Unlike in the United States, the academic year at our partner's Lutheran boarding homes in Tamil Nadu, India ends in mid-April. From April through June, students return to their remote villages for summer vacation.

Summer in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu runs from mid-March to late June, with  especially sweltering temperatures in April and May. Temperatures often exceed 100 degrees fahrenheit during these hot months.

While school is no longer in session, our LPGM India team stays busy during this summer recess. They spend time traveling to remote areas of the region to visit students (both sponsored and unsponsored), alumni, and students' families in their home villages. 

These village visits have a number of goals. The LPGM sponsor relations coordinators (SRCs) work to:

• Collect feedback from sponsored children and their parents
• Hear about boarding home life from parents' perspectives
• Understand the social, economic, and educational challenges facing families
• Strengthen trust between families, boarding home staff, and LPGM

Logistical Challenges

This year, the SRCs visited villages over the course of three days in late April. They traveled by motorbike, using interior hill roads, forest routes, and village paths.

According to SRC Praveen Kumar, "Even by motor bike, it takes several hours to reach the villages, due to improper road conditions. Also, if I want to go for petrol bunks (gas stations), they are located far from the villages."

The Kalrayan Kills region (pictured above) is especially remote, and SRC Victor Prince traveled 200 kilometers (124 miles) over the course of his three-day journey. He visited 18 villages and met with 100 students. 

In fact, a few older boarding home students followed Victor on their bikes to assist him with village routes and helped identify houses in the interior. 

Despite these challenges, the SRCs reported safe journeys. 

The isolation of these villages provides a huge education access barrier for these families. This is why the boarding homes are crucial for their children's continued academic success. 

Praveen noted, "A significant observation during the visit was the extreme isolation of these eight villages. Most are located far from public transport networks, making the boarding home’s role critical. Without a safe place to stay near educational hubs, many of these children would face nearly insurmountable barriers to regular school attendance." 

Family Context

Parent Feedback

Several parents from the community also expressed their intention to enroll their children in the boarding home for the upcoming term. They were especially swayed by the level of physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic care found at the boarding homes. 

Student Updates

Alumni

Praveen met with boarding home alumni who are currently working toward college degrees. Several alumni are also preparing for the NEET exam. The NEET exam is a national admission exam for India's undergraduate medical programs. It largely tests physics, chemistry, and biology knowledge. 

Current Students

 

While students often spend time biking, swimming, and playing outside in the summer, many students also help their families with chores or paid labor during their school break. For example, Nagaraj is working in a bakery to earn money to support his family (pictured above on the left). Another Saron student (pictured right) works in a local convenience store during breaks. 

Impact

The SRCs have noticed that their annual village visits have built immense trust between families, LPGM, and the boarding homes. 

The SRCs make sure to visit both sponsored and unsponsored children, and they have seen how this inclusive approach ensures that the community feels supported as a whole. 

Praveen noticed, "In the past, many parents were not mostly aware of 'sponsors,' but now, most are clearly using the terms 'LPGM' and 'sponsors.'" 

The growing recognition of LPGM reflects a successful, long-term commitment to the region. 

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