Starting seven ashrams and a convent in different parts of Kerala, St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara initiated a spiritual movement among the people of Kerala. He established the first Catholic Sanskrit School, a major seminary and a printing & publishing house at Mannanam. He directed that every church should start a school attached to it and encourage children even poorer sections to attend the schools by supplying midday meals and dress for them. He founded a ‘Home of Charity’ to take care of the destitute, the beggars, the uncared sick and the old.  He also organized the first voluntary charitable association in Kerala for self-help among the needy.