We are delighted to share the successful completion of the 174th week of Sangamam, held on 2nd May at our Sivasailam Centre. The highlight of the event was “Preserve the Talent”, where our elders enthusiastically showcased their diverse skills, creativity, and rich life experiences. With great energy and joy, they engaged in a variety of activities—preparing traditional homemade delicacies such as pickles, vadagam, and narthanga urugai; demonstrating age-old cooking methods using wood stoves; creating beautiful drawings; and decorating the huts with a touch of heritage aesthetics. Some elders also participated in Kaatrin Mozhi, connecting and conversing virtually with fellow elders, reflecting the beautiful blend of tradition and technology. Beyond these activities, what truly stood out was the depth of wisdom and cultural richness our elders brought forward. Many shared forgotten recipes, sustainable living practices, storytelling traditions, devotional songs, and simple yet meaningful crafts rooted in our heritage. Their participation was not just an expression of talent, but a powerful reminder of the invaluable knowledge they carry—knowledge that deserves to be preserved, celebrated, and passed on to future generations.

We are happy to share about the successful completion of the 173rd week of Sangamam, held on 26th April at our Sivasailam center. This week was a very interesting and enjoyable gathering with our elders, focusing on their wonderful Kaipakkuvam (traditional cooking skills) through the preparation of homemade pickles and vadagam. The day began with an interactive discussion led by our Trustee Sir with the elders about the Paramaindri Pirivu and the concept of Magizhvithu Magizh. All the elders shared their experiences over the past two months, explaining what they had been doing as part of the initiative and how they felt during the process. It was heartwarming and inspiring to listen to their thoughts and experiences. In the afternoon, the elders expressed their desire to do something special for Sangamam, especially during this summer season. They suggested preparing foods that are useful and tasty during hot weather. After discussion, they decided to prepare pickles and vadagam.

We are delighted to share the successful completion of the 172nd Week of Sangamam, which was held on 18th April at our Sailam under the theme “Thambathiyar Varam” (Couples’ Week). The program was specially organized to celebrate the bond of married couples and to learn from their valuable life experiences. We invited all couples attending our Sangamam, and six couples actively participated in the event. The participating couples shared their many years of married life journey with their spouses. They spoke about the joys, challenges, understanding, and mutual support that helped them build strong relationships over the years. Their heartfelt sharing inspired everyone present. We also organized several fun-filled games for the couples, which helped them relive the happy memories of their early married life. The games created a joyful and lively atmosphere, bringing smiles and laughter to all. Winners were appreciated and prizes were distributed. One of the most meaningful parts of the event was the discussion about their experiences of living in joint families. The couples explained how family unity, shared responsibilities, care for one another, and togetherness made life more secure and peaceful in earlier times. Through their words, we understood that people in those days often lived with less mental stress, fewer financial burdens, and stronger emotional support from family members.

We are happy to share the successful completion of the 171st week of Sangamam, held on 11th April at Sivasailam. We organized the gathering with the participation of more than 60 elders from various locations. All the elders attended with great interest, even though the Panguni Thiruvizha celebrations were taking place at Papanasam and V.K. Puram temples. As committed last week, we started the session with a small warm-up exercise, followed by the Mudra practice that the elders had learned in the previous week, with the support of our trustee Mr. Kumar. After that, we trained the elders in chair exercises, which are very useful for senior citizens. These included simple movements for the legs, hands, fingers, neck, and other body parts. All the elders participated energetically and enthusiastically. After completing the exercises, we distributed hot malt drinks to everyone. We then began an interactive sharing session where the elders spoke one by one. Through this interaction, they learned from one another about friendship, peer support, how they overcame life’s struggles, and how they managed financial difficulties after the loss of their life partners. Many elders expressed how much they learned from listening to each other’s experiences. We also enjoyed some inspiring story-sharing moments.

We are happy to share the successful completion of the 170th week of Sangamam, held on 4th April at our Sailam center. This week, although it was an election period, we gathered a small crowd of elders who were able to attend without transportation difficulties. Despite the limitations, the participants actively took part in the program. During the session, we conducted a Mudra session with the support of our trustee, Mr. Muthukumarasamy. All the elders enjoyed and actively participated in the session. We also introduced a new initiative called “Kai Pakkuvam”, where elders engaged in the preparation of traditional summer products such as vadagam and vathal. The elders enthusiastically worked together in peer groups, sharing their past experiences of preparing these items with their families, especially recalling the guidance of their mothers during earlier times. This interaction brought back fond memories and created a joyful environment.

We are happy to share about the 169th week of Sangamam, held on 28th March 2026 at our Sailam center. Due to the intense summer heat, we invited a limited number of elders who were comfortable traveling to our place. Despite this, more than 60 elders participated in the gathering. We were delighted to welcome our well-wisher Mr. Alagappan, who has been a strong supporter of VAMA Trust and contributed towards the purchase of the elders’ van. He attended the event along with his family and friends from Karaikudi. He spent quality time with the elders by singing songs and sharing his experiences with VAMA Trust, as well as his thoughts on the Saturday Sangamam program.

168th Week of Sangamam – Womens day celebration - VAMA Charitable Trust We are delighted to share the successful completion of the 168th Week of Sangamam, held on 21st March at Sailam. The program was organized as part of our Women’s Day celebration and witnessed enthusiastic participation from more than 80 women. We were honored to have a special team of six women staff members from LIC, Tirunelveli Branch, who actively participated in the event and generously donated a mixer (mixie) and other kitchen appliances to our Trust. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Arumuga Nainar and Mrs. Nainar for their valuable contribution of a grinder. These materials will greatly support our VAMA Café initiative, which focuses on providing hygienic midday meals for elders. The event featured meaningful sharing sessions where many elders expressed their thoughts through kavithai (poetry) and shared their experiences and achievements in connection with Women’s Day.

167th Week of Sangamam 7th March 2026 The 167th week of Sangamam was successfully conducted at Sailam with a major focus on an Eye Care Camp for elders. This special initiative was organized in association with Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. To ensure maximum outreach, information about the camp was circulated across 12 nearby panchayats, along with village-level communication to mobilize elders. The camp was conducted over a period of 7 days. During this time, more than 500 elders were screened by specialist doctors. Out of those screened, 31 elders who were diagnosed with cataract underwent successful surgery on 7th March.

166th Week of Sangamam – 28th February 2026 The 166th week of Sangamam was successfully conducted at Sailam. This week featured a small and meaningful gathering of elders, focusing on personal interaction and emotional well-being. We had valuable one-on-one interactions with the elders to understand their interests, their feelings about VAMA, and how effectively we are supporting them in staying connected with society and preventing social isolation. Elders from VK Puram and Thirumalaipuram actively participated in the program. Many elders enjoyed spending time with their peer group, sharing their childhood memories and engaging in heartfelt conversations. This created a joyful and emotionally enriching environment.

Mega Eye Medical Camp at Sivasailam VAMA Charitable Trust A 10-day eye medical camp organized by Sankara Nethralaya Eye Hospital, Chennai, is currently being conducted at VAMA Charitable Trust, Sivasailam. The camp began on March 4 and will continue until March 11. For today’s session, Mr. Esakki Pandiyan, Chairman of Kallidaikurichi Special Grade Town Panchayat, attended the camp and delivered a special address. More than 80 employees from the Kallidaikurichi Town Panchayat participated in the camp and underwent eye examinations. During the camp, individuals who required further treatment were recommended for eye surgery.