Tsunami- Relief and Restoring Livelihoods & Habitats

DHAN Foundation Initiatives - Update 13

February 26-March 09, 2005

The teams in the coastal areas are in full swing and are currently focusing on preparing micro plans for the long-term rehabilitation works.  For improving the field operations the teams are now grouped into regions headed by a Regional Coordinator.  The four regions are – Tirukalukundram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam & Ramanathapuram.  The initiatives & events during the period are described under the following heads.

1. Community Organisation

 

The Nagapattinam team has facilitated the promotion of 12 farmers associations in the 3 blocks of Vailankani location.  Two farmers associations in Prathabaramapuram village, of Keelaiyur block, two in Arcotuthurai and Maniatheevu of Vedaranyam block, and seven in Thalainairu block have been promoted. So far the team has formed 46 farmers group in Keelaiyur block, 40 in Vedaranyam, and 42 in Thalainairu blocks. The team is planning to form 50 farmers associations in each block. In Madathukuppam village of Seerkali block the team has promoted one women group.

 

In Cuddalore block, the team has promoted 7 Self Help Groups in Parangipettai block. (2 in Annankovil village, 3 in Kodimara street, 1 in C. Pudupettai and 1 in China Vaikal). The team has also promoted 15 men and youth groups in the block.  In Kurinjipadi block the team has promoted another 6 SHGs.  In Karaikal region the total number of women SHG’s touched 42.  The team has also promoted 2 farmers associations and 2 fishermen associations.

 

2. People Contribution – Cash kind and labour

 

The Thalainairu team has dewatered seawater from common ponds in Vellapallam village of Thalainairu block and a total of 240 man-days has been generated and benefited the community. In Kuntharimedu village in Seerkali location the community got 227 man-days of labour and in Veeramettiruppu village it was 207 man-days.  All these are drainage channel works.

 

In Karaikal the team is facilitating the boat and engine repair works with the community contribution. The community meets 50% of the total engine and boat repair costs. A total of Rs. 1,17,500/- were mobilized from the community as their contribution.


Relief works undertaken

 

The Keelaiyur team along with the community distributed 216 schools uniform for the children during the function organized in the middle school of Vilunthamavady village.  The team has also facilitated the distribution of 176 ITC shirts, 60 HLL toilets kits for the farmers and women group.  In Kadaikadu village of Seerkali block the team distributed 20 kg of rice and groceries items to 25 families.

 

“After Tsunami we were flooded with relief materials including vegetables groceries etc. But they (volunteers of different organization) did not consider our needs and missed the basic and essential materials like knife, matchboxes etc. Thanks to DHAN Foundation who approached and identified the gaps and rightly supplied them” narrated Rajathi who belongs to fisherman community in Vilunthamavady village. While, Rajalakshmi added “many NGO’s gave several relief materials and Government has given cash but where to store them? But, thanks to DHAN Foundation volunteers who approached us and asked us what do you want? We asked them to give trunks/ suitcases to keep them safely. They responded immediately and provided us the trunk boxes. I think they are doing well to identify individual needs rather just dumping the relief materials,” added another woman. 

 

In Muzhukuthurai village of Parangipettai block of Cuddalore district, the team has distributed toilet kits to 161 families. The team distributed 114 shirts supplied by ITC in Kodimara street of Parangipettai block. In Naickerpettai village of Kurinjipadi block the team has distributed toilet kits to 70 families.  In Karaikal region, the team has distributed 72 ITC shirts and HLL toilet kits in Keelavanjur, 160 ITC shirts and HLL toilet kits in Muthalaimedu, 37 shirts & kits in Karukulacherry, 60 shirts & kits in Naduvalmpet and 50 shirts & kits in Vadakakottalaicherry.  The team has also distributed 160 school bags to children in 7 schools.

The other day, in the school we met some of the school children in the school. “We have lost our house and the hotel in the Andaman due to Tsunami and came with empty hand to our Grandma house in Vilunthamavady village” said Divakar in his new school. His parents lost everything and later on they are shifted to villunthamavadi village.  “It was early morning around 6.00 O’clock in Andaman where I went to teashop to drink tea and my mother was grinding chutney. I saw teacup shaking and all the vessels in the house started to shake. Before we could realize what it is, water entered our hotel. People started to run here and there. My mother caught hold of me and my brother Dinakar and started to run towards a small mountain. Many of our village people stood on the mountain and watched the furious water destroying all our houses. We were afraid to come down and stayed in the mountain. We didn’t get food and water and started to starve. We collected the coconuts that were washed by the sea and ate them for eight days. My father and mother were very sad that all our belongings including our hotel completely washed in Tsunami. Only after eight days government rescued us and sent us to India in the special flight. After coming to Chennai with the help of Stalin Mandram fund we reached safetly to our Grandma’s village. Now my daddy wants to go again to Andaman and continue his business there. But my brother, my mother and I don’t want to go. Anyhow, my brother and I were admitted in this school. My mother is at home. My father is now gone to my uncle’s place to do some mason work that is new to him. But, he is not interested to be here”. “Our clothes and uniforms have also washed out in sea water” said Divakar. While Thangaraj, a teacher of the school said, “Many of our students are poor and have only one set of uniform and now like pricking needle in the wound, they lost that also. At that point of time, DHAN Foundation representatives has approached us and after few days they distributed uniforms and books to the children who lost them”

