Campus projects
A self sustaining ecosystem
We have many projects which cater to the needs of the under privileged and also to create a self sustaining ecosystem.
Smyrna Home
Smyrna Home operates on a 6. 5 acre campus in the hills over looking Ooty. In and around the campus we undertake a number of initiatives that provide employment and skills for the local people as well as the families staying in the campus of Smyrna.
We have also many experts from many social businesses who have tied up with us and are using the land on rent to generate a small income to support all the aspects of the work undertaken by the Smyrna Fellowship Trust.
Smyrna Organic Garden
We also generate our own funds through our organic vegetable garden, tree saplings, tea-garden, strawberry cultivation, chicken coop, bakery, canteen and grocery store. Our social projects provide housing for the homeless, house repair, water connection, electricity and sanitation to many. We also provide toilets in schools and to the homes of our sponsored children.
We have a very beautiful campus with an amazing variety of vegetation. The Botanical Survey of India identified 15 Rare Varieties of trees and plants on our campus.
There are plants which are also part of the herbel garden family and we use many of them for our own use. Some of these plant s are also cultivated and sold to the local markets.
Water reserve
A 50,000 litre water tank stores rain water which is used to irrigate the garden and the organic farming projects in the campus. The Smyrna property is home to a number of old, rare species of trees.
Solar System
At Smyrna Home we have also been able to create an ecosystem where every building is connected to solar systems which provides lighting to the campus. We would like to continue install solar lights and solar panels in our working areas to save power and to conserve our fossil fuels and teach the upcoming generation about renewable energy solution.
Today, we have installed five solar lights in our campus. We hope we can raise fundings for five more in a new future. We also hope we can raise fundings to install solar panels that can be connected to all our lighting and computers.
We also have installed solar water heaters for our Smyrna Shelter and Smyrna Girls Hospital which unfortunately has been shut down since COVID-19. We hope to reopen those in a near future. We would also like to include other departments for this project to save more resources as well as our homestay where the highest maintenance cost is seen on a regular basis. We also want to use turbine energy and biogas emitters to create fuel and electricity. Except for money we need some help to install them.
Smyrna horticulture
We have 2 poly tents in our campus which is providing ample space to grow vegetables and many decorative plants which is sought after in the hearts and minds of the towns folk. We have a project to cultivate Nabila strawberry plant. During season, the strawberries can be found in our café Yellow Door Café, but also in the local market.
Vermiculture
Vermiculture means artificial rearing or cultivation of worms (Earthworms) and the technology is the scientific process of using them for the betterment of human beings. Vermicomposting is the excreta of earthworm, which is rich in humus. Earthworms eat cow dung or farm yard manure along with other farm wastes and pass it through their body and in the process convert it into vermicomposting.
The municipal wastes; non-toxic solid and liquid waste of the industries and household garbage’s can also be converted into vermicomposting in the same manner. Earthworms not only convert garbage into valuable manure but keep the environment healthy. Conversion of garbage by earthworms into compost and the multiplication of earthworms are simple process and can be easily handled by the farmers.