, pappad, wire bags etc. With the financial assistance from the banks, the women folk could start their own small business. Recently, training units are started in manufacturing sanitary napkin, home-made food production unit, electronic equipments and home appliances repairing unit. 

It is not just the skills to manufacture a product which is important to successfully run an economic activity, but equally important if not more is the competency to run the activity. This competency is ‘periodically’ groomed and nurtured in the Entrepreneur Development Training Centre run by the Ashram. Thus, an ordinary woman even without formal education could prove to be a good entrepreneur. The training program induces self-confidence (a key requirement for an upcoming entrepreneur), nurtures decision making skill, trains in accounts maintenance, guides in risk taking, teaches human relation and customer care, develops leadership skills, and marketing techniques. Through its Sri Sarada Free Tailoring Institute, Ashram gives training in embroidery and tailoring, provides self-employment, and increases the income of their families. 

This author is deeply inspired by the deep think-tank that the Ashram possesses in the form of selfless and spiritually-driven sanyasins. As a poor country if the purchasing power and mental peace enjoyed by people in India is not far behind many of the developed countries, it is entirely due to our culture driven towards spiritualism and life style without excessive stress on material benefits. Ashram think tank is fully cognizant of this fundamental thread. Thus, it is nothing strange but only natural for the Ashram to devise programs to strengthen our culture and family units. Through Sarada Seva Samiti, a cultural forum for rural women, Ashram enhances cultural awareness among 5000 families in the nearby area. The deprived women have now grown to the level of improving their general knowledge to spread the message of patriotism, ecological awareness, health, hygiene, and family economy amongst the other village masses. The village women prove themselves to be good mothers and they bring up good citizens. They live in harmony with all diversified communities. The training is given through gatherings, group discussions, camps & family counseling to rear their children with values, gain awareness in financial management of the families, to strengthen the mental and emotional fibre and bring harmony among the family members. 

Because of the satellite invasion and globalization, the positive impact is more awareness on many things. But the dark side of this is that the gaining awareness is not selective and not always about good things. Due to these, nowadays material has become the measurement of love in some cases whereas the fundamental truth is that love emanates from heart and ends up in perfect understanding. It may sound an irony that sanyasins are successful in guiding distorted minds and uniting divided families. The sanyasin sisters give a great solace to the affected minds and bring harmony among family members and reduce friction. This helps to minimize stress and strain due to emotional imbalance and helps to efficiently manage the family affairs for total development of the family. The Family Counseling Centre provides practical solutions for the day-to-day problems, strengthens the moral and cultural fibers of the families, binds the family through Love and Understanding, provides confidential guidance, and provides techniques to stabilize emotional imbalance. 

The Ashram is depended upon at sometimes even by the district authorities especially to run the government sponsored programs and also during emergency relief operations. During the time of natural calamities like fire, earthquakes, floods/ Tsunami, the ashram stretches its caring hands to the victims. With a sense of social responsibility, the sanyasin sisters go to the affected areas to render relief services. An “Emergency Relief Cell” is functioning as a part of Ashram’s Seva Prathishtan, which always has the relief materials such as food, blankets, clothes, rice, groceries, and vessels readily in hand. Medical Care is also given wherever necessary. The relief assistance provided by the Ashram during a fire accident, which made hundred of families homeless in a village called Atthipakkam can not be explained just by words. Similarly when the entire Tamilnadu was devastated by the heavy rains and consequent flood in 2005, the sanyasin sisters camped in the nearby villages which were under flood water and provided food, drinking water, and preventive medications to escape from the outbreak of endemic diseases. One has to visit those villages to know how much the villagers were helped by the Ashram in their crisis times and this would amply be reflected by the love and gratitude they bestow towards the Ashram and its sanyasin sisters. Not only the human beings but also the cattle were taken care of by the Ashram during relief operations. Within the Ashram, there is a cattle house wherein the aged cows and other cattle are taken good care of till the end of their life. 

Service to Man is service to God and realization of self through service to humanity is the motto (‘Atmanomokshartham Jagat Hitayacha’) of this organization. Renunciation and Service, the twin ideals envisaged by Swami Vivekananda is the aim on which the Ashram was founded. It is not just social service but service with fragrance of divinity. Not only the physique of poor is nourished but the minds of the whole humanity are also nurtured with good thoughts and fine feelings.