 

3. Coastal water bodies renovation

The Thalainairu team facilitated the community in Vellapallam village of Thalainairu block to dewater seawater from one community pond.   The peoples felt need was to dewater and desilt because of the change in groundwater quality after the pond got filled up with silt and seawater by the tsunami wave.  The water is now being used for domestic purposes.

Pond after renovation in Vellapallam village

 

The DHAN Executive from Sathayamangalam along with the location team made a survey of the water bodies available in the block. In all the blocks of this region people were using stagnated water from the common ponds for drinking & domestic purposes. The ponds are not properly protected or fenced. There are no steps to access water safely. The team has found ample scope to work on this area and improve the water bodies of the locality so as to provide water security for the community.  In Kadaikadu village of Seerkali block, one farm pond desilting works is completed and one more farm pond in the village will be taken up immediately.

 

4. Coastal agriculture

 

Dr. Henkep. Ritzema of Wageningen University, the Netherlands visited Vailankanni location.  The focus of his visit was to study the scope of land reclamation in the tsunami affected areas and to suggest alternative options. 


Mr. M. Palanisamy, Programme Leader, DHAN Foundation accompanied him.  They interacted with the farmers, Agricultural University & Agricultural Department officials.  As part of the study the soil samples were collected for analysis.

 

Karupaiya a farmer in the Vilunthamavady village said with full of grief “My entire six acres of land was completely flooded with sea water” All the NGO’s and even the government has totally neglected Agriculture. All the relief materials are given only to fishermen community. Once they get the boat repaired they go for fishing but we are the long-term sufferers. Once, in the year 1952, when there was a tide small quantity of seawater entered our field. It took nearly seven years to bring the field to normal. Now, the seawater along with clay and other debris got deposited in our field for one-inch height. We don’t know how we are going to rectify our field. We need some scientific approach to rectify our field.

During that point of time, we have seen only DHAN Foundation approached us and formed groups among the agriculture families and started to pump the sea water which was adulterated the pond water. They also taken soil samples from our field and sent it for testing. We are waiting for the soil test results and they also promised to take up soil reclamation accordingly”.

Rajasekeran, another farmer who have 5 acres of land, said “I welcome DHAN Foundation to take up our field for experiment purpose and go for scientific approach to rectify the field and give suggestion for alternate crops as we are not in position to take risk and invest money for reclamation. He further added, “I am very much worried about my labourers who are totally depended on my land. Normally, after harvesting the two crops I allow my labour to grow vegetables and make money. They cultivate vegetables and enrich my land by applying farmyard manure that could help me for the next crop. But now, they have no option. I hope your organization would think to provide alternative livelihood by providing them loans to buy cattle.

“DHAN Foundation has helped us to earn money as they involved us in digging soil to drain sea water out of fields” said Muniswamy an agricultural labour in Vilunthamavady village.   

 

Farmers in Vettaikaraniruppu and Vilunthamavady have taken the third step of scrapping of top layer soil.  In Prathabaramapuram village of Keelaiyur block, desilting of the drainage channels has been completed in this week. At Kameswaram village, drainage channels work is under progress.   The scraping of top layer soil work is initiated in Vilunthamavady village of Keelaiyur block.  In Akkaraivattom village of Karaikal, the team has helped the community for land reclamation  in 5 acres of land.

 

Drainage channel works by the village community

 

In Kuntharimedu village of Seerkali block, 800 m channel desilting work is completed. The removal the salt soil deposited in the 15 acre agricultural land is in progress. In Veeramettiruppu village 790 m channel desilting works is completed. In Cuddalore district, the team is facilitating the land reclamation work in 570 cents with the community participation in the form of labour.

 

2.  5. Livestock development

 

In Karaikal region, the team has identified widows and has decided to provide livestock to 30 of them.  Similarly the other locations are planning for livestock development works.

