Jyothirgamaya (meaning ‘Enlightenment’) was initiated as a social inclusion program of the HIV literacy campaign conducted by KESS in the entire Palakkad District. The main aim was to educate people about the perils of the disease, in reducing stigma and discrimination, protecting and bringing the affected to the mainstream of life and rehabilitating them.1471 awareness programmes were organized for schools, religious forums, kudumbashrees and PTA members. In 2015, Mankkara Gramapanchayath of Palakkad was declared the first gramapanchayath in the whole of India by the then Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Oomen Chandy, to achieve a record of 100% HIV literacy and Palakkad became the first district in India to claim this status. The entirety of Palakkad District, i.e. 91 gramapanchayaths and 4 municipalities were involved in this programme.
Under the coordination of KESS, more than 400 awareness classes were held in Schools, Institutes, gramasabhas, women’s groups along with the circulation of booklets on cancer awareness to the 13,000 houses, as well as a cancer detection camp with 450 participants in Eriyad Gramapanchayath of Azhikode to successfully declare it as 100% literate in cancer awareness in the year 2016. The Declaration of Eriyad Gramapanchayath as 100% literate in cancer awareness was inaugurated by Hon. M.P. Adv. Sri. V.S. Sunil kumar. This campaign was successful by networking with Azhikode Mar Thoma Pontifical Shrine, Thrissur Amala Medical College Hospital and Eriyad Grama Panchayath members.
KURIAKOSE ELIAS SERVICE SOCIETY (KESS) KESS Bhavan, Naikkanal, Thrissur - 680001 Kerala, India.
