At AID India, we believe that education is the most powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty. This is the driving force behind the Ave Maria Matriculation Higher Secondary School, a project born not just to teach, but to protect, empower, and nurture the next generation of our community in Sathankulam.
Roots of Change: Built on a Shared Dream
The spark for the Ave Maria School was ignited in 2009 by the local community itself. Parents involved in our Self-Help Groups (SHGs) shared a common dream: they wanted an English-medium education for their children, something unaffordable in standard private schools.
The vision for the school was passionately championed by our founder, the late Rev. Fa. Peter Rajah. To turn this dream into reality, our General Secretary, Peter Raj, generously donated his own land for the campus. What started in 2009 as a modest nursery and primary school quickly expanded into a secondary school in 2012, and wasfinally completed in 2016 as a Higher Secondary School.
To ensure that distance never prevents a child from learning, we also operate a dedicated school bus service safely transporting students from remote villages to our gates every day.
The resilience of this educational mission was deeply tested during the COVID-19 pandemic. In our rural villages, poor internet networks and a lack of electronic devices made online learning nearly impossible for many families. Refusing to let our students fall behind, we did our absolute best to physically deliver books and notebooks directly to the children’s homes, ensuring their education wouldn’t stop.
Overcoming Barriers: From the Village to the University
Ave Maria is a sanctuary of radical inclusion. In regions where children from lower castes and suppressed communities are still excluded from quality education, our doors are open to everyone regardless of religion, caste, or gender.
We operate on strict Humanist principles, guided by the motto: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” To ensure no child is left behind, the school collectsreasonable fees from students. Children with disabilities, orphans and semi-orphans have special concessions in fees according to the background of the student. Similarly, if a student’s parents live with a disability, their school fees are significantly reduced, and we freely supply these children with uniforms, books, exercise notebooks, and all other necessary materials.
This environment of equality produces incredible academic results. Every year, an average of 20 to 30 students graduate and enter university, bypassing the limitations of their caste. Some shining examples include Muthuprakash (Class of 2023), who scored 525/600 and is now at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, and Indhumathi (Class of 2024), who achieved 575/600 and is studying at Sarah Tucker College to become a District Collector. The success continues with Deepika (Class of 2025), who earned 525/600 to enter V V College of Engineering, and Priyadharshini (Class of 2026), who recently scored an outstanding 577/600 and was admitted to Ethiraj College for Women. These young men and women prove that with equal opportunities, potential is limitless.
Our Ever-Growing Campus
The standard school day runs from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with senior students staying until 5:00 PM and attending on Saturdays. Their hard work is supported by an ever-growing infrastructure, made possible by a global network of supporters.
While partners like the Italian NGO Energia per i Diritti Umani APS directly support sponsored children through our Distance Sponsorship program, independent volunteers and international organizations have funded massive structural leaps over the years. Today, our school boasts:
- State-of-the-art Science Labs: Completed in early 2026, our Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Computer labs give rural students the same tools as urban ones.
- An English Library: Founded in 2013 by Beatrice Barco, an Italian volunteer who started “The Bookfeeding Project”, creating a massive network of English book donations for our students.
- Green Energy: New solar panels guarantee uninterrupted learning without blackouts and significantly reduce energy bills.
- Cultural Exchange Since August 2025, the campus has been energized by the arrival of the first cohort from the Italian Universal Civil Service, bringing daily global perspectives into our classrooms.
The Path Ahead: Towards Smart Education
We have come a long way, but our vision for the future is even bolder. To prepare our students for the modern world, our next major goal is to transform all our rooms into “Smart Classes” equipped with Smart TVs, alongside upgrading our general classroom furniture and expanding our labs.
For our volunteers, partners, and donors, this is what your support builds: not just a school building, but a lifelong foundation of opportunity and hope. Thank you for making all of this possible. With your continued generosity, we will keep striving to make the Ave Maria School an ever-growing beacon of learning for our community.
Whether by making a donation to our local bank account (for Indians only) or our international bank account, or by volunteering your time, you can directly contribute to the next chapter of the Ave Maria School.