 

6. Information Technology for Poor

Dr. J. Radhakrishnan IAS, District Collector of Nagapattinam district participated in the Peoples Convention for Building Self Confidence and he inaugurated the launch of the Information Technology for Poor programme in the district.  The Collector also spoke to villagers through Video Conferencing.  40 youth are being trained in the Community College at Vailankanni.  Mr. Jack Boyson (Director of Technical Support Services) and his team from International Youth Foundation, U.S.A visited the Community College and are exploring the possibilities for the education services through Information Technology.

Dr. J. Radhakrishnan IAS talking to a village girl through video conferencing

 

7. Fishery

 

In Kameswaram village the boat repairing work is going on in full swing. The team has repaired 25 FRP boats @ Rs 12,000 to 15,000 per boat. The team has repaired two more boats in Maniatheevu Village. In Poompuhar village, Seerkali location, 2 boat engine repair works were completed and 2 engine works are under process. In Madathukuppam village 16 boat engine repair works are completed and another 15 is under process. In Nayakarkuppam village the 30 engine repair works are completed and 20 works are under progress. In Savadikuppam 25 boat engines are repaired and are ready for field operation.

 

Some women told, “How long the government will help us. We have to stand on our own leg. We are eagerly waiting for our boat to be repaired to do fishing”. We asked “Don’t you have fear to go again for fishing”. They replied “We are afraid but it is the only livelihood for us. We don’t know other work. Moreover, we are used to eat fish regularly, but now we have to compromise with sambar and rasam which we are not used to it”. Some women said “In order to get fish for cooking we are buying it and moreover our husband’s are spending the amount for liquor as they are used to it”. We asked them how they are managing this situation. They said that government has given them some grocery items and an amount of Rs 4000 for their day- to- day expense. At times, they are selling the grocery items for their regular expense

In Madavapallam village of Parangipettai block, the team has completed the repairing works of 3 boats and 7 engines. In Chinnoor north village the repair works of 15 engines is completed and orders have been given for purchase of nets for these community. In Sothikuppam village the team has facilitated the repairing of 62 engines.

 

Boat repairing in process at Kameswaram village

 

In Karaikal region, repair works of 15 boats out of 60are over.   30 boat engine repair works are also completed out of 95 damaged. The works are spread in the villages namely Karaikalmedu, Kilinjilmedu, Kotticherymedu and Kakakudimedu.

 

2.  8. Health and Education

 

In Pudupalli village of Keelaiyur block the team has appointed one teacher for the middle school as per the need of the community.  In Karaikal region, the team has started 4 evening tuition centers, 2 in Keelavanjur, 1 in Kuthalaimedu and 1 in Keelaiyur and a total 185 students are benefited.  The team is also planning to organize a medical camp in this month.

 

9. Psychosocial work

 

In Cuddalore & Karaikal location the psychosocial work were initiated.  Resource persons from Bangalore trained the local associates on the psychosocial work.  The training mainly focused on the topics like approaching to the people, damages related to mental, social, economic, etc.  After the training the associates are confident to approach the affected people as well as to provide inputs related to personal counseling.

 

My name is Devi. I belong to fishermen community. It was that fateful morning on Sunday 26th December at 9.30 AM, my children were playing and I was working inside the house, I heard a huge sound and saw people running from the seashore. My husband came running and told that there is a big wave in the sea. Immediately, he took our younger son and started to run. I thought immediately, “It is the full moon day; it might be the usual wave in the sea” and I started to search my elder son. That time I saw a huge wave approaching towards me. Immediately I caught hold of a huge post. I saw big wave very dark in colour carrying mud and debris and flashing at me. The smell of the water was so bad and highly intolerable. The wave came to the height of the post and pulling me at a high force. As the wave crossed me I saw my entire saree washed away by the water and my in skirt fully tore. I felt very bad and cannot be narrated. The wave as it came inside our houses and went back to the sea at a same force. Then, I immediately got down from the post and ran to my house.  I saw my house damaged and immediately took one saree that was lying down and worn it and felt embarrassed for that incidence till now. Immediately, I thought of my elder son and started to search for him. I saw my husband holding my two sons. Then the sea was calm. So I ran again to see my belongings especially my savings of Rs 1000 in a big horlicks bottle. I could not see it. “I had a habit of daily savings either Rs one or two to spend it when it is necessary. Now everything is gone in a second”. That time, I saw all my neighbours shouting either in search of their family members or their belongings. Then, again I saw another wave coming from the sea and we started to run leaving all the belongings, which we manage to collect after the first wave. I entered the village and saw my younger son severely injured. I asked my husband what happened to him. He told that the water came above his head and he was not able to handle his two children. So, to save the life of the children he threw his younger son on the mud. Later after the wave returned he found his son injured severely”.  

