A ray of hope for the Vidiyal children
The Vidiyal Street Children Programme
The largest part of the Vidiyal Programme focuses on supporting street children. Each day, over 300 children attend Vidiyal drop-in centres, where they receive unconditional love, medical attention, and support for their emotional and material needs. Though they continue to live with their families in slums, the children are placed in schools or colleges suited to their abilities and goals. The centres also help with homework and provide opportunities to learn skills such as dance, drama, and karate. These efforts are part of a larger commitment to healthcare, education, and life-enriching experiences for every child.
Bringing Hope to Madurai’s Vulnerable Children
An estimated 30,000 children live on the streets or in the slums of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, facing daily hardships such as rag picking, begging, and scavenging through open sewers near their homes. The entrenched caste system traps these families in cycles of poverty. NewDawn India supports the Vidiyal Programme, led by Dr. Jim Jesudoss and Dr. Sharmila, whose dedicated team tirelessly works to uplift these children and their families. ‘Vidiyal’ means ‘a new dawn’—a fitting name for a programme that offers new beginnings and renewed hope to the most vulnerable.
Upcoming Events
Stories of Lives Transformed Through Our Support
Palaneeswari
A first generation graduate and member of our alumni forum shares her childhood experiences in Vidiyal and describes how Vidiyal empowered her to become what she is today.
Kalidoss
NewDawn India is a charitable Trust, founded in 1990 (Reg charity No: 1001535). It is a Christian charity based in East Anglia, UK, working with Sakthi-Vidiyal to raise funds supporting the Vidiyal programme since 1994.
