Cyclone Vardha Chennai- Relief and Rehabilitation

Centre for Women’s Development and Research

Cyclone Vardha Child-Relief and Rehabilitation – 26313

Final Report September 2017

Cyclone Vardha December 2016, arrived even as the people of Chenni, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts were attempting to erase the dark memories of December deluge of 2015. It came, it shook, it destroyed. As usual the most affected are the poor people of slums and villages. It was also the period demonetization was going on, slum people were without money and jobs, our local fund raising to support the disaster situation was also very much affected. During 2015 Chennai floods the state assembly elections were just around the corner and the government acted immediately and provided enough support for the affected people.   In fact, during December 2016 the government was preparing to meet a flood but it was a cyclone and they were unprepared, there was not enough cutting saws to cut the fallen trees, or people to repair the electricity connections or repair the roofs. When we lookback at that worst situation we are wondering how people could resilient back to normal life without much of outside help. During disasters, it is not only women are worst affected it is the women who rebuild the family life back to normal.  We are happy that our women’s groups ‘Manushi’ domestic workers union, ‘Maithri’ single women’s association, ‘Snehidhi’ adolescent girl’s association members played an important role not only rebuilding their home they also played an important role in rebuilding other families. For us it is the most difficult and challenging time, because it was our working area and people are affected, we have been working there and will continue working there, so unless we help people particularly women at this critical period we may lose the good relationship built over the period.  But it is our local women’s group members confidence and involvement motivated us to carry on the rehabilitation activities.  9 months are already gone and they are resilient back to their normal life. All these processes helped to strengthen the local level women’s and adolescent girls groups.

Our focus was on Pallam slum in Sholinganallur area which was more affected by the cyclone. Since we could not collect much donations we collected 1000 sets of dresses and distributed among women and girl children.  We could also able to collect 500 under garments and 50 sets of sanitary napkins and that was distributed among adolescent girls.   100 women were given Rs.1000 each for their immediate relief and survival, we also could able to collect scholarship money for college girls 13 girls were given Rs.5000 each otherwise probably they would have discontinued their education. In addition, we also arranged supplementary education programmes for 10^th and 12th standard, 34 girls benefitted from this and they all passed their board examinations. But they could able to score only low marks.  We could able to mobilize many volunteers to conduct recreational activities for children, that served as counselling service for children to come out of the trauma caused by the cyclone disaster.

Even in that situation women celebrated the International women’s day on 8^th March and women domestic workers celebrated May Day.  These gave them an opportunity to come together discuss and take decisions and of course an opportunity to celebrate by singing, dancing and playing. Adolescent girls and women also participated in the 1 billion raising event to eliminate violence against women.  We have also organized 2 housekeeping skill training for domestic workers in the slums, 78 women participated in this programme.  We are in the process of finding placements for them.  In a disaster situation, these trainings build their confidence and look for a good future.  We have also learned it is important to create some reserve funds to meet these kinds of emergencies.  

Ms.Uma a globalgiving volunteer  visited our organization on  4^th June and visited the slum areas and interacted with adolescent girls and women.   

We are now continuing our regular activities like life skill and sexuality education for adolescent girls and educating and empowering women domestic workers and single women.  Since 9 months have gone we wish to remove this project from globalgiving site and those who wish to contribute for our work please visit our other project in globalgivign site:

Lifeskill,Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India

https://www.globalgiving.org/dy/v2/pe/project-edit/edit-page-1.html?project.projId=14480