West Hill, Kozhikode.
poorhomesclt@gmail.com
The Poor Homes Society established in 1937 is governed by the society registered under act XXI OF 1860 Society Registration Act and .It was registered and permitted by the Orphanage Control Board under Social Welfare Department. Ever since its establishment in 1937,The Poor Homes Society has been taking care of social activities like our ” Ammathottil”,”Destitute home”, “Old Age Home for men and women “Westhill ,and “Disabled Home(LEPROSY Home) “Chevayur, the persons aged who are orphaned, crippled or unable to earn their livelihood due to physical defects, infirmity or disease but having sufficient health to mange themselves,by giving them shelter, food, clothes and medical care. Thousands of such people have enjoyed these facilities ever since.
In the beginning the Society was governed by a team of prominent citizens of Kozhikode viz. Sri.K.N.Kurup,Smt.A.V.Kuttimalu Amma, Sri.Kozhipurath Madhava menon and Sri.K.P.KesavaMenon etc.
Currently we are running two institutions for destitute, namely “Old Age Home for Men and Women at Westhill, reg, No: 96 and “Disabled Home “Chevayur, reg: 2099. Both the units are receiving grant from Kerala Government and donations from kind souls in the society. With all these resources, at-most care is provided for our residents by our experienced staff.
The Poor Homes Society is planning to celebrate it’s 90th anniversary. The society is constructing a new building for the residents of Old Age Home for men and women” at,West hill, the foundation laying ceremony is also being organized along with this event.
The Poor Homes Society was founded by Sri. K. N. Kurup (Karingathu Narayana Kurup) Thirunavaaya. He was also known as ‘Anantha Kurup (Orphan Kurup)’. From 1934 to 1945, he worked as an accountant in a company under British management named ‘Madura Company’, located in Beach Road, Kozhikode.
One day while he was returning home from his office in Valiyangadi (Big Bazaar), he saw a destitute old man with overgrown hair and beard in front of a closed shop. He was eating some leftover food from a leaf in his hand. This scene touched his heart. Without hesitation he took this man with him and brought to a rented house in Chalappuram, Kozhikode. In another few days he found some more people like this old man who were desolate and struggling with poverty. There were altogether six people. He started tending them with food, clothes and medical care with whatever meagre means he had. A few weeks later, he shifted them to another rented house in Vellayil (near Sixth Railway Gate in Kozhikode) and continued to look after them.
Around that time he happened to get introduced to a Guajarati industrialist, Sri. Seth Nagji Purushotham through his friend Sri. Seth Shyamji Sundardas. Gradually they became friends. Knowing Kurup's attitude towards the poor and destitute people, Seth liked him very much. Eventually he told Sri. Kurup that he would like to donate five acres of land to start an orphanage. That was the beginning. The orphanage under the name and style of 'The Poor Homes Society' was thus established in 1937. It was registered and given permit by Social Welfare Department. In the beginning the Society was governed by a team of prominent citizens of Kozhikode viz. Smt. A. V. Kuttimalu Amma,I.B Das, Empire Krishnan Sri. Kozhippurathu Madhava Menon, and another well wisher of this Society, Sri K. P. Kesava Menon, the first Editor of the daily, Mathrubhumi, helped the organization by publishing the names of the donors to the society along with the details of their donations in that daily every day at no cost. That inspired many people to give more donations to the society.
Sri. K. N. Kurup started an establishment named ‘Amma Thottil’ and a baby ward for small children also, in1948. This was the first of its kind in Kerala. At the western gate of the campus, there is a window with a hanging door. If anybody wants to entrust a baby to the orphanage he / she can open this door and place the baby on the bed inside behind the door. When the baby is placed on the bed, a bell would ring in the baby ward and the authorities would come and take the baby.
In 1942, Sri. K. N. Kurup took initiative to start a Rehabilitation Center as a sister concern of The Poor Homes Society near the Leprosy Hospital, Chevayur, Kozhikode in memory of S. M. M. Koya (Father inlaw of P.P.Ummar Koya) who donated the land for the same. The patients released from this hospital were accommodated in this rehabilitation center. It was registered and given permit by the Orphanage Control Board in 1942.
(a) To establish in Kozhikode or elsewhere and manage homes or asylums where persons who are crippled, blind, or otherwise handicapped, sick and / or unable to earn their livelihood by reasons of any physical defects, old age, infirmity, congenial or acquired diseases or accidents are housed, clothed, fed and otherwise looked after.
(b) To provide and encourage organised relief to poor and suffering humanity.
