BETHSAIDA
Open up opportunities - give confidence
The region
BETHSAIDA is located in the picturesque coastal village of Pulinkudy in the southwestern part of the southern Indian state of Kerala on the Arabian Sea. Pulinkudy is located approx. 20 km south of the capital Trivandrum and approx. 7 km south of the well-known seaside resort of Kovalam. The population density in this district is around 1,509 inhabitants per square kilometer. This part of the coast is one of the most densely populated regions in India.
With its scenic beauty, Kerala is one of the most attractive Regions of India. The official tourism slogan of Kerala is “God's Own Country”. This state is considered progressive and the standard of living is above the Indian average. Nevertheless, there are pitiful conditions behind the scenes here too.
Locals in the coastal villages often still live in abject poverty. The main source of income, traditional fishing, has collapsed massively in recent years due to overfishing by industrial fishing. Many children and young people come from poor families, are orphans or half-orphans, often attend school at irregular intervals and only rarely have access to vocational training. Families with daughters often go into debt for years in order to be able to raise the dowry. Women without training earn too little for their dowry. They usually have no chance of gaining a respected place in Indian society through marriage. Older people are often left to fend for themselves in their old age because their families lack the financial means to support them.
BETHSAIDA center
With the opening of the first orphanage on December 14, 1989, the Carmelite Father Bernadine M. Louis laid the foundation for the implementation of his vision of an educational and social project for an entire region. At that time, the first BETHSAIDA project started with the accommodation and schooling of 15 orphans on the site of the former "BETHSAIDA" monastery. Together with his nephew Frederick Thomas, the current head of the BETHSAIDA training and social projects, an independent organization has been created to this day, which provides support for people in need of all religions and ages in various centers for an independent and dignified life.
BETHSAIDA Hermitage
BETHSAIDA Hermitage & Ayurveda Center is a separate hotel complex directly on the Malabar coast in the Indian Ocean. It is extremely popular with discerning holidaymakers who love the paradisiacal landscape and are pampered by the friendly staff and with Ayurvedic treatments. At the same time, the BETHSAIDA Hermitage offers jobs and training positions for people in the region. The profits from the hotel business flow directly into the BETHSAIDA center for training and social projects.
