Chennai, 24 November, 2007:
Sornammal Education Trust celebrates Annual Sornammal Day Awards Ezhuchi Virudhu to 30 best performing SHGs
Sornammal Educational Trust, a project of Ma Foi Foundation, which is the corporate social responsibility initiative of Ma Foi Management Consultant Ltd today, awarded Ezhuchi Virudhu 2007 to 30 best performing Self Help Groups operating across 10 zones of Chennai, at the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association Stadium. Dr. B. Sivanthi Adityan, Chairman, Daily Thanthi Group of Publications was the chief guest while eminent film persona, Mr. Prakashraj and Mr. A. Subramanian, Executive Director, Indian Bank, Chennai, Vanitha IPS, Principal, Police Training college were the guests of honour. The proceedings of the awards ceremony was anchored by Father Jegath Gasper Raj, Founder, Tamil Maiyam.
Sornammal Education Trust celebrates its Annual Day every year in the month of November in memory of Mrs. Sornammal, after whom the trust was named, set up by her grandson Mr. K. Pandia Rajan, MD & CEO, Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd and Managing Trustee, Sornammal Educational Trust. The Sornammal Ezhuchi Virudhu, awarded to 30 SHGs, recognizes and honours best performing Self Help Groups (SHGs) that have exhibited frugal economic management, developed micro enterprise that has helped its members come out of poverty and also contributed significantly to the growth of the community at large. The award carries a trophy, a citation and a cash prize. Motivation Prize is also given to 30 groups which could not make it to the Ezhuchi Awards.
The Sornammal Special Award was given away to 10 best Self Help Groups (SHGs) among 550 groups formed and promoted by the Sornammal Educational Trust. The award carries a trophy, a citation and a cash prize.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Mr. K. Pandia Rajan, Managing Trustee,
Sornammal Educational Trust, said, “The Sornammal Ezhuchi Virudhu is our way of encouraging and saluting the entrepreneurial skills of the awardees. I would also like to applaud the efforts of all the other SHGs, which have continuously toiled with utmost dedication towards improving the qualities of their lives. It has been our constant endeavour to create a self-reliant society by promoting entrepreneurship. We wish the awardees all the very best in their ventures.”
On the occasion of the 6th Sornammal Day, The Ma Foi Foundation donated an amount of Rs. 50, 000 to Thiyagam Women’s Charitable Trust, a Madurai-based NGO working towards the cause of disabled people. In addition, Self Help Groups (SHGs) powered by women of Sornammal Educational Trust are financially supporting a rally of disabled people, being organized by State Pressure Group on December 2, 2007 on the eve of World Disability Day on December 3.