Nympha Nidhi is a ‘Poor students Fund’ created to give support and opportunity of education to the students from socially and economically weaker sections. Education is the basic human right of every child, vital to personal and social development. Due to poverty, parents put an end to the education of their wards and send them as domestic workers or any other such work. Poor Students those are academic high achievers and those who have high ambition of their life go frustrated and end up their life as victims of social evils. Learning the greater need of such students the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation willfully started Nympha Nidhi on the occasion of the 100th death anniversary of Mother Nympha Fernandez, the first Superior of Ursuline Franciscan Congregation.
The Ursuline Franciscan Congregation was founded in Mangalore by Rev. Fr Urban Stein SJ the then Parish Priest of Rosario Cathedral on 10 April, 1887. Sensing the spiritual and material needs of the people of the locality he planned pastoral and social activities for the poor people. He gathered 12 young women who wanted to dedicate themselves for the cause of the poor people and formed them as a group. Mother Nympha Fernandes was the leader of this group. The Founder Fr Urban Stein met untimely death on 21 October, 1888 and Nympha Fernandez the daughter of the then Deputy Collector, kept the group together and continued the good works started by the Founder.
The twelve Young women called as ‘Company of St. Ursula’ moved themselves in educating children of Mangalore (Bolar) Port area who were unable to attend school due to the deprived socio-economic circumstances. In 1901 education was a luxury and poor girls were not seen in the school. Through the initiative of Mother Nympha Fernadez a half day free school in Kannada medium was started in 1902. It was named after St. Ursula. On November 24, 1927 St. Ursula Primary School obtained formal recognition from the department of Education and was also admitted to financial grant.
As Mother Nympha Fernandez, the first Superior of the Congregation gave importance for the education of girls this apostolate has been continued in the Congregation and several young girls are educated and helped to find a place in the Society. In order to help the students, the Sisters approach generous local people to help them. The year 2009 being the 100th death anniversary year of Mother Nympha Fernandez, a fund called ‘Nympha Nidhi’ was started in honour of Mother Nympha to meet the expenses of the study of the poor students. This fund is for those students who cannot pursue their studies due to poverty in the house. This fund was inaugurated on 10th October 2009 by Mrs Lucy Correa, the grand niece of Mother Nympha Fernandez. Mrs Lucy Correa and Mr Michael Fernandez the grand nephew of Mother Nympha are the first donors of this fund.
The development of the poor people particularly of the children and the women is the main focus of the Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society. Accordingly several activities under formal, non-formal education and Social Action are carried out by the Sisters. Under the Educational Society the Sisters render their selfless services to the integral development of the students. Mainly the sisters work in the Primary and in High Schools in the village areas having the orphanages attached in order to reach out to the poor girls and boys. Many of the parents being poor look up to the Sisters for the financial help to meet the expenses of the education of their children. Many children discontinue their studies for lack of finance. We do encourage and help such students to continue their studies and to have a better future. Since its inception 349 poor students are helped till date through Nympha Nidhi”
Eligibility to get help from Nympha Nidhi:
- The student should have been admitted to a formal school in the current academic year.
- The student should have been from low income group of any class or any society.
- The student should have secured good percentage and show the sign of improvement in studies,
- Financial assistance given per year to
- a) Pry. and High School student(Kannada Medium) is Rs 1000/-
- b) Hr. Pry. and High School student ( English Medium) Rs 2500/-
- c) U.C. and Graduate students Rs 5000/-
- The student should provide the Marks Card of the final result of the previous year in
order to continue the assistance for the next year.
- The selection right to provide financial assistant is vested in the hands of the President
of the Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society.
Request: Dear Donor, We request you to support us in this noble work of helping the poor students to make them better citizens of India. By this you will provide an opportunity to send a poor child to school. You will rescue a child from distress and frustration. The cheque /DD may be payable to: The Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society. The Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society is the mediator between donors and the beneficiaries of Nympha Fund. May all those who contribute and receive the financial assistance be blessed hundredfold by God. We pass through this world only once. Let’s do whatever good we intend to do now.