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| Joseph Mathew, ‘Aswasa Bhavan’, Kottayam |
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Excessive smoking and drinking had landed the young chartered accountant Joseph Mathew in the hospital with acute liver problem. As the doctors gave up hope, he prayed the whole night to God and made Him a promise that if he were given a new lease of life, he would utilize it for doing entirely good things.
God must have accepted the offer, for his recovery from then onwards was miraculous. The cured patient resigned his job and took up the task of rehabilitating the children of prisoners. With the wholehearted support of his wife Aneena, a Master’s Degree holder in Social Work, he started ‘Corrections India’ to bring back reformed convicts to the mainstream of social life. ‘Aswasa Bhavan’ for the children of these prisoners is the main project of ‘Corrections India’, says Joseph.
The Bhavan, which started with 13 children in 1989, now has 40 inmates. During this time, it has been able to help children learn some vocation and be self-reliant. The couple does not differentiate between their own children and the foster children. Their daughter Mirium, a 11th standard student and Moses, who is in 3rd standard, do not get anything special other than the facilities given to the other inmates of Aswasa Bhavan. In fact, it was only after years of patient explanation that Mirium was convinced that she was not a foster child like many others at Aswasa Bhavan!
Acute financial problems have never hindered our work, says Joseph Mathew. While the institution exists in the 2-acre ancestral property of Aneena, many traders contribute grocery, vegetables, books for children etc. for its day to day functioning.
As recognition for Joseph Mathew’s social efforts that he received the International Goldstein Millennium Award at a function held in Kathmandu.
Courtesy: Sajil Sreedhar (text), Naseer Rawthar (photo), Kanyaka, August 31, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
