Aakkam Foundation, EduDharma Coimbatore-based NGOs that helps the needy with funds, partnered with other NGOs namely, Lit the Light, Feed The Need and Ayuda Trust and funded Gowtaman Jairaman a professional silambattam champion, who recently represented India at the International Silambam Championship in Malaysia and bagged a gold medal.
One of the founders of Aakkam Foundation shares with SimpliCity that this NGO received a request from beneficiary Gowtaman that he was in need of funds to participate in this silambattam championship. Upon verifying the information and background, Aakkam Foundation initiated the process of collecting funds. We are told that in a week’s time of receiving the request, a sum of rupees 40,000 was collected (in partnership with other NGOs) and was handed over to Gowtaman, thus enabling him to participate in this competition in Malaysia. A jubilant Gowtaman upon winning the gold medal thanked the core founder of Aakkam foundation and his other sponsors through a WhatsApp message from Malaysia.
A group of like-minded youth joined hands and formed Aakkam Foundation. The aim of this city-based NGO is to help the needy with funds. About five of them are the core founders and a group of close to hundred youth are active members of this NGO. The founders and active members of Aakkam Foundation are all below 30-years of age, who are working professionals. All of them make a small contribution from their monthly salaries every month and depending on the request for funds that they receive, funds are handed-over to the respective beneficiary.
Speaking to SimpliCity, one of the core founders of Aakkam Foundation, Prashanth Gopalakrishnan shares “Once we receive a request for funds, we do a thorough check of the individual who has asked for help and only then do we work on collecting and handing over the funds. We work in diverse areas like providing medical assistance to the needy, supporting education of the under- privileged and we have also purchased a second-hand boat for a fisherman who lost his boat in the floods.”
Turning back time to the floods that hit Chennai and other parts of our state in 2015, Prashanth recalls that many NGOs and social service organisations helped the victims back then. “Post the floods, there were several people who needed help, it was at this juncture that we decided to start an NGO to help the needy. Our first beneficiary was an individual, who unfortunately lost his boat to the floods. The head of the family, sole breadwinner, his income was dependent on fishing. He requested to have a fishing boat. My friends and I pooled in funds, we purchased and handed-over a second-hand boat for him and currently he is earning around 30,000 rupees per month.”
In-formally helping the needy, these friends decided to give their activities a name and it was in 2016 that Aakkam Foundation was formally registered in Coimbatore. Its founder shares with us till date through its active members this group has managed to help 25 people with funds. As plans of the future, the core founders and members of Aakkam Foundation plan to sensitize the public on supporting the farmers.
“A doctor’s son will want to become a doctor. An engineer’s son will want to become an engineer. A pilot’s son will want to become a pilot. However, ask a farmer’s son what he wants to become while he grows up, he will never say he wants to be a farmer by following the footsteps of his father. We are aware that the farmer’s are in a very bad situation and this can improve only if we join hands and help them. Our foundation plans to work closely with the farmers and improve their situation so that agriculture in our region and in our country improves. This is vital for us and also for our future generation.” Prashanth ends.