When the child was asked why he likes coming to Kalvi Maiyam, he replied, “It makes me very happy to be here. I can learn well, and the teachers teach with so much love.”

In all the decades that Poojya Swamiji had been visiting Malaysia to conduct programmes, one point he had repeatedly brought up was that something should be done for the upliftment of underprivileged Indians in this country.

During the 2023 Jnana Yajna, it was brought to Swamiji’s attention that many underprivileged children mainly of Tamil origin lag far behind in their school performance. Often these children remain unattended after school hours, leaving them vulnerable to being recruited by gangs etc. It naturally evolved that SIRD Malaysia would embark on a project to help improve the academic performance of these children who live in the vicinity of SIRD. Swamiji named the project “Kalvi Maiyam”, which means ‘Educational Centre’ in Tamil.

After months of brainstorming, planning, revising plans and implementation, Kalvi Maiyam began functioning in September 2024. Primary schoolchildren between the ages of 7-12 years were identified from the neighbouring low cost-flats, and brought to the Centre using transport arranged by SIRD. Starting with 17 students, the number increased to 36 in Feb 2025 and later dropped to 27 by Oct, with teachers ranging from 25 to 30 volunteers.

2 coordinators (who are Poojya Swamiji’s initiated disciples) and one employed administrator ensure the smooth running of the Centre.

Children whose school sessions take place in the morning attend the Kalvi Maiyam classes in the evening, and vice versa. Volunteer teachers take either individual or small groups of students based on their need. The focus is on strengthening their performance in the 4 core school subjects, namely English, Malay (national language of Malaysia), Science and Mathematics. Recently Tamil language has been added to help children who attend Tamil medium schools.

Improvement in Academic Performance:

When Kalvi Maiyam first began working with the children, it was shocking to discover that although all of them were attending school, most could not read, write, or perform simple arithmetic. Even Year 4 students struggled to recognize alphabets and numbers, and Year 6 students could not understand basic words like “man” or “woman” or do simple multiplication.

Over the past eight months, significant progress has been achieved. Using phonics, all 36 children can now read in English and Bahasa Melayu, with 30 reading fluently. Vocabulary and grammar have improved through structured workbooks and language modules at three levels. In Mathematics, all can now solve addition and subtraction problems, and most have mastered multiplication, with 30 scoring above 70% in tests. Science remains challenging, but 12 students now understand key concepts.

End-of-year 2024 results show clear improvement: two Year 6 students passed Bahasa Melayu for the first time, avoiding a repeat year, and three younger students won school academic awards. Parents and school teachers have commended Kalvi Maiyam for the children’s remarkable academic progress.

Kalvi Maiyam thrives through the care and contribution of compassionate individuals who believe in nurturing and empowering children through education. There are many ways you can be part of this meaningful journey.

1. Volunteer as a Teacher

Join us as a volunteer teacher and help our children discover the joy of learning.
Criteria for Volunteer Teachers:

• Passionate about working with children.
• Able to commit at least once or twice a week (8.20am – 10.30 am or 3pm – 6pm).
• Comfortable teaching basic subjects in English, Bahasa Malaysia, or Tamil.
• Patient, responsible, and willing to work as part of a team.
• Prior teaching experience is an advantage, but not essential — training and guidance will be provided.

2. Volunteer in Other Ways

If teaching isn’t your area, there are still many ways you can contribute to Kalvi Maiyam’s growth and the children’s development.

You can support us by:

• Organizing enrichment activities such as art, storytelling, games, or life-skill sessions.
• Helping with logistics, transportation, or food distribution.
• Assisting in administrative or event coordination.
• Conducting development programs or workshops that help students build confidence, creativity, discipline, communication skills, or moral values.

Anyone with a sincere heart to serve and share their knowledge or skill is welcome to design and conduct meaningful sessions for our children.

3. Support Financially

Your donations help sustain our daily operations, provide nutritious food, transportation, teaching materials, and maintain a safe, nurturing environment for the children.
Every contribution, big or small, goes directly towards shaping a brighter future for these young minds.

If you’d like to volunteer or contribute, please contact us at:
Sunita +60 10-221 9013 or Sitha +60 13-350 4575