Philanthropic Initiatives

Helping Others to Progress through Education or "HOPE" school is a campaign run by St. Thomas, Indirapuram under the aegis of St. Thomas Orthodox Church Society with sense of social responsibility. It is a pledge taken, keeping a selfless attitude, that education should be a light in the lives of children living under the shadows of the society so that the light of literacy could also illuminate their lives. It is an informal school for the under- privileged kids of construction labourers and rickshaw pullers in and around the locality of Indirapuram. It was inaugurated by HG Dr. Youhanon Mar Demetrios, the Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church, at St Thomas School, Indirapuram.

The credit for initiating this campaign goes to the school administration – Principal, Vice Principal, Headmistress and the faculty, who started this work with the help of voluntary teachers. Living away from the burden of courtesy, when the children started coming to school and gladly decided to pursue education, their talent was also seen. The dance performed by those students at the Christmas cultural program organized in the initial year made the eyes of all the people mist. Around 110 children from nearby slums are taught by our teachers. Children are also provided school bags, books, uniform and writing materials.

Teachers of different departments take turn to provide a whole meal on every Tuesday. Snacks are provided at the end of everyday by the school. One or two brightest children recommended by the teachers are admitted every year to our main school and given free uniform, books and free education along with our regular students. An annual function showcasing the talents of the Hope students is held on 7th October every year. An annual picnic and free medical checkup are organized every year. 18 students are registered with NIOS (National Institute of Open School) and are being prepared by our teachers for their Board exams. Food packets containing food materials for a month are distributed every year on Christmas to all the families of all the children.

St. Thomas Orthodox Church Society runs two prestigious English Medium Schools, St. Thomas School, Sahibabad and St. Thomas School Indirapuram. This society is dynamic and socially committed as it is founded on life of worship, love and service. It caters to the children of medium/low-income groups and provides free education to many. So as a part of its social responsibility initiative, the society has adopted one of the poorest villages of Ghaziabad "Kaushalya". This village is mostly dominated by minority communities. It is located about 30 KM from St. Thomas School Indirapuram. The society works strenuously for its amelioration. It is doing great work in improving the village condition in areas of education, health and hygiene.

In November 2006, the St. Thomas Orthodox Society organized a FETE at its St. Thomas school Indirapuram to mobilize financial resources to adopt a village in Ghaziabad district. Society's movement received a victory when District Magistrate M.K.S. Sundram and S.S.P. Mr Piyush Mardia allotted Kaushalya village. The Society has also embarked upon a project named "Sankalp"-'a promise'. It was started in January 2007 with the active support of the then Chairman Father PA Philip, the then Principal Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas and Project Coordinator and Media In-charge Mrs Neena Jha. The project has attracted the attention of the government agencies, media and people at large.

We felt the requirement for initiating a housing project, as a component of social responsibility of the society, meant for families who are in dire need of decent shelter and accommodation. Therefore, as per the decision of the general body meeting of the parish & society this project was named after L.L. H.G. Job Mar Philoxenos, the second Metropolitan of the Diocese of Delhi, as ‘Job Mar Philoxenos Memorial Housing Project’. Under this project, we have been providing constructed houses around four in number to the needy orthodox christian families from all across the Holy Church. The transfer of keys to these houses has been ceremoniously fulfilled at the Foundation Day celebrations of the parish in January every year.

St. Thomas Orthodox Church Society runs two prestigious English Medium Schools, St. Thomas School, Sahibabad and St. Thomas School Indirapuram. This society is dynamic and socially committed as it is founded on life of worship, love and service. It caters to the children of medium/low-income groups and provides free education to many. So as a part of its social responsibility initiative, the society has adopted one of the poorest villages of Ghaziabad "Kaushalya". This village is mostly dominated by minority communities. It is located about 30 KM from St. Thomas School Indirapuram. The society works strenuously for its amelioration. It is doing great work in improving the village condition in areas of education, health and hygiene.

In November 2006, the St. Thomas Orthodox Society organized a FETE at its St. Thomas school Indirapuram to mobilize financial resources to adopt a village in Ghaziabad district. Society's movement received a victory when District Magistrate M.K.S. Sundram and S.S.P. Mr Piyush Mardia allotted Kaushalya village. The Society has also embarked upon a project named "Sankalp"-'a promise'. It was started in January 2007 with the active support of the then Chairman Father PA Philip, the then Principal Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas and Project Coordinator and Media In-charge Mrs Neena Jha. The project has attracted the attention of the government agencies, media and people at large.

“Feed the Hungry” was a philanthropic initiative that we started under the able leadership of our former Chairman, Rev. Fr. Shaji Mathews. There is a refrigerator setup at the front next to the main gate of our school. The students and staff of the school has been kind enough to bring in packed food items for the disposal of the initiative by storing inside the appliance. It is meant for passers buy with no money at hand to be able have a portion of their meal at any point in time during the day. It is not only a way to enforce the social responsibility of the school but also imparting essential values within the students of our school of the virtue of ‘giving back’.

