Vijayapuram Social Service Society

Vijayapuram Social Service Society (VSSS)

For general enquiries

+91 9446 563 000

Vijayapuram Social Service Society (VSSS)

Managed by Diocese of Vijayapuram

Society Registration Number: K/36/1961(03.10.1961)

Get in touch with us

+91 9446 563 000

WhatsApp Us

+91 9400 809 911

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Unforgettable Carmelite Missionary On Vijayapuram Soil

Social development is concerned with enabling concrete expression of the people, the fullness of human person or humanity individually and collectively. Taken in this meaning it was Brother Rockey Palackal TOCD, who laid the foundation of Social Development in the diocese of Vijayapuram, especially in Kottayam and the suburbs. Brother Rockey Palackal TOCD, full of zeal for the missions, came to Kottayam at the end of the 19th century. He opted to serve the poor, sidelined, marginalized and downtrodden and thus secured the name “Apostle of the Outcastes”.

He campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables, while also supporting the rights of women, advocating political rights and social freedom for the untouchables. It is impossible to recall in a brief space the scores of this Carmelite missionary, who spent and extinguished the candle of his life for the sake of enlightening the people of Kottayam, especially the Dalits and the oppressed.

Not only did he instruct and inculcate Christian faith and morals as a zealous missionary by word and example, but also promoted peace among people, fostered culture and learning, consoled by his Christian charity to the poor and oppressed, and came to the help of the sick, caring for their immediate needs and their eternal salvation.

His was a journey filled with incredible hardships and perils. After a life of hectic activity, ceaseless journeys, and voluminous correspondence, his last words were: “May the adorable will of God be accomplished”. The people of the Diocese of Vijayapuram are always indebted to Br. Rockey because it is his works of consolidation of the people into Catholic Faith that led to the foundation of the Diocese.

Transition From Charity To Development

The first decade from 1971 to 1981, when Rt.Rev.Dr.Cornelius Elanjikkal held the episcopate of the diocese of Vijayapuram, which is termed as a “transitional Phase of VSSS”. The first definitive steps towards change in the thrust and vision were taken up during this period. A process of paradigm shift from the overtone of charity to a meaningful development orientation was initiated. This was so to say, a period of renaissance. Social work began to be initiated from a formal office of the Vijayapuram Social Service Society. The constitution of the Society was reviewed and amended to enable it to take up programmes and projects of different departments of Government and those offunding agencies. The Directorate of Social Action was re-organized. The total area of the diocese, for that reason that of the Society, was divided into eight zones. The three-tier organizational structure as envisaged in the Memorandum of Association and the Rules and Regulations of the Society(the People’s Development Committees at the Parish level, the Zonal Forum at the zonal level and the central General Body) was reinforced.

An extensive socio economic survey of the operational area was conducted. The consolidation and analysis were done with the support of the Indian Social Institute New Delhi. MISEREOR Germany came forward to support a pioneer project of the “Package Development Programme”. This was a package of Institutional Programmes giving training and employment to the youth, Self Employment Programmes for Individuals, Nursery Schools and Anganwadi. Caritas India, New Delhi, too supported some of the mini projects. Promotion of Co-operatives was a challenging venture. Infrastructure development of the communities (Small bridges, culverts, rural roads, community halls, drinking water programmes, playgrounds, housing and sanitation, canals for irrigation) was another programme taken up with the support of Catholic Relief Services USA.

Children’s Sponsorship Programme for the total development of children with a prime focus on education was an extensive programme implemented with the support of PARTAGE France. This was later geared to the Integral Community Development Programme.

Vijayapuram Social Service Society - An Animating Organization

As a development organization, VSSS has always been looking forward to innovations and significant changes in its approaches, methodologies and mode of operation to keep its stand in tune with the changing development scenario. Empowering Animation was enforced and strengthened during the episcopate of Rt.Rev.Dr.Peter Thuruthikonath in 1988. This was from the realization that changes cannot be prescribed from outside, but begins from the people and they responding as centre of development. This resulted in decentralization and Participatory planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating.

This period was specific with Awareness and Motivation at different levels, children, youth, women, men, aged, widows, religious sisters, Priests, People’s Development Committees, Farmers etc. etc. Promotion of Leadership and Political Leadership,innovative programmes of Integrated Watershed, Alternative energy development, People’s Organizations as Balavedi, Yuvavedi, Vijay Mahilavedi, Elders Forum, Widows groups, Farmers’ Forum, Nature Fraternity Groups etc. were the major initiatives in this period. Animation Centres at Kuttikanam, Munnar and Thiruvalla were the centres for the people to get trained and equipped.

A historic event in the annals of the Society took place during the period, a self-reflection or Organizational Development process. Re-looking at itself VSSS strived to maximize its potentials by reflecting on the changes through an internally managed intense process vis-a-vis the external environmental changes and demands. This gave a shift in orientation, strategy and internal administrative structure. This was a period when Empowering Animation became the core programme gearing all other programmes.

VSSS, A Capacity Building Organization

The period of Rt.Rev.Dr.Sebastian Thekkethecheril is marked with specific focus on capacity Building of People and Institutions. Empowering Animation had already been initiated by him when he was the Executive Director of Vijayapuram Social Service Society. Capacity Building is a natural sequence of Empowering Animation.

The ever changing and challenging development field and the internal and external pressures have made us undertake a second organizational review process. The purpose of the process was internal capacity building, to reflective and analytical reflection to identify appropriate solutions considering VSSS as an open social system. The core objective was to enhance the capacity of the staff.

A process of Integrated Development through Empowerment and Action (IDEA) was initiated during the period, envisaging consolidation of all the Pious and Social Organizations of the Diocese including the activities of Religious Congregations. This was a programme of equipping and streamlining the various organizations to plan and initiate programme scientifically and professionally.

The Core personalities were trained in project cycle. Further, various policies as HR Policy, Educational Policy, Health Policy, Environmental Policy, Finance policy, Gender Policy etc. were framed and decided to be promulgated. The Society assumed the role of a facilitator building capacity of all the diocesan Organizations, Commissions, Ministries and Religious Congregations.
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