Tsunami- Relief and Restoring Livelihoods & Habitats

DHAN Foundation Initiatives - Update 8

January 14-17, 2005

I.    Tamil Nadu

1.   Nagapattanam district

1.1 Seerkali Taluka- Kollidam block.

Pongal Function: Pongal festival was celebrated along with the community in Chinnakottaimedu village. About 60 families participated in the function and the team distributed sugar cane, rice, sweets,etc. On 16-1-2005 competition games were conducted for the children, ladies and gents where about 100 participants taken part. Prize distribution was followed where about 30 prizes were announced and distributed to the winners which had really brought smiles, cheers and confidence in the faces of  people in the community.

Relief Initiatives: The people in the area received a warning of the tsunami in these days and all were alert and tensed for two days due to the sudden warning that there is a chance of tsunami waves again attacking the shore. Government had distributed Rs. 20,000 for the owners of big boats and Rs.10,000 for the owners of small boats for the purchase and maintenance of nets and boats.

Two representatives from the fishermen community were taken to DHAN’s Chennai office to get into direct dealing with the whole salers who sell nets and boat repairing materials and other machinery parts. By this initiative, middlemen are avoided and the community gets a better bargain for their purchase. They got quotation from different shops and also estimated a gain of up to Rs.2000 per person in their whole sale purchase. The team is exploring the ways for formation of fishermen groups in the area.

1.2 Keevelur block

Pongal festival: Pongal festival was celebrated in the Pudupalli village on 14-1-2005 with the 66 tsunami devastated families. The festival was celebrated with the total participation of the community in the traditional way followed by games for children, ladies and gents. Prizes were also distributed to the winners through the village leaders. It was really a great event of get-together for the community. They also shared their view that this is for the first time in their history they celebrated Pongal together in the village . The village elders expressed that it was a great relief especially for the children who have not yet recovered from the shock of the year’s worst natural calamity. In Seruthur village of Keevelur block, the team  distributed trunk boxes to the needy families in the area.

Visit from Netherlands NOVIB team: Mr. Coen Van Kessel, Programme Officer, NOVIB, Netherlands visited the working areas with Mr. M.P Vasimalai, Executive Director of DHAN foundation on 15.1.2005. A journalist Mr.Antoine Heijmans from Volkskrant, a leading newspaper in Netherlands accompanied them for reporting the tsunami effects and relief activities. The visitors were happy seeing the response of the people to the community oriented and participatory initiatives of DHAN in the tsunami affected areas.

Community organization: 3 farmers groups were formed, with 20 members in each group in Vilundhanmavudi village for looking after farming related issues. A women group was also formed with 20 members. Our team had made arrangements for a daily news paper supply in the village in a common place where all the community will get together daily. Now as a result of this initiative, the people are informed about the day to day activities and happenings in the world. The team had planned to purchase 3 tailoring machines to be supplied to the women group. 

2. Cuddalore District

Relief: On the Pongal day the team has distributed plastic buckets to the community in Akkaraikori and Subauppalavadi and Rasspettai villages. On 15-1-2005, the team supplied groceries to the community which contained 15 items such as salt, sugar, pulses, etc. 800 buckets were distributed in Cuddallore area and 1000 in Chidambaram area.

The team has identified 6 to 7 associates from the local community among the 10^th pass students for working as associates for DHAN’s initiatives in these areas. A kit for school students which consists of a school bag, geometry box, water-can, 4 note books were purchased for distribution to the students.

3. Kancheepuram District

Visit: Mr. Toopran Sampathkumar, CIDA visited one of the villages- Venpurushamkuppam in Thirukalukundram block along with the team members on 14.1.2005. He had a discussion with the community in the village to know about their needs. The villagers requested support for purchase of fishing nets/boats and repair of boats.

Livelihoods: Our team members have enquired about the rates of fishing nets in Manali where nets are produced. A team is already engaged in doing a survey to assess the exact livelihood needs of the affected community. So far, it has been completed for 229 households in Meiyurkuppam village. A boat repairing shed has been arranged (taken up a government building for the purpose) which would start functioning from Wednesday (19^th Jan) onwards.

II.Pondicherry

1. Karaikkal

Our team members participated in the NGO coordination committee meeting and expressed our commitment for long term association. The proposed activities were temporary shelters with sanitary complexes, agriculture intervention and forming women SHGs.

The team had done a survey of general situation, status of relief activities and future needs in eleven villages in Karaikkal. They observed that the relief activities was mostly distribution of food materials to the affected families by different agencies. They also identified that there is a need for intervention in rainfed agriculture activities, providing nets and boats, sanitation at households and improving the education of the children among the community.

The team is taking efforts to identify and employ educated youth to work with the team on the community development activities.