ABOUT YMCA

Y.M.C.A moment is a world wide Christian ecumenical, voluntary moment for both men and women the special emphasis on and the genuine involvement of young people, which seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community, of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for fullness of life for all creations. The first Y.M.C.A started in England in 1844 and today there are more than 15,000 locals association with 45 million members and nearly 130 countries, making the movement largest international ecumenical youth organization of the world. Y.M.C.A. aims at the overall welfare and development of spiritual, mental and physical faculties of people without any distinction of casts, colour, sex or race.

The mission of Y.M.C.A is expressed in its motto taken from the Bible “That they may all be one” (John 17:21), and the Paris Basis*, emphasis two main purposes: working for “unity”, and working for the establishment of “the Kingdom of God” on earth, that is, working for a society characterized by justice, peace and love according to the teaching of Jesus life. The Logo of Y.M.C.A is a red triangle with a blue bar the denotes the wholesome development of human personality: Body – Mind - Spirit.

* Paris Basis: The young men Christian association seeks to unite those young men who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and saviour, according to the holy scriptures, desire to the disciples in their faith and in their life, and to associate their efforts for the extension of His kingdom amongst young men.

Y.M.C.A Tiruvalla is affiliated to the National Council of Y.M.C.A’s of India. The operational area of the Y.M.C.A is Tiruvalla municipality. Tiruvalla Y.M.C.A. since its inception in 1906, has been serving the community irrespective of religion, caste and creed, winning the approbation of all people. It has played a pivotal role in the development of society at large and the uplift of marginalized, in particular. The target of its activities has always been the total development of the people and the place. The Y.M.C.A stands committed to expanding its realm of activities so as to be an instrument of change in a rapidly progressing world.

• Location : Tiruvalla Y.M.C.A is located about half a kilometer from both Transport Bus station and Railway station. It is only a stones throw away from Private bus stand. The Office is at Y.M.C.A building, Tiruvalla-1
• History : Pages from History

“There is a famous Moghul passage which says, “If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.” May I be permitted to parody it. “If you have tears of joy, shed them here, shed them here, shed them here.” Your long-cherished dream has come true.

It was really strange that the predominantly Christian and literate town of Tiruvalla did not have a Y.M.C.A inspite of repeated attempts over the past sixty years. This was mainly due to the lack of a permanent building to house the Association Mr. Thomas P. Chandy, the veteran Y.M.C.A worker, who has come all the way from Trivandrum despite his old age to inaugurate today’s function was the first Secretary of the local unit. Mr. Chandy was kind enough to share some of his old memories with us. It was in 1906 that he started Y.M.C.A work in central Travancore with his headquarters at Tiruvalla. He organised several associations and conducted a convention of Y.M.C.A. Workers in Balikamatom High School. 100 representatives from various parts of Kerala attended the convention. A constitution for Y.M.C.A was adopted. He remembers with gratitude the late Elanjimoottil Kandathil Eapen Vakil, who donated a plot of land to conduct a night school under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A. Later this property went into adverse possession of the Government. The local D.E.O. office is situated in the property.

Present Project:Thanks to suggestion by Mrs. Anna Varghese, a few Christian leaders in the town took this drawback as a challenge and met at her residence on 9th August 1965. They lent themselves to be Founder Members and pledged to re-establish the Y.M.C.A. An ad-hoc committee consisting of Messrs. George Alexander (now Rev.), K. Pother Idiculla, K.T. Thomas, Dr. A.V Varughese and P.C Cherian (Convener) was appointed to formulate plans and enlist members. This committee met on 16-8-65 and recommended the acquisition of a site near S.C.S. junction and construction of a suitable building. Mr. K.T. Thomas’ offer of his office as the venue of our initial activities was accepted gratefully. Founder Members: Messrs. E.M. Kovoor, V.K. Eapen, P.C. Thomas, K. Pothen Idiculla, K.T. Thomas, Cyriac Mathew, K.E. Mammen. K.A George, George Alexander (Now Rev.) A.V. Varughese, K. Thomas, P.C. Cherian, T.C Mathew, T.M. Mathai, George Kuruvilla, P.C. George, Jacob Poulose, K.T. Koshy, J.W. Mathew, T.C. Kuruvilla, George Cherian, P.S.George, K.A. Mathew, Dr. K. I. John and John Thomas.

