CSR THRUST AREAS - EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS
Hindu Mala Araya Sabha – Community Centre
Providing facilities by developing the infrastructure for empowering and mainstreaming deprived communities has always been a core concern of CSR activities of CSL. Following this, CSL extended their CSR support to Hindu Mala Araya Trust for establishment of their Community Centre at Ernakulam.
The Centre caters the needs of public especially the Scheduled Tribe communities of Kerala who visits Ernakulam for medical care and also acts as a Skill Development Centre recognising education as a massive and valuable tool in empowering the weaker sections of the society.
In a formal function held on 25 Oct 2021, Hon. Cochin Corporation Mayor Adv M Anil Kumar inaugurated the facilities in the presence of Hindu Mala Araya Sabha representatives and CSR Deputy Managers of CSL Sh. Sasindradas and Sh. Yoosaf AK.
Mahatma Ayyankali Memorial Library Cum Skill Development Centre, Aluva
On the occasion of Ambedkar Memorial day, 6th Dec 2021, the Mahatma Ayyankali Memorial Library cum Skill Development Centre facilities was opened to public by Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS), Aluva with the CSR support of Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
The Centre will act as a Skill Development and Career Development centre for all, particularly, the SC Community in the region.
In a formal function held on 6th December 2021, Sh. Sambath Kumar PN, AGM & Head (CSR) inaugurated the facilities in the presence of KPMS representatives and CSR Deputy Managers of CSL Sh. Sasindradas PS and Sh. Yoosaf AK were also present.
Refrigerated Mobile Fish Vending Kiosks for Fisherwomen across Kerala
- ICAR-CIFT has developed Refrigerated Mobile Fish Vending Kiosk’ for selling of fish in the closed chilled chamber under hygienic conditions. Fishermen, fish processors and traders can rely on this simple cost-effective equipment to meet the required food hygiene and safety standards in fish handling. The developed kiosk is ergonomically designed for women fish vendors. In order to promote this technology to the masses, ICAR-CIFT entered into a collaborative project with Cochin Shipyard Ltd.,(CSL) to avail grants for distribution of Refrigerated Mobile Fish Vending Kiosks to the selected beneficiaries from fishermen community
- CSL approved this project to be undertaken under its CSR programme to selected beneficiaries from fishermen community. The Kiosk is developed by ICAR-CIFT and the beneficiaries are identified by the Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF)- an Agency under Fisheries Department, Government of Kerala. A total number of 26 machines at a total cost of Rs.17.00 lakhs are supported by CSL CSR programme. The total cost per machine works out to around Rs.80,000/- of which the CSL’s support works out to about 90 percent and balance as the beneficiary contribution. The total project cost including the benefiary contribution works out to Rs.20,06,800/-.
- In a formal function held on 26 Sep 2021 at CIFT office, Sh.Jatindra Nath Swain, IAS, Secretary (Fisheries) handed over the Refrigerated Mobile Fish Vending Kiosk to beneficiaries. A total of 26 machines will be made under the scheme for distribution to women fish vendors across Kerala. Sh. Balaji, IAS, Joint Secretary (Marine Fy), Dr Ravishankar C N, Director ICAR-CIFT, Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director, ICAR-CMFRI and Sampath Kumar, AGM (CSR) attended the event.
Training and Skill Development Centre at Vizhinjam Thiruvananthapuram
The ‘Bollard Pull’ testing facility constructed by CSL at Vizhinjam has been a milestone in the history of the Company. The support provided by the local community for the project has been immeasurable and CSL was able to build a rapport with them. The Company was deeply touched by the goodwill of the community that CSL was committed to serve the community by any means possible. At this juncture, Vizhinjam Thekkumbhagam Muslim Jama’ Ath located nearby to our Bollard Pull testing unit, approached CSL for building a skill development centre for the benefit of the youth and local fishermen community.
On 13th November 2020, Jama’Ath president, Dr. H A Rahman, Chief Imam Moulavi, Yahia Bakhvi Puzhakkara and AGM(CSR&A) of CSL, Shri Sambath Kumar P N jointly inaugurated the building. Jama’Ath Secretary, Shri. U Sudheer, Deputy Manager of CSL, Shri A K Yoosaf, Representative of M/s Habitat Technology, Shri. Binuand Mahallu Committee members were present during the ceremony. The building was dedicated to the cause of training and skilling the poor and marginalized community irrespective of religion and caste so as to empower and enhance their livelihood opportunities.
