Quilon Social Service Society

The pioneering initiative of Rt. Rev. Dr. Jerome M Fernandez of hallowed memory, Quilon Social Service Society is the official social development organization of the Catholic Diocese of Quilon for welfare and development endeavours to promote, facilitate and conduct and co-ordinate social actions/programs for the emancipation and uplift of the weaker sections particularly those socially challenged and discriminated against on the grounds of gender, caste and creed. Established in 1960, the Society is one of the oldest organizations in the area registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary Scientific & Charitable Societies registration Act of 1955 and holding NGO status

History

QSSS was found by Bishop Jerome M, Fernandez of hallowed memory in 1960. the society promotes, conducts and co-ordinates projects and programmes for the emancipation and upliftment of the weaker sessions more particularly the society and economically challenges and those discriminated on grounds of gender, caste and creed. In the initial stage QSSS concentrated on welfare activities and relief operations to those hard hit by natural calamities. Gradually QSSS moved from the relief services and welfare activities to vocational training and employment generating programmes. But from 1980 QSSS shift towerds integral development concerns and we keep updating with the changes of development scenario.

Motto

“To be with the lost, least and the last”

Vision

QSSS envisions prevalence of a just and virtuous social order deep set in humanness where every human being attains highest possible levels of well being with equity in the social capital.

Mission

To strive for the liberation of deprived sections of society from the exploitative conditions prevailing and to bring about a desirable situation where they will be enabled to exercise control over means of production and market with sense of equity, justice and fellowship ensuring in the emancipation of women from discriminatory system and regenerative management of natural resources, with provision for environmental protection and integral development of the sustainable, participatory and integral development of the people entrusted to our care, thereby enhancing the establishment of an egalitarian society.

Objectives

The following are the main objectives of the organization

• Liberation of the traditional fishermen from exploitative conditions and their self -reliant development
• Emancipation of women from a discriminatory system and their empowerment
• Animation of the youth for a career oriented growth acting to be creative force for social change
• Educational support for children and career building
• Special sponsorship arrangements for family based livelihood development
• Organizing rural micro credit co-operatives and community banking
• Promotion of community health that also provide for the development and upkeep of the physically disabled and mentally challenged
• Disaster management and rehabilitation of victims of natural calamities
• Environment protection and natural resource development creating a sense of regenerative management and equitable appropriation

Thematic areas

• Organization of women into a creative force for sustainable development
• Promotion of people’s bank for micro finance
• Skill development for alternate livelihood initiatives
• Mainstreaming entrepreneur development ventures with credit and market linkages
• Leading the destitute to planned development through a package of sponsorship
• Providing conducive atmosphere for integrated development of children
• Support for excellence in education and career orientation
• Shelter programmes to ensure decent habitat
• Regenerative management of Natural Resources and innovative options for waste disposal
• Response to Disaster and Disaster Preparedness programme
• Combating trafficking and Ensuring protection to women and children from trafficking
• Social protection and sustainable development of elder people
• Promotion of Community health initiatives.

Area of operation

The society is working in 45 grampanchayat, 82 villages, 10 taluk, 14 blocks of Kollam, Alleppey and parts of Pathanamthitta district of Kerala with around 30,000 families having a total population of 1,478,794. The society is covering an area of 845.22 sq. km.

Category of Beneficiaries

• Agricultural laborers
• Children
• Small and Marginal farmers
• Fisher people – both marine & inland
• SC/ST
• Women