Our Stories & Updates

Every morning at Kadamai Saranalayam begins the same way — with the smell of freshly cooked food filling the home in Manali, Chennai. Our residents, many of whom came to us with nothing, wake up to warm meals, clean surroundings, and the company of people who care. Founded by Mr. C. Vasanthakumar, Saranalayam was built on a simple belief: no elderly person should face their final years alone. Today, that belief is lived out every single day — in every meal served, every hand

I signed up to volunteer at Kadamai Saranalayam because a friend told me it would be meaningful. I had no idea what to expect. I arrived on a Saturday morning, slightly nervous. A staff member gave me a brief orientation and then walked me to the common room where several residents were sitting. An elderly man named Rajan gestured for me to sit next to him. He didn't speak much Hindi or English, and I don't speak much Tamil. But we sat together for two hours looking at an old

Along the coastline of North Chennai, hundreds of women from fishing communities have little access to steady income outside the fishing season. Kadamai Foundation's Women Empowerment programme addresses this directly — training women in Aari embroidery, tailoring, and small business skills. In our most recent batch, 12 women completed a 6-week training programme. Three of them have already started taking orders from local customers. One participant said she earned more in he

For many of our residents, Diwali used to be a festival spent alone. This year, Kadamai Saranalayam made sure that changed. Volunteers arrived early to decorate the home with lights and rangoli. Sweets were prepared by the kitchen team. Residents dressed in their finest clothes — some wearing new sarees gifted by donors who had asked specifically what the elders needed. By evening, the courtyard was filled with laughter, music, and diyas. One resident, who has been with us fo

During the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when oxygen cylinders were nearly impossible to find in Chennai, Kadamai Education and Social Welfare Trust launched India's first free Oxygen Co-Auto and Bike Ambulance. What started as a desperate response to a crisis became a lifeline for hundreds of families across North Chennai. In total, the initiative saved over 780 lives — completely free of charge. This is what Kadamai's commitment to community looks like in a