Empowering energizing and enabling communities has been at the core of CSR policy of CSL that seek to give back to the society for what it has taken from it.
A Touching Gift to the Blind Children
For the blind, the best way to learn is through touch and feeling objects. And this is the essence of the disabled friendly park constructed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd at the school campus of Kerala Blind School Society, Aluva. The centre provides education and training to visually impaired and differently abled children, empowering them to lead a financially independent, self-reliant and dignified life catering to nearly 80 students. CSL provided full support to the Society, to build the blind-friendly children’s park and to procure modernized equipments for their physiotherapy centre at the school. The disabled-friendly park aims to help the students overcome the physical and mental challenges of blindness. For improving their physical fitness trampolines, treadmill and ball pools are also installed.
On 14th February 2020, CSL Director (Operations) NV Suresh Babu inaugurated the park in the esteemed presence of Shri K A Ramesh, Keezhumad Gram Panchayath President. Shri Subash A K, DGM & CWO, Shri. Yoosaf AK DM (CSR) are also present to bless the occasion along with School authorities.
MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE
Cochin Shipyard through its CSR activities wholeheartedly supports differently abled children and ventures to make a real difference in their lives. CSL has always been in the frontlines to aid activities that aim to empower the children and bring them into mainstream for a better future. Evidently, CSL extended support to Different Arts Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. .
Different Arts Centre is an initiative by the renowned Magician Shri.Gopinath Muthukad within the campus of Academy of Magical Sciences in association with Kerala Social Justice Department and Kerala Social Security Mission. It aims to engage hundred differently abled children who are talented in various dimensions of art like music, dance, magic and painting. The children will be trained and given chance to perform in various stages around the world. These children are treated like other employees of the organisation and handsomely paid for their performances to earn a living of their own.
CSL recognises these children as valuable future citizens of our nation. They are neither to be marginalised nor to be excluded from the mainstream society. With CSL’s help Different Arts Centre will be able to bring up more talents among the differently abled children.
Winged Wishes
Living through all ups and downs of their lives and having spent good old days to ensure a bright future for their children, the tendency to neglect the elderly is becoming a social concern in the present scenario. Cochin Shipyard and Rotary Club of Cochin Vypin Island came forward to provide care and protection of the inmates of Navathara Old Age Home, Vypin, Pallipuram. CSL supported Rotary Club to render first ever flight experience to the inmates of the old age home.
Including women, thirty inmates took flight from cochin Aiport to Thiruvananthapuram Airport on 18 June 2019. On reaching Thiruvananthapuram, the group visited Legislative Assembly and viewed its proceedings. Afterwards they visited Napier Museum and Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
Inmates had a very memorable day of their lives. Their wish to fly atleast once in their lifetime became a reality. The programme emphasized the fact that senior citizens are not to be neglected or marginalised. Their dreams and wishes ought to be given wings.
Enabling the Differently Abled to have a Empowered Life
Swasraya Charitable Trust is a special child development and vocational training centre for differently abled located at Kuttur in Thrissur district. The institution caters to empower the differently abled who are suffering from mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities irrespective of age and gender. They have made commendable services towards the rehabilitation of the differently abled people so as to lead a dignified life.
On recognising their noble efforts, CSL supported them for the construction of a vocational training centre. In the ceremony held on 20th December 2019, CMD, CSL Shri Madhu S Nair laid the foundation stone of the centre in the presence of Smt. Roopa Sekhar Rai, Chairperson, CSR and SD committee of CSL, Shri. Radhakrishna Menon, Independent Director, CSR and SD committee of CSL along with Kolazhy Grama Panchayath President, Shri. P G Unnikrishnan.
The training centre will be instrumental in providing vocational training programmes in screen printing, food processing, handicrafts, paper cups, artificial jewellery, agriculture and in data entry. Such an initiative will aid the beneficiaries to become self-reliant.
‘Vanaprastha’- Towards a Healthy and Peaceful Retired Life
Economic issues and the social inability of the nuclear family system to take care of the elderly drive the aged people to lead lives of sub human existence. A roof over their heads is a critical need of the elderly people who are infirm, sick and abandoned by their family. CSL strives to provide them a healthy, peaceful, happy and fulfilling retired life.
