History

The Social Action wing of the Archdiocese of Verapoly came in to existence under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1955 and Fr. Jerome O.C.D was appointed as founder president. And ESSS started Housing Scheme on Co-operative basis & fishermen cooperative societies in Vypin.

Prawn Fishing Project started with the support of Australian Catholic Relief and OXFAM.

Started Sewing Machine Project with the support of Secours Cath & Katholische Aktion St. Polten.

First Poultry farm was started at House of providence as part of Poultry farming and extension project.

First centralized poultry farming training centre was started at Mt. Carmel Convent, Chathiath, Ernakulam.

Started Catholic Relief Service [CRS] supported Regular Feeding Programme in schools, orphanages and institutions under the Archdiocese of Verapoly. Mother and Child welfare programme was also started in the same year.

Started Children’s Nature Club, the Initial form of Kuttikkoottam for nurturing the nature fraternity among children.

Bifurcation of Kottappuram Diocese from the Archdiocese of Verapoly and Formation of a new social service society – Kottappuram Integrated Development Society (KIDS).

ESSS shifted its office from Archbishops house to Ashirbhavan.

Mythri-Credit Union was stared to promote the savings habit of rural women.

Started Sayamprabha Groups (Elders Self Help Groups) for the community based care of senior citizens.

Mahilamandal, the Initial form of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) started.

By forming 13 women Self Help Groups as neighbourhood fraternity and linking these groups with NABARD, ESSS started SHG revolution.

Started ‘Build a House Plan’ with the support of Self Help Groups.

ESSS started to function in an independent building in Providence Road, Ernakulam

Children’s Nature Clubs are converted into Self Help Group model Kuttikkoottam.

Men SHGs are formed to organize unorganized work force and in the same year itself ESSS started Micro-insurance and Health Insurance Programmes.

Tsunami strike in the coastal belts of Archdiocese of Verapoly and ESSS Relief & Rehabilitation Programmes for Tsunami Victims Started. In the same year itself ESSS held a convention of domestic workers and Domestic Workers Groups are formed.    

ESSS is recognized as first catholic organization in Asia to complete the construction & handing over of houses for Tsunami victims.

Legal Help Forum, a consortium of advocates for facilitating legal literacy and legal aid was formed.

Completed 50 years of glorious and remarkable service in the field of social service and started Snehasparsam family sponsorship programme in connection with ESSS golden Jubilee Celebration and Archdiocese Quacicentinal Jubilee Celebration and ESSS office annex is expanded with Archbishop Attippetty Memorial Hall, Conference Halls & Dormitories. ESSS became one of the five agencies from Kerala to attain CSR accreditation by Tata Institute of Social Science.

Handed over Disaster Management Plan & Trained Task Forces in Elamkunnappuzha, Njarakkal & Nayarambalam Gramapanchayats to the District Administration as part of Community Managed Disaster Risk  Reduction Programme.

Asakiranam Cancer Care Project for providing financial aid for cancer   patients and creating community awareness regarding cancer decease and prevention is launched.

Archbishop’s Snehabhavanam Project for providing financial assistance to complete the construction of houses is started.

ESSS started Ardram Health Clinic – weekly free medical consultation with support of Lourdes Hospital Ernakulam at ESSS office. In the same year itself ESSS launched a mobile Ardram Palliative Care Project to support bed-ridden patients. ‘Dharsan’, Animation Programme for Social Ministry Coordinators is also launched in the same year.

Kerala Flood-2018- affected 78 villages under the jurisdiction of ESSS and Launched ‘Koodam Koodorukkam’, Relief & Rehabilitation Project.

Handed over of Koodam Koodorukkam Flood Rehabilitation Project- New House Construction- , Assistance of House Maintenance- , Assistance for self employment programmes – to the beneficiary families. And Launched Grihasuraksha Insurance Project.

Started Community Mediation Center in collaboration with Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KLSA)