Livelihood Community and Empowerment

“Men and women are of equal value, like two wings of a bird. For without the two in perfect harmony, humanity cannot progress.”

– Amma

2003: Initiation of Vocational and Literacy Training

• Focus: Uplifting the poorest sections of society
• Priority Groups: Women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and people below the poverty line

2003-Present: Expansion of Training Centers

• Current Reach: Five main centers in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha
• Impact: More than 74,000 people

2003: Mass Marriages and Sari Distribution

• Mass Marriages: Conducted as part of Amma’s 50th birthday celebrations
  • Provisions: Clothing, gold ornaments, and puja items
  • Stipulation: No dowry from the bride’s family
• Sari Distribution: Reaching 5 lakh women annually across Bharat, especially in villages

2005: Formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

• Encouragement: Women across Bharat to form SHGs
• Support: Start-up capital, vocational training, and micro-loans
• Annual Gatherings: District-level anniversary celebrations
• Current Reach: Over 2 lakh members in 13,500 SHGs
• Aid Distribution: Financial aid, food, and clothing kits

2006: Lifetime Pensions

• Beneficiaries: 1 lakh people, including widows, women in poverty, and people with disabilities

2008: National Literacy Mission-UNESCO Award

• Achievement: Awarded for adult literacy work in Tamil Nadu

2008: Computerized Vocational Training

• Focus: Life-enrichment education with a special emphasis on women
• Access: Thousands of women annually, across more than 30 centers throughout Bharat

2009: Preservation of Traditional Arts and Crafts

• Initiative: Amrita Shilpa Kalakshetra, a school to restore traditional arts and crafts
• Mission: Preserving Bharat’s cultural heritage

2009: Vocational Training in Nairobi, Kenya

• Beneficiaries: Young people from poor families

2014: Support for Fishermen’s Families

• Provision: ₹1 lakh to families of fishermen who lost their lives at sea
• Impact: Bridging basic supplies and finding new ways to earn

2015: Women in Plumbing

• Initiative: Training women in rural Bharat to become plumbers
• Impact: Building toilets and addressing sanitation, women’s health, and water management
• Partnership: United Nations

2019: Skill Development for Rural Youth

• Partnership: Government of Bharat
• Focus: Free skill development programs for socially marginalized and disadvantaged rural youth
• Duration: Provided training across five states until 2022

Cross-Cutting Sustainable Development

2013: Amrita Self-Reliant Villages (Amrita SeRVe)

• Adoption: 101 impoverished villages throughout Bharat
• Focus Areas:
  • Health
  • Water & Sanitation
  • Education
  • Agriculture
  • Income Generation
  • Eco-friendly Infrastructure
  • Self-empowerment
• Alignment: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)