Regenboog India Foundation
Our Beginnings
The Regenboog India Foundation was founded in December 2006 by Madhan Mohan, a native of Tiruvannamalai, and a group of Madhan‘s friends. As a child Madhan was keenly aware of the disparities between the rich and the poor and was greatly influenced by his father who gave selflessly to those in need. After excelling in college, Madhan worked successfully as a young man in the corporate world when an event occurred that would change his life and lead to the development of Regenboog.
When Madhan was 24, his father became seriously ill. As the illness progressed, he was taken to a public hospital where, despite desperate pleas for help from Madhan and other family members, he died from the absence of medical attention. The injustice of the disparity of services for the rich and poor was forever seared into Madhan’s heart. Later he quit his job in the corporate world and began to have discussions with his friends about developing an organization that would provide services to the poor driven by certain unwavering principles.
Regenboog’s Principles
- Any service provided will be conceived and offered from the point of view of those who receive the service. In other words, always step into the shoes of those receiving and see the service through those eyes.
- Any service provided will be of the highest level of quality possible.
- All will be treated with equal respect and understanding.
- The ability to pay for services will never be a barrier to receiving services.
- All donations of support, small and large, will be received with equal gratitude.
- All those involved in providing services for Regenboog will remain humble to the gift of serving others.
- Administrative expenses will be kept low in order to extend services to as many beneficiaries as possible.
- Transparency and accountability in all aspects of our work is required.
How Regenboog Grew
The principles of Regenboog have guided the foundation in its rapid growth in both the number of different services offered, and the number of persons served. From the beginning, Regenboog was supported by many good hearts from India who continue to give their generous support. Regenboog is also supported by groups and individuals from many parts of the world.
Regenboog’s first service was the Saraswathi Children’s Home for orphaned and abandoned children that had been started with the support of donations from the ‘Stichting Sarasvathi Children’ Foundation in Holland. Hanneke de vries heads this foundation and continues to work with Regenboog in supporting the Children’s Home. Recently individual donors from the local area have also contributed their support.
Regenboog’s Medical Project began when a nurse from Holland, Erika Vemeulen, (President of Stichting Medische Kampen India) expressed an interest in helping to provide medical services to the poor villagers living around Tiruvannamalai. Madhan had already drawn up a plan for these services which he shared with Erika and thus the Medical Project began. Recently we celebrated the benchmark of providing medical care to 100,000 villagers.
Arunachala Education Centers began as a result of Madhan’s recognition of the need to serve children living in poor areas who attend public schools. Most of these children receive inadequate education in school and are not supported at home by parents who are uneducated themselves. These centers are supported by Verein Arunachala Rising Sun headed by Mr. Peter Diener, Switzerland.
Our passion to serve those most in need has driven the beginnings of the Jawadhu Hills Project to bring resources to tribal villagers living in remote areas around Tiruvannamalai. All the activities in the Jawadhu Hills are also supported by Arunachala Rising Sun, Switzerland.
