OUR HISTORY

Chuim Community Centre is an Urban Community Development Project of the Institute of Social Services, Nirmala Niketan, registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.

The Chuim community Centre was started in 1965 by a band of courageous women known as Daughters of the Heart of Mary, whose mission was to readily respond to the felt needs of the people according to the signs of the time.

In the years following the Independence of India, the founders – Ms PaivaCouceiro, andDr Dorothy Baker the principal of college of social work, Nirmala Niketan realized that the nation’s struggle for development would be served not so much by sensitive social concern as by insightful committed action. This led to the conceptualization of a program of Social Work education to prepare young people to undertake and assist in resolving the existing social problems: widespread poverty, ill health, unemployment, illiteracy and social inequalities. The academic program was then built on a vision of human dignity and social justice especially with regards to the underprivileged. The field action project was initiated in Chuim village and later the centre was developed called ‘Chuim Community Centre’.

From year to year, ever since its inception in 1969, the Centre tries to keep abreast with changing needs and times, and strives to modify or update its activities in consequence.

The Aim has been the development of the Community through various services and projects, keeping in mind that services are targeted at making the community participate actively and grow towards responsibility and independence of thought and action, towards self-effort and self-reliance.