About Prime Trust
Over two decades of empowering marginalized women and children in Pondicherry through education, shelter, and community-driven development.
Our Mission
To empower marginalized women and children in Pondicherry and surrounding rural areas through education, shelter, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. We strive to create an inclusive society where every individual has the chance to live with dignity, security, and the freedom to reach their full potential.
Our Vision
A world where women and children from all backgrounds have equal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. We envision communities that are self-sufficient, empowered, and thriving — where no child is left without care and every woman can lead with confidence and independence.
Background and Journey
Prime Social and Educational Trust began in 2000 when Founder Director S. M. Arasu, inspired by the challenges faced by women and children in his native village, started community support activities with the encouragement of his sister, a Catholic nun. What began as a small effort to support education and women's development gradually grew into a broader mission to improve the lives of vulnerable communities. Prime Trust was officially registered in Puducherry in 2002.
In 2005, we established Janani Home in Kovilpalayam, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu — a residential shelter that would become the heart of our child protection work. By 2008, we had launched our first Self-Help Groups, recognizing that lasting change required empowering women not just with charity, but with tools for self-reliance.
Over the years, our after-school programmes expanded to twelve schools, our health camps began reaching remote villages that had never seen a medical screening, and our volunteer community grew to over seven hundred individuals from across India and the world. Despite challenges such as limited resources, the COVID-19 pandemic, and operating from rented buildings for many years, our commitment to the communities we serve remained unwavering.
Today, Prime Trust stands as a registered non-profit with 12A and 80G tax exemption, FCRA eligibility, and partnerships with government bodies including NABARD. We remain rooted in the same belief that guided our founding: that every person, regardless of their circumstances, deserves dignity, opportunity, and hope.
Our Areas of Work
Our programmes are designed to address the root causes of poverty and exclusion, creating holistic, sustainable change for women, children, and communities.
Shelter and Care for Vulnerable Girls
Through Janani Home, we provide a safe, nurturing environment for abandoned and orphaned girls. Each child receives not just shelter and meals, but also emotional support, counselling, and the loving care of a dedicated team that treats every girl as family. Our home adheres strictly to the guidelines of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the Department of Women and Child Development.
Women Empowerment and Self-Help Groups
We organize women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) that build financial literacy, encourage collective savings, and provide microcredit for small enterprises. Through vocational training in tailoring, food processing, and handicrafts, women gain the skills and confidence to become economically independent and active decision-makers in their households and communities.
Educational Support for Children
Our after-school programmes operate across twelve schools, offering academic support, digital learning opportunities, and skill-building activities. We focus on children from marginalized families who lack access to tutors, technology, and a quiet place to study. Our goal is to reduce dropout rates and help every child realize their academic potential.
Community Health and Awareness
We bring essential healthcare to underserved rural villages through regular health camps, cancer screening programmes, and preventive health education. By partnering with local medical professionals and institutions, we ensure that women and children who would otherwise never see a doctor receive timely check-ups, diagnoses, and referrals.
Our Future Goals
As we look to the future, Prime Trust aims to deepen its impact while expanding its reach. We plan to scale our after-school programmes to twenty schools, ensuring that even more children from marginalized families receive the academic support they deserve.
We are working toward strengthening Janani Home's capacity to care for more vulnerable girls while enhancing our counselling and mental health services. Our women's empowerment programmes will expand into new villages, with a focus on digital literacy and e-commerce skills that open modern economic opportunities.
In health, we aim to establish a permanent rural health clinic that provides regular services beyond camps, and to extend our cancer screening programme to all surrounding districts. We also plan to build stronger alumni networks so that former beneficiaries can mentor and support the next generation.
Ultimately, our goal is a self-sustaining ecosystem of empowered communities — where the women and children we serve today become the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow.
Our Commitment
Prime Educational and Social Trust continues to work toward empowering communities by creating opportunities for education, independence, and dignity. Through collective efforts and the generous support of our donors, volunteers, and partners, we are building a stronger, more inclusive society — one life at a time.