After two and a half years of such hardship, a compassionate teacher named Venkatasalam rescued her at the age of 14 and enrolled her in school. After completing her education, Alamelu earned a diploma in Cooperative Management and a B.Com degree. “Books opened a new world to me, but I could never forget my past. That’s why I decided to help other bonded labour families break free,” she says.
To achieve this, she founded the Rural Women Development Trust, which provides vocational training and livelihood opportunities for women. So far, 1,580 women have received training, and 4,120 women have found employment. Among them, 62 former bonded labourers have become entrepreneurs—running their own small ventures such as rope making, tailoring, embroidery, and animal husbandry. Alamelu has also helped 2,600 Dalit and tribal children access education.
She has travelled extensively across Tamil Nadu—visiting farms, brick kilns, factories, and remote villages—to rescue bonded labourers through persuasion or with the support of the police and legal authorities. Her organisation then helps the freed families become self-reliant by providing training, equipment such as sewing machines or livestock, and small loans through government schemes. “I’ve learned that only when a person’s hunger is addressed can they truly listen to the lessons of education,” she says.
Evening Study Centres in 74 Villages
Through her trust, Alamelu runs evening study centres in 74 remote villages across Tamil Nadu. These centres provide learning opportunities for both children and adults, with the aim that no one remains uneducated or vulnerable to bonded labour again.
“Alamelu Amma rescued me 14 years ago and taught me rope making. Today, I run my own unit with 14 women and earn around ₹1,000–1,300 a day. My son is now an architect,” says Mathammal, a former bonded labourer from Salem.
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