" Loyola Integrated Tribal Development Society "
Non-Pofit-Organization to Help, Support and Empower Tribal Communities through Education, Development and Health Care
We would like to let the world know through this website that it has been an honour and grace to serve the Tribes with love at Katukapally. It has been 34 amazing and progressive years since the LITDS was inaugurated here in Katukapally in 1992.
Fr. Yesu Ratnam S.J
Director, Litds, Katukapally
Message from the Director
"It has been an honour as well as an incredibly fulfilling task to serve the tribal community, particularly the children, for the last 8 years. Our daily commitment and work has really made a difference for the lives of many individuals and whole village communities. Dear reader, please give us five more minutes of your costly time to have a closer look at this website. You will find out more about the reality and very poor conditions the people and children face on a daily basis in the tribal villages. Moreover, you will learn about the specific work we are doing, current problems we are trying to solve, and future goals we wish to realise. Only through the attention and generosity of people like you, we are able to continue this work. We do not expect you to make a donation and simply want to thank you for giving us your attention and perhaps spreading some information about the work we are doing here. Nonetheless, we are very grateful for every donation we receive as every little contribution can make a big difference, especially regarding our future goals. Take care and all the best."
LITDS programs for poor tribal children in remote forest areas have a multi-faceted impact. They not only enhance educational opportunities but also contribute to community development by empowering individuals and families. Additionally, they can improve healthcare access and foster literacy and information dissemination. These initiatives are crucial for bridging the gap between marginalized communities and mainstream development efforts.
During the summer vacation children from 5th to 10th Std.are motivated to teach the smaller children of their own villeges the day, and teach their parents, elder brothers and sisters in the evening. This programme fetches yearly around 400 children 200 adult literacy. Thus, Children contribute to the development of their own communities.
An in-depth study undertaken in 2001 resulted in the starting of Child Labour Camp by Fr Peter Daniel on 5th November 2001, a camp for 125 child labour girls and on 12th June 2003, another camp for75 child labour boys were started by LITDS. Tribal children who graze cows and goats and the drop out children in the forest were the next target for LITDS.
Transforming lives through Education
LITDS transforms lives by providing education to impoverished tribal children. Through its educational initiatives, LITDS empowers these children with knowledge and skills that break the cycle of poverty, fostering a brighter future for individuals and communities in remote forest areas.
Arrupe High School
Arrupe High School, founded by LITDS in Katukapally in 1995, provides free education to impoverished tribal children born in remote tribal villages located in the forest. It offers great learning opportunities in a variety of subjects and thus empowers students to excel academically and contribute to their communities’ development. Currently, approximately 170 students in grade 6-10 attend Arrupe High School. They are being taught by 11 teachers, who are getting paid by LITDS and that are specialised on a subject. After finishing the official final grade 10 government state exams, some of the students will continue their academic journey at junior colleges (2 years). LITDS also provides scholarships for some of these students.
Our Campus
The campus of Arrupe High School also has accommodation for not only the high school students but also primary school students, who are attending the nearby government primary school. This leads to a total amount of 300 students on the campus. The reason why the accommodation for all of the students is so significant is because the villages are too far away from school. It is simply impossible to go from the villages to school and vice versa twice a day.
While we are constantly trying our best to improve the facilities for the children, this process is unfortunately always limited to our financial supply. As providing free education, teacher and cook salaries as well as three meals per day for 300 children plus the staff is very expensive. Only the rice needed per day is approximately 150kg, which already costs a lot of money and does not include vegetables and so on. Unfortunately, we are currently lacking financncial sources. We would love to buy beds for all of the children, if we had more money.
Medical Services
Medical services offer healing and hope to the sick
LITDS also offers medical treatment for the children on campus since we have a hired nurse that is taking care of the children. Our healthcare includes check-ups, medical treatments, and vaccinations and thereby improves the well-being and quality of life of the disadvantaged tribal children. We have access to quality medicine because we have a little dispensary on campus. Our Healthcare is not limited to the high school as we also do medical camps in the villages, where we provide medicine to sick villagers.
Dispensary
The dispensary at LITDS provides essential medical services to tribal children at Arrupe High School and surrounding villages. It ensures access to health check-ups, vaccinations, and medical care, supporting the well-being of students and the broader community in remote forest areas.
Social Work
Tribal community development thrives through cultural preservation and collective empowerment
LITDS promotes tribal community development through collective empowerment, while also ensuring the preservation of culture and traditions. Consequently, LITDS also fosters a sense of identity and pride among tribal communities. Through collaborative efforts LITDS enables tribes to actively participate in their own development, ensuring sustainable progress and resilience in remote forest areas.
We make this possible by facilitating development in the following areas:
- Teaching about leadership and self organization
- Teaching ethics and values
- Teaching about earnings, finance and livelihood
- Teaching about Hygiene and cleanliness
This social work is done together with our great partner organization FFVDP.