The admirable initiative 'Share if You Care' allows each Thomasanian to become more aware of the needs and wishes of his classmates who are less fortunate than him. The initiative was brought about under the able leadership of our former Chairman, Rev. Fr. Shaji Mathews with his untiring quest of providing for the less fortunate members of the society. We are proud to announce that it has become a habit among Thomasians to pool resources by the 21st of the month in order to assist in meeting the college costs of their financially disadvantaged counterparts. After all, Charity begins at Home.

St. Thomas School, Sahibabad also feels that it could celebrate the grand festival of Christmas not just with their family and friends but others too. In this respect, it organizes the Good Samaritan’s Week every year in December. Good Samaritan is a character and a major source of inspiration from a parable of the Holy Bible. Our students try to imitate his virtues by displaying love and care to those deprived just like the ‘Good Samaritan’.

During the week, Thomasanians visited various orphanages, Leprosy homes and tried to bring smiles on the faces of the less privileged. They visit and donate myriad basic items such as woolens, used clothes, toothpaste, hair oil, soaps, biscuits, stationery, cold cream, socks, slippers, woolen caps, jam, etc. to leprosy homes, schools for special and physically challenged children and orphanages in and around the vicinity of Ghaziabad.

When Jesus saw the people, who were listening to his teachings for the whole day, were hungry, he asked his disciples to bring whatever bread and fish they had with them. He prayed over the five bread and two fish and multiplied the same enabling 5000 people to eat to their full stomach. Food is a basic need of the people.

Following the footsteps of the heavenly master Jesus, Fr. Shaji Mathews, initiated one more philanthropic deed in St. Thomas Indirapuram and Sahibabad. A fridge each is installed outside the main gate in which food items donated by the staff, students and parents are stored every day. Anyone who is hungry can come and quench their hunger with the food items from the fridge.

The noble venture 'Share if you Care' gives each Thomasanian the opportunity to awaken himself to the needs and desires of fellow schoolmates who are less privileged than him. The pioneering drive envisaged by the then Chairman, Rev. Fr. Shaji Mathews and implemented by the Student Council 2010 (under the leadership of Tushar Bhat, the Head boy and Jhankar Gupta, the Head girl; guided by Mrs. Shali Nair, the then Vice Principal) was inaugurated on the 21st of November 2010 by Shri Venu Rajamony, IAS. We are proud to declare that ever since it has become a habit amongst Thomasanians to pool in funds by the 21st of every month in order to help meet the educational expenses of their financially challenged counterparts. After all, Charity begins at Home.

St. Thomas School, Indirapuram organises Good Samaritans Week every year in December, to celebrate Christmas in a unique way. Christmas which is an epitome of loving, caring and sharing was amply visible in the actions of the Thomasanians through the course of the week. They visited various orphanages, leprosy homes and tried to bring smiles on the faces of the less privileged by each of their small contributions.

Giving credence to the adage, an ounce of help is always better than a pound of preaching. Thomasanians visit and donate myriad basic items such as woollens, used clothes, toothpaste, hair oil, soaps, biscuits, stationery, cold cream, socks, slippers, woollen caps, jam, etc. to leprosy homes, schools for special and physically challenged children and orphanages in and around the vicinity of Ghaziabad.

” If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa

The staff of St. Thomas School has taken a step towards the goal to feed the hungry. As it goes ‘Charity begins at home and truly it begins near the neighbourhood of a person...’

Our school has taken the initiative to prepare a meal for the labourers who are working in the construction site of the school building. The team prepares healthy and nutritious food for the workers and their families on every Saturday. As we understand the importance and value of their hard labour. We treat everyone as a part of our family and believe in forwarding a helping hand. We call this initiative “FEED THE HUNGER”.

“Your greatness is not what you have but what you give”.

Sharing is caring. Sharing is a blessing. By sharing, we can learn to help others and to have equality. Always remember that we make a life by what we give.

We, at St. Thomas School, have initiated “Share if you Care”. Through this initiative, we have been trying to inculcate a philanthropic mentality in our children. In “Share if you Care”, we collect money from every class by 14th of every month and this collected money is utilised to distribute among the needy either in form of kind or monetary support, as and when required. We, at St. Thomas, teach our children to multiply happiness by sharing with others. Until now, we have been able to lend our hands to many brethren in need.

Christmas is the time to cherish peace, mercy, love and faith. It is the day when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, and do good to others. The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. It is about a traveller who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. Samaritans and Jews despised each other, but the Samaritan helps the injured man.p>

We, the Thomasanians, have taken an initiative to become “The Good Samaritans” and to celebrate Christmas in a different way by helping our neighbours who are underprivileged by providing them with the basic necessities (for eg. toothpaste, detergents, soaps, eatables, clothes etc.) in the month of December. We at St. Thomas observe ‘Good Samaritan Week’ every year between 1st December to 14th December. Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven and we leave no stone unturned.