Punnyam Charitable Trust of Vazhoor, Kottayam district approached CSL seeking support for their project Vanaprastha, which envisages a rehabilitation and yoga centre along with the provisions for ‘pakalveedu’ (day care centre) for elderly people. Recognizing the need for pursuing noble goals of good health and well-being of aged and infirm, CSL openheartedly supported the Trust in its initiative named Vanaprastha. The ‘Pakalveedu’ named as Vanaprastha kendra provides day time accommodation and recreational facility for the aged and destitute people. Depending on their education and other parameters like age and health, these people will be trained to take up various jobs like mentoring youth and passing on traditional folklore and handicrafts so as to engage them with sharing of their golden experiences of life.
On 26th December 2019, Vanaprastha kendra was inaugurated by honourable Member of Parliament, Shri. Anto Antony in the esteemed presence of Dr. N Jayaraj M L A and Shri. B Radhakrishna Menon, Chairman of Audit and Accounts Committee of CSL, among others.
CSL values elderly people as important assets of our society whose experience, knowledge and wisdom is inevitable for the success of our younger generation. Assisting the elderly to lead a self-reliant, dignified and empowered life has always been an important concern for CSL.
After Flood Rehabilitation Programme
After Flood Rehabilitation Programme - Repair/Replacement of Charkas and Related Facilities at Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendram
The devastating flood affected the central Keala heavily. The heavily affected are the people who living around the river Periyar. Chendamangalm, one of the heavily affected villages is famous for its traditional weaving hub. The majority of the community involved in spinning and weaving lost all their property in the flood. CSL along with Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendram, Nanthiattukunnam, Ernakulam District took initiative to extend financial support towards Repair/Replacement of Charkhas and related facilities. Thus, the District Collector proposed project could able to regain the livelihood opportunities of 104 Khadi artisans of Paravur area. This could facilitate the women empowerment since a large number of women engaged in this small scale business.
Welding For Nation Building - A Skill Development Training In Advanced Welding
Knowing the link between skill development and employment generation CSL in its CSR policy has identified Skill Development as one of the most important areas of operation. CSL, one of the largest shipyards in India has gained considerable expertise in the area of welding technology. Hence as a part of their social commitment initiatives, the Don Bosco Tech Institution, Vaduthala, Ernakulam in collaboration with Indian Institute of Welding (IIW) Cochin branch provided skill training in welding (MMAW+MIG/MAG and MMAW+TIG). A total of 120 marginalized youth benefitted from this programme conducted on three batches and got certified by the National Skill Development Council.
Short Stay Home
Short Stay Home For Women -"Swadhargrih"
As a women empowerment initiative, CSL has supported building a short stay home at Nettayam, Thiruvananthapuram for the benefit of the victims of domestic violence.
The project is run by the Kerala Working Women Association, Thiruvananthapuram. The home was inaugurated by the Kerala Finance Minister, Dr Thomas Isaac. CSL’s CSR support was to the tune of Rs.20 lakhs
Support For Endosulphan Victims
Keys Of Houses Handed Over To Endosulfan Victims
As part of CSL and Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust’s project for victims
The ill effects of excessive usage of pesticides have crippled the life of many communities world over. The endosulfan victims of Kasaragod District in Kerala is a living example of this.
The pesticide sprayed on thousands of hectares of hilly cashew plantations and resultant pollution of their air and water bodies has caused contamination of the environment.
Studies have documented that endosulfan has affected human development and endosulfan exposure is linked to delays in growth and maturity among children.
Virtually wiping the tears of endosulfan victims, Cochin Shipyard, joining hands with Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust agreed to support construction of five houses of the 108 houses proposed to be built by the trust.
In the first phase, CSL has funded for construction of five houses. CSL has spent Rs.25 lakhs, for five houses, each house having a cost of Rs.5 lakhs.
Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan handed over the keys of the houses to the beneficiaries. The 500 sq. ft., two-bedroom houses are built on five acres of revenue land allotted by the previous UDF government.
The Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan handed over the title deeds of 10 cents of land each, where the houses are built, to the beneficiaries.