The Founder Members met 7 times and on 10-9-65, the finance campaign was inaugurated with a promise of Rs. 1,000 by Mr. P.C. Thomas. Since then, there were regular drives for finance and membership and on 8-8-66 the first general meeting of the members was held with Mr. E.M. Kovoor, in the chair. 29 members were present. They unanimously elected the following first Board of Directors. Mr. P.S. George (President), Mr. E.M. Kovoor, Mr. P.C. Thomas (Vice president), Mr. P.C Cherian(Hon. Secretary), Mr. K.T. Thomas (Hon. Joint Secretary) and Messrs. K.A. Mathew, K. Pothen Idikulla, A.V. Varughese, Varughese Karipayil, T.C. Kuruvilla, V.K.Eapen, George Kuruvilla, K.E.Mammen, John Thomas, T.C. Mathew, K. Thomas, P.O.John, P.P Varghese, K.P. Baby and abraham Jacob. Mr. W.O. George the Area Secretary, stressed the necessity of acquiring a site for the Y.M.C.A immediately. On 20-8-66 the Board resolved that Mr. P.C Cherian, the Hon. Secretary should function as Treasurer as well. Affiliation: The Association was affiliated to the National Council on 23rd August 1966.

Finance Campaign: The main brunt of the local collection drive fell on the group of Messrs. P.S. George, Pother Idiculla, P.C. Cherian and the A.V. Varughese, who in addition to frequent local expeditions, had to explore the avenues in out - of - town centres, such as Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alwaye, Ranni, Kozhancherry, Pathanamthitta, Konni, Palai, and Chengannur. Mr. P.C. Thomas, who went on a tour of the Holy Land in November 1966 was responsible for collecting Rs. 10,300 from friends in Kuwait and Bahrain. A donation of Rs. 9.900 from West Germany was received through the National Council. The Committee of the Common wealth Education and welfare Trust, through the good offices of our Vice President Mr. K.A. Mathew, generously donated a hostel building grant of Rs. 15,000. Dr. A.V. Varughese our roving ambassador, was instrumental in persuading the Cambridge Y.M.C.A, (U.S.A) to remit Rs. 3,745, 12 (Rupee equivalent of 500 dollars, and in collecting Rs. 450 from personal friends. We are expecting more help from the greater Boston Y.M.C.A through the good offices of Dr. A.V. Varughese. Particular mention must be made of the donation of Rs. 5,000 made by the sons and daughters of late Cherian Poothicote for the construction of the Board Room in his memory. The young friends of our Association collected Rs. 3,189 in a house - to - house campaign in the Municipal and adjoining Panchayat wards. Out of the total amount of Rs. 81,657 collected todate the local collection comes to Rs. 37, 812.

A business meeting of the members was held on 1st October 1967 in the Titus II Teachers College. The meeting commenced with an address by His Grace Dr. Juhanon Mar Thomas. The Constitution of the association was adopted at this meeting attended by 32 members.

Property and Building: We are fortunate in having secured the present property of 26 cents in the hear of the town. The deed was taken in favour of the National Council of Y.M.C.A of India represented by Mr. P.S. George, President and Mr. P.C. Cherian, Hon. Secretary.

The Foundation Stone: Laying Ceremony took place on 14th. October 1967. A public meeting was held on the Association premises presided over by His Excellency Tr. Rev. zhacharias Mar Athanasius Bishop Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma addressed the gathering. Mr. R.D. Cooper of the National Council laid the foundation stone in the presence of representative gathering. On 26-011968 Mr. Varkey George, President, Area Committee, initiated the building construction work. A building committee of Messrs. V.K. Eapen, P.C. Cherian, Pothen Idiculla, M.O. Varughese, P.C. Thomas and K.T. Thomas was constituted. I shall be failing in my duty if I do not mention the valuable services of Sri. Pothen Idiculla in supervising the construction of the building. He gave freely of this time, talent and labour, but for which, our dream would not have taken this shape so well and so fast.

The First General Body Meeting: was held on 19-11-1967 with the President Mr. P.S. George in the chair. 50 members were present. The present board of 15 Directors was constituted and Messrs. Cherian and Cherian were appointed as auditors. Our thanks to the Auditors for their free service.”. (From the Annual Report 1965 of the Hon. Secretary P.C. Cherian dated 11-08-1969)

• Objectives
  The objects of the Y.M.C.A are:-
  1. To unite young men together for the development of their physical, Social, intellectual and spiritual manhood, to inspire with them Christian ideals.
  2. To foster and develop programmes with a view to promote physical, mental, moral, social and spiritual advancement of students, working youth, business and professional men, rural youth, under-privileged and handicapped children and others.
  3. To provide hostel facilities for students, working young men and others.
  4. To impart skills suitable for various avenues of employment.
  5. To train the youth to acquire leadership qualities, to do all services to the community and put effective instruments for sustaining high moral values.
  6. To open and maintain schools, colleges, hostels, libraries and other institutions.
  7. To affiliate and manage institutions having objects similar to that of this Society.



• Management
  
  General Body consist of full members of the Y.M.C.A. The Board of Directors shall consist of 15 members elected by the full members of the Society of whom not less than one-third shall be below the age of 40 years. Subject to the control of the General Body and all these rules and regulations, the affairs of the Society both administrative and financial shall be managed by the Board of Directors.



• Board of Directors