The Coimbatore Institute of Technology Alumni
Association, Chennai Chapter (CITAACC) Music Club organised a 2-hour musical program
at the Rehoboth Home for the Mentally Challenged on 15th November,
2025. Around 80 inmates attended the program, danced with joy, and enjoyed the
songs.
The CIT music team included Margabandhu, Guru, T.N. Krishnamoorthy, Hari, Velmurugan, and Dillibabu. The female singers were Malathi and Anitha, both from the nineties Anna University music troupe. Vaithilingam of Vaanampaadi provided excellent audio support and also sang. Malathi’s brother Harikrishnan, beautifully whistled the song Raja Raja Chozhan Naan. Sathya Prabhu helped with social media and prepared posters.
Before the program, Margabandhu crowdfunded on
Whatsapp and collected close to 1.2 lakhs from around 50 donors. This amount
was used to donate cots, wheelchairs, plastic armchairs, washing soaps,
clothes, and many other things requested by the Rehoboth Home.
The songs included peppy numbers like Ranjithame Ranjithame, Nee Pottu Vacha Thangakudam, and Maana Madurai Kundu Maliya. There were also some yesteryears hit songs like Bambarakannaale, Maama Maama Maama, and Thuluvatho ilamai. The inmates requested 2 songs on the spot – Enna Nenache, and Aaatama Therottama – which the singers delivered. The singers also danced enthusiastically and shared their joy.
The Rehoboth Home for the Mentally Challenged is an
NGO founded in 1998 by psychiatric social worker Zoraida Samuel. When Zoraida
was a college student, she saw police and people beating a mentally challenged
woman who had stolen a fruit from a cart. This incident affected her deeply,
and she wanted to help such women in distress. Today, the Rehoboth rescue
shelter at Paraniputhur, Iyyapathanagal, Chennai has 195 mentally challenged
women. At the Rehabilitation Centre in Somangalam, 85 women are engaged in agriculture,
animal husbandry, poultry, piggery, ornamental bird rearing, ornamental fish
rearing, areca plate production, and embroidery. They also have 2 special
schools for children, a thrift store, and an old-age hospice. Around 153 women
have rejoined their families after being taken care of at Rehoboth.
It was a privilege and blessing to perform at Rehoboth
Home, and it gave mutual happiness to both the singers and inmates.
Anyone interested in supporting Rehoboth Home, contact
Binu Jeremiah
Rehoboth Home
Mobile No: 9884189115
