“Reaching Out to the Unreached with the Message of Love Through Education”

Light to Life is an initiative of the Mar Thoma Mission Board of the Diocese of North America and Europe that supports the education and holistic development of less privileged children in different parts of India.

Origin:
The Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos, presented the urgent need of supporting the educational needs of underprivileged children in the Diocesan Assembly on April 22, 2017. The Assembly decided to take up the project under the Mar Thoma Mission Board, and the mission was officially launched on October 1, 2017.

Vision:
Light to Life aims at social transformation through holistic development of children. Holding up the motto of the Mar Thoma Church, Lighted to Lighten, the mission intends to shed light in the lives of children to equip them to transform their own communities and the world at large.

Background/Need:

Even amidst the availability of educational institutions, the socio-economic situation in the remote villages of India prevents children from making use of such facilities. The lack of proper guidance, educational support, proper nutritious food, and fair clothing results in the discontinuing of studies. This is where the Light to Life project gets involved.

Project Design:
The project is designed to support education, to provide nutritious food and sufficient clothing, and to create a congenial environment for the emotional, social, and spiritual growth for less privileged children.

At each project center, children attend before and after school and holiday classes. Children are provided with a meal and refreshments each day. Social workers at each project center visit the houses of the children and interact with the parents and provide proper interventions to create a fair environment for the children to focus on studies. This support system helps the children to grow and achieve their full potential and thereby break the vicious cycle of poverty, which will ultimately change the socio-economic situation of their community.

Mission Partners:

The Mission Board works in partnership with several church-related agencies in different states of India to implement the Light to life program. At present, over 4,500 children are being supported.

Holistic Child Development India (HCDI), based in Pune, is the monitoring agency for all our Light to Life projects. HCDI monitors the activities of each project and ensures that the finances are properly utilized.

How to Provide Support:

A child can be sponsored by pledging $20 a month ($240 a year).

Each project is supported for a period of five years. The sponsor has the freedom to choose the duration of the sponsorship, with a minimum of one year. The sponsor will be informed of the name and basic details of the sponsored child and will periodically be updated about their progress.

The $20/month sponsorship provides the following support for the children:

Payment Options:

The following options are available to provide your donations and sponsorship amounts:

• Check payable to the Mar Thoma Mission Board sent directly to the office.
• Scheduled bill pay.
• Online (PayPal).
• Quick Pay (Zelle).

You can make a difference. Your decision to sponsor a child can change a life and transform a community. Together we can change the world.

Light to Life Subcommittee:

Rev. George Abraham (Convener)