While replete with beautiful landscapes and crystal-clear streams running past tiered hillsides lush with vegetables and rolling meadows, life in this area is harsh. Subsistence farming and casual day labor are the primary means of employment. Middle school is the maximum education offered with only one-third of the village children attending school. The rest of the children work to support their families. Many cultural beliefs are based on superstitions. Yet it is among these people that God has provided The Bethania Foundation India ^TM the opportunity to bring His word into their lives. Our After-School Care Centre not only provides structured study time to ensure that children stay in school and reach their maximum potential but also offers an opportunity for them to learn of Jesus’ love and his message of salvation. The children’s health is assessed and their growth is recorded and tracked to measure and ensure their physical well-being. To aid in their physical development, children are provided healthy food after school.

With God’s abundant provisions and the support of our donors, the lives of the 25 children who attend our Mannavanur After-School Care program are changed through the nurturing and encouragement they receive. They are given hope for a future and equipped for success through Jesus’ love.

The centre is managed by one staff person, Sulochana Vasantha Kumari M., who has served the children of Mannavanur since 2001 in a facility located next to the main village road. A dedicated and wonderful servant of the Lord, Solochana is an inspiration and has the respect of all the children attending the centre while their parents work in the nearby fields. The days at the centre are long for many children because their parents often work as long as the sun is shining. The Mannavanur After-School Care Centre also serves as a community resource and is used for educational programs.

Mr. Victor, who helped Mrs. Dhanapal buy the Kannivadi land, started the Mannavanur After-School Care Centre in 2001 to serve children who live in the surrounding neighborhood. Most of the parents are day laborers, and a few of them own a small piece of land. The Bethania Foundation India ^TM provides spiritual and educational care and support to the children. Mannavanur After-School Care Centre program enables families to raise their kids in safety while they are working. The centre operates on a very small budget. A few years ago, minor modifications were made to their rented facility to add bathrooms and improve the space.