CHENNAI FLOOD RELIEF - United For Tamil Nadu

Rebuilding of lives and homes 

Relief Program Highlights

1. 21 people benefitted by the rebuilding of 5 houses which were partially damaged in the second phase of the relief program initiated in Tiruvallur District.
2. The rehabilitation phase follows the first phase where 50 people from in and around Tamil Nadu directly benefitted from the relief program initiated by United Way Bengaluru and supported by generous donors from Global Giving.

United Way Bengaluru with the support of generous donors from Global Giving initiated the project to refurbish 5 houses of families affected by the torrential rains and floods thereafter in and around Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Five families whose homes were badly damaged were identified in Kuthambakkam village, Tiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu. The criteria for selecting beneficiaries was decided upon by the stakeholders, which are as follows:

• Socially Backward
• Economically poor
• Widows / single parents
• Senior Citizen

The goal of the project is to help affected flood victims to secure their houses, which were damaged by the rains and flood.

Project Progress:

• Survey was undertaken to make an assessment of the damage.
• 5 beneficiaries’ houses have been identified.

 The refurbishment works includes the following:

• Roof repair and wall plastering to avoid seepage
• White washing and painting to disinfect the homes
• Improving sanitation facilities
• Replacing conventional light bulbs with solar LED bulbs
• Replacement of broken door and windows etc.

Community participation: The Gram Panchayat Members (a unit of members elected by a democratic process, responsible for their village improvement) have been consulted and approvals have been sorted to undertake the home refurbishments project of the beneficiaries. To ensure that each beneficiary value the support and maintain their houses thereafter, they were engaged in damage assessment, planning refurbishment, budgeting, implementing and monitoring. Each family also has contributed their time and labor in refurbishing their homes along with skilled laborers.

List of beneficiaries whose home refurbishment is completed:

Beneficiaries Name                No. of family members

Janaki, W/O Raman                  4

Meenaga W/O Anbalagan          5

Pachchiyammal W/O Raman     4

Annakili W/O Ramesh               4

Nagalakshmi W/O Prabhu         4

The project faced a month delay because of identification of families as per the above mentioned criteria.

United Way Bengaluru is grateful to Global Giving for their contribution and support towards 21 beneficiariers who directly benefitted from the refurbishing of 5 homes which were damaged in the rains and floods in Kuthumbakkam village, Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu. However, this project will be closed since we have refurnished and handed over the houses to our beneficiaries.  They were extremely grateful for the support and help they received through Global Giving.

About the Relief Project

A depression over the Bay of Bengal on the 7^th and 8^th November developed into a strong cyclone which lashed the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on 9^th November 2015. Many parts of Tamil Nadu received heavy rains. The deluge swamped several places including Tiruvallur, Neyveli, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Velachery, West Tambaram and Chennai as incessant rain lashed the town throughout the day.

United Way Bengaluru swiftly undertook relief work for the victims of Chennai Floods from Tiruvallur 35 Kms from Chennai from 7^th December, 2105 onwards lasting for three weeks.

UNITED WAY BENGALURU TO THE AID: In order to provide timely intervention, United Way Bengaluru along with their partnering NGOs jumped into action to provide aid to the helpless and needy. Relief work was initiated to ensure that families who had been severely affected by the floods had access to food, clothing and other day to day essential items to help them tide over the initial crisis period.

United Way collected the relief materials from Bengaluru and transported them to relief point in and around Chennai and reached out to the needy communities.  

The following items were distributed to the beneficiaries:   Water bottles, coffee/tea powder, milk powder, milk packets, masala powders, dry ration, chocolates, dry snacks, biscuit packs, rice, wheat powder, blankets, bedsheets, torches, toothpaste, toothbrush, washing soaps, sanitizers, bathing soaps, sanitary napkins etc. In addition, mosquito nets, mosquito coils, utensils and tarpaulin sheets were purchased and handed over to them.

United Way Bengaluru

Mobilizing the caring power of the community