 

10. Events

 

The Nagapattinam team conducted cultural functions in three blocks and has spread the importance of self-help groups. It opened the eyes of many and helped in building rapport with the community and reaching them easily.  The people were highly impressed and touched by the message of the skits played by the DHAN Cultural team. The people especially the women members were seen trying to by-heart the songs and singing the same.  

Convention of Tsunami affected farmers in Nagapattinam district

DHAN Foundation organised Convention of Tsunami affected farmers in Nagapattinam district on 3-3-2005 at Devi Auditorium, Sempodai, Vedaranyam taluk of Nagapattinam district, to bring all the affected farmers together to share their knowledge and experiences and to spread the same to all and for understanding their problem at the ground level and identifying suitable solution for them.

The Convention aimed at building the Self-Confidence of the affected people.  The convention started at 10 am by a procession of about 3,300 farmers from Pushpavanam village to the auditorium at Sembodai.  The procession was flagged off by Ms K. Subbulakshmi, D.S.P of Vedaranyam.

Peoples Convention on Building Self-Confidence: Flag off the Procession by the
Ms. K. Subbulakshmi, DSP, Nagapattinam district

Peoples Convention on Building Self-Confidence: Procession
by the Tsunami affected farmers in Nagapattinam district

The proceedings of the day were started by prayer by Sri.Vengayyan and Perumalsamy (singers from the cultural team of DHAN Foundation). The participants were welcomed by Mr. P. Thangaperumal, Regional Coordinator Nagapattinam, followed by a brief introduction about the convention by
Mr. S. Babu Project Executive of DHAN Foundation.

During the convention the farmers shared their experiences and difficulties they faced. They expressed that it was DHAN Foundation who came first for the help of farmers. They provided food and work for the needy other than going for mere relief. Their activities are of long-term impact.

The discussion went on different topics such as,

The Special Address was given by Dr. J. Radhakrishnan I.A.S, District Collector, Nagapattinam, who highlighted the initiatives of DHAN Foundation for the long term rehabilitation works.

Dr. J.Radhakrishanan I.A.S, District Collector Nagapattinam district addressing the Peoples Convention on Building Self-Confidence to the Tsunami affected farmers in Nagapattinam district

The other guests & speakers include Mr. E. Muthuvel, Joint Director of Agriculture, Nagapattinam, Mr. P. Mohanasundaram, Deputy Director of Fisheries, Nagapattinam, Mr. A. Seenivasan, AGM Indian Bank, Kumbakonam and Mr. M.P. Vasimalai, Executive Director, DHAN Foundation, Madurai.

Dr. J.Radhakrishanan I.A.S, District Collector Nagapattinam
addressing the Tsunami affected farmers

The new themes of DHAN Foundation were launched during the function.  The new themes; Coastal Agriculture, Panchayat and Information Technology for Poor was introduced by Mr. S. Singarayar, Mr. M. Palanisamy & Mr. R. Senramar respectively.

This was followed by the introduction of the local volunteers who had joined DHAN Foundation in our initiatives, and a discussion on the implementation of the decisions made. A cultural event was followed and the function ended by vote of thank given by Mr. Saravanan.

The convention has helped in building the confidence of the farmers and served as a common platform for the farmers to share their knowledge and concerns. It also paved way for creating unity and awareness among the farmers and was really an eye opener for the government authorities on the problems of the farmers.

11. Visits

 

The Nagapattinam team had discussion with Save the Children, United Kingdom for initiating the rehabilitation of carpenters in Nagapattinam district. Our team had conducted a detailed survey and case studies in Vedaranyam, Pushpavanam, Nalliyanthottam, Akkaraikulam, Kameswaram, and Keeraikollai Street.

 

Mercy Corps country representative Mrs. Manju Muraleedharan visited the villages Prathabaramapuram, Pudupalli, Kameswaram in Keelaiyur block and Maniatheevu, Periyakuthagai in Vedaranyam block to study & assess the progress of relief and rehabilitation works in these areas.

 

Mr. Jack Boyson and team from International Youth Foundation, Mary Land U.S.A visited the region and are exploring the possibilities for collaboration with DHAN Foundation for the Information Technology related services to the youth in the Karaikal region.

 

Mr. C.N.Manoj, G.S. Foundation (representing SPARK group) who has visited the Kilinjilmedu village on 6th March, 2005, was well received by the community and the team. The Spark group had donated Rs. one lakh worth of boat repairing materials towards our initiatives.