Sreevaraham Vanitha Samithy was started as Balika Samajam in 1913 by a few committed women social workers of Thiruvananthapuram. It evolved into a charitable organization working totally on no profit - no loss basis in 1954. The Samiti acquired the true status of of a registered charitable organisation in 1957 when it was registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1955 as no :14 of 1957. The association obtained a long-term lease of the State on a large plot on which the current facility was built up gradually. First there was a clinic in 1957, and then pre-school classes and a handicraft training center. The school as well as the children's theatre were built in 1961. The Theatre officially opened on February 28, 1969. Grafted on these activities of local social services, is a community-cum-children’s library that combines a mobile library meant mainly for home-bound elderly women.
Kids from the age of 4 years up to the age of 10-11 years, are enrolled in this school with an average of 25 children (boys and girls) per class. To complement this arrangement, there is also a play school (crèche) which welcomes children from 2-3 years.
The pride of SVS is its library which was inaugurated in 1964. It stands as Kerala's pioneering institution of its kind. Affiliated with the Kerala State Library Council, it proudly holds an 'A' Grade status. Recognizing the crucial need for female education, the Samithy established this exclusive library for women and children. Boasting a collection exceeding 15,600 books, including 5,325 children’s literature pieces, 505 reference books, and 450 rare and valuable volumes, it caters to diverse interests ranging from education to entertainment. The library also accommodates fiction enthusiasts. With a considerable membership base, it serves as a vital intellectual hub. Additionally, a mobile library service, dedicated to the elderly residing in and around the Fort area, operates under its auspices, ensuring knowledge reaches every corner of the community.
The children's theatre is more than 50 years old and had its heydays which witnessed the passage of the great stars of Indian music, dance and drama. It was also a neighborhood facility often hired out for family festivals and weddings. It remains a magnificent 600-seat theater room that is maintaining its role of a community centre for culture.
In addition, SVS continues its activities in the areas of health, culture and awareness through programmes of seminars and conferences aimed at the empowerment of women. It deals with health, violence against women, waste management, water preservation, energy management, use of solar energy devices, food conservation and cookery. "Health camps" are organized for women and their children, but are also open to all public. Ayurveda massage sessions, learning of nursing home care, courses of life skill education for young girls, the importance of human values, education and personal development complete this social offer.
Throughout the year, women from poor neighborhoods (30 women per batch) come to learn artisan production techniques to make a livelihood. Trainings extend from 2-3 days to 3-6 months.The normal cycle of progress for these women is trainee, then paid worker, and for the more gifted of them, entrepreneurs or even trainers, in a gradual process of empowerment. The crafts are very varied: bookbinding, fabric painting , mural painting, glass painting , metal embossing, manufacturing of soaps, detergents and lotions, decorations for Christmas and weddings, production manufacturing of candles, soft toys , thermal cooker, manufacturing of bags and file board , jewelry and beads works. There are also trainings in food craft, nutrition, catering etc. In fact, several women have taken up catering business for big and smalll events